To be born from above is to be born of the Spirit of God. This is the gift of baptism that we, contemporary Christians, are familiar with but something that the Israelites of the 1st century, such as Nicodemus, had to learn, despite being a teacher of the faith. Through inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we are able to access the spiritual realm and understand things that our rational minds and logical sensibilities cannot. We understand, even if we do not comprehend, the full reality of God's Being. This is akin to the wind image of the Holy Spirit which Jesus tells Nicodemus: blows as it will, seemingly randomly, yet with an internal logic and purpose of its own. This is because, having been reborn in baptism, we no longer perceive as humans do but see the world through the eyes of faith, hope and charity. These are all God-given gifts; they have nothing to do with our own merits or intellectual abilities.

All it takes is faith in Jesus Christ who shows believers the Way to the Kingdom of God. Thus, He asks Nicodemus: "If you do not believe Me when I speak about things in this world, how are you going to believe Me when I speak to you of heavenly things?" Thus, humility and trust are necessary; the conviction that we are never too old to learn new truths and never too wise to allow the Spirit of God to work in and through us.