>>Nicodemus understands the first birth (water) to be a normal, human birth...And so do I...<<
Whey is that so hard for them to grasp?
Because it makes no sense? If in this statement water = amniotic fluid, when Jesus said you must be born again of water and the Spirit, he meant you must be born again of amniotic fluid and the Spirit? Um, he then told Nicodemus that he WOULDN’T be born again of amniotic fluid...
What I think you’re implying would be said “born of water and born again of the Spirit” - but that’s not what He said.
Um....what? Where did Jesus say you must be born again of water?
John3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 "Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'…
The guy had been born once of the water/flesh and needed to be born again of the Spirit.