John 3:5 – Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Jesus statement to Nicodemus is very clear in what it does not say. it does not say: you must be born of water and church membership to enter the kingdom; you must be good or perform good works to enter the kingdom; you must partake of the Lord’s Supper to enter the kingdom; you must be baptized to enter the kingdom. This passage very simply says; “…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
The statement of Jesus that a man be born of water has already been shown to be the natural birth that all experience when being ushered into this world as a baby. Therefore we must address the statement, “…and of the Spirit….”
John 16:8 says that when the Spirit comes, He will convict the world of sin. This conviction brings a response of acceptance or rejection. Acceptance brings the “New Birth” spoken of by Jesus. We experience a New Birth by the Spirit. This New Birth brings us into the family of God and ushers us into the kingdom of God.
In Spirit and In Truth The Word 