In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. John 1:4
Cuckolds Light: Sentinel of the Sea, plein air oil painting by Lee Boynton
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. John 3:16-17
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see (or enter) the kingdom of God unless he is born again. John 3:3-4
Jack W. Hayford from my Spirit-Filled Life Bible:
Kingdom Dynamic on John 3:1-5, New Birth
Upon repentance, a new order of life opens to the believer in Jesus Christ. Jesus used the figure of "new birth" to dramatically indicate three things:
1. Without New Birth, there is no life and no relationship with God (John 14:6).
2. In New Birth, new perspective comes as we "see the kingdom of God." God's Word becomes clear, and the Holy Spirit's works and wonders are believed and experienced -- faith is alive!
3. Through New Birth, we are introduced -- literally we "enter" -- to a new realm, where God's new kingdom order can be realized. New Birth is more than simply being "saved." It is a requalifying experience, opening up the supernatural dimension of life and fitting us for a beginning in God's kingdom order.