How do you enter the Kingdom of God?

Jesus said you must be born again of the Spirit (John 3:3-5), repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15), and receive the Kingdom like a little child (Mark 10:15). It is entered not by earning but by turning to Christ and trusting him.

What does 'born again' mean?

In John 3:3 Jesus told Nicodemus, 'Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' It means a new spiritual birth given by God's Spirit, a fresh start and new life that we receive from God rather than achieve ourselves.

What does it mean to repent and believe?

In Mark 1:15 Jesus said, 'repent ye, and believe the gospel.' To repent is to turn from going our own way and come home to God; to believe is to trust the good news that God welcomes us in Jesus. Together they are how a person enters the Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God

How to Enter the Kingdom

Jesus was asked, in effect, how a person gets in. His answers are simple and searching. You must be born again, born anew of the Spirit, to even see the Kingdom. You must repent and believe the good news. And you must receive it like a little child, with open, empty hands. Not earned, but given; not achieved, but received, by turning to Christ and trusting him.

What Jesus said

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

Mark 1:15

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3

“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.”

John 3:5

“Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.”

Mark 10:15

A reflection

‘Born again’ tells us the truth: we cannot make ourselves fit for the Kingdom any more than we could arrange our own first birth. It is a gift, a new life breathed in by God’s Spirit. Our part is to turn, ‘repent,’ simply to change direction and come home, and to believe, to trust the good news that God welcomes us in Christ.

So the door is low, and a child can walk through it. Not the proud who bring their achievements, but the humble who bring their need. If you want to enter, you do not need to become impressive first. You need only to turn to Jesus, believe him, and receive the Kingdom the way a child receives a gift: with empty hands and an open heart. He is ready to give it.

Frequently asked questions

How do you enter the Kingdom of God?: Jesus said you must be born again of the Spirit (John 3:3-5), repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15), and receive the Kingdom like a little child (Mark 10:15). It is entered not by earning but by turning to Christ and trusting him.
What does 'born again' mean?: In John 3:3 Jesus told Nicodemus, 'Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' It means a new spiritual birth given by God's Spirit, a fresh start and new life that we receive from God rather than achieve ourselves.
What does it mean to repent and believe?: In Mark 1:15 Jesus said, 'repent ye, and believe the gospel.' To repent is to turn from going our own way and come home to God; to believe is to trust the good news that God welcomes us in Jesus. Together they are how a person enters the Kingdom.

One step deeper: Return to the parables of the Kingdom →

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Come and see the King

The Kingdom of God is not finally a subject to be studied but a King to be met. Jesus opened his ministry saying the Kingdom had come near, and he still draws near to everyone who turns to him with an open heart. Read his own words, watch what he does, and see. The Gospel of Mark, where he first cries ‘the kingdom of God is at hand,’ is a gentle place to begin, and it costs you nothing but a little quiet and an honest look.

Read the Gospel of Mark Who is Jesus?Ask for prayer

Jesus Christ is Lord.

Explore furtherThe Kingdom of God Of such is the Kingdom Who is Jesus?The parables of the Kingdom