John 3:4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?
This metaphor left Nicodemus puzzled on the possibility of being “born again” when already old. To “be born again” sounded easy (no steps) and yet the possibility made it complex at the same time. The complex part is what it means and takes for it to become.
Nicodemus’ response, a teacher of the law proved Paul’s point, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1Cor 2:14). What Jesus said made no sense to Nicodemus, the same with those who are dead in sin. 1Co 1:18 “For the word of the cross is folly (foolishness) to those who are perishing, ...” Think of man read this simple verse in 1Jn 5:12 “Whoever has the Son has life; ….” but then he had one complex question, “how do you get the Son?” Honest questions lead to right solutions.