What does it means to encounter religion? Nicodemus was a religious leader of his day who would have been faithful in his Bible reading, prayer and fasting disciplines (and in all aspects of the law). He would have had large portions of Scripture memorized, yet he didn’t have a personal relationship with God. He sees something strikingly different about Jesus and recognized Jesus has a connection with God that he doesn’t have. He was religious but not saved. Jesus lets Nicodemus know that he must be born again to have a relationship with God. Many religious people today believe they are saved yet they don’t have a relationship with God and need to be born again.
