Bible Answer: The answer depends on when you are referring to Nicodemus. When he first appears in Scripture, in John 3 when he came to question Jesus privately, he most definitely was not saved. How do I know that? Because we have the words of the Lord Jesus Himself on Nicodemus' spiritual condition at this point in his life.

John 3:1-3 begins his story, "There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'"

Nicodemus, this member of the ruling body of Jewish authorities, says "we" referring to the Pharisees, know that Jesus is a holy teacher and a miracle worker, but believing that about Jesus does not produce salvation, but as Jesus says, only being born again.

So obviously at this point, Nicodemus is not yet saved. His question to Jesus' admonition to be born again shows his ignorance.

"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?'" in John 3:4. Nicodemus is trying to relate Jesus' term "born again" to a physical birth from the womb and not a spiritual birth.

"Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' "The wind blows where is wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit'," John 3:5-8 says.

Jesus plainly explains here the second birth He is speaking of is not a natural or fleshly birth, but a spiritual one, and He compares this new birth to the wind. It is not physically seen, but it is real.

"Nicodemus answered and said, 'How can these things be?'" in John 5:9. Those are the last words recorded from Nicodemus in this passage. Jesus goes on to explain this concept of the new birth, including one of the most powerful verses on salvation in the entire Bible, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life," in John 3:16.

So what happened to Nicodemus? Did he believe, or did he not?

There is no definitive Scripture to tell us "Nicodemus was saved" in those words. But let's look at what the Bible does say about him.

Later, when the Pharisees ordered the temple officers to arrest Jesus, Nicodemus was the sole member of that group who offered a word in defense of Jesus. "Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, 'Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?'" in John 7:51.

Nicodemus urged his fellow Pharisees to listen to what Jesus had to say before they condemned Him, but they rejected his advice.

Then the final Scripture about Nicodemus is in John 19:39, after the death of Jesus on the cross, when Joseph of Arimathea had asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus' body down and bury Him.

"And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as is the custom of the Jews is to bury," John 19:39-40 says.

At this point, Nicodemus had nothing to gain and everything to lose by coming forth publicly to donate the burial spices and help in the burial of Jesus. When it was too late to do anything for the living Jesus, he finally found the courage to stand up for the crucified Christ. The Pharisees had said anyone who sided with Jesus would be thrown out of the temple, and Nicodemus knew that risk when he stepped forth.

And Nicodemus knew that being banished from the temple meant a lot more than just losing visitation and worship rights. It meant he would lose his high office and standing in Jewish society and would not even be allowed to buy goods from Jewish merchants. It amounted to total banishment from the Jewish community.

Yet, he stepped forth for Jesus anyway. That alone is enough to tell me he finally believed.

But for the final definitive answer, we'll just have to wait until we gather around in Hallelujah Square. I for one am expecting to greet Nicodemus there. Will you be there, too?

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