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#4. BORN OF WATER AND OF SPIRIT

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#4. BORN OF WATER AND OF SPIRIT John 3:5

Introduction 4

This is an excellent bible study explaining what it means to be born of water, and of Spirit. We are about to examine two types of birth, and it is important that we understand exactly what they are, because Jesus said, "You must be born again." (John 3:7), "must" being translated from the Greek word δεῖ (Gtr. dei) which means, "it is necessary". One common interpretation of these two births is that they refer to water baptism, and the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This may seem a logical conclusion at first sight, but a deeper examination of the scripture will show that it is a dangerous, false interpretation. Dangerous because a person who has been water baptized, and baptized in the Holy Spirit, can be led into a false sense of security, that they have attained a place which will ensure their acceptance by Jesus when he returns, and false because it is simply not a true interpretation. Therefore we will first present evidence to show that these interpretations are false, and then give a scriptural explanation of what they mean.

#4.1 Born of the water is not water baptism

JOHN 3:1-8
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God is with him.
3 Jesus answered and said to him, Amen, amen, I say to you, except a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus says to him, How can a man be born when he is old?
5 Jesus answered, Amen, amen, I say to you, Except a man is born of water, and of 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 spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said to you, You must be born again.
8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but can not tell where it comes from, and where it goes: so is every one who is born of the Spirit.

Note: There are at least four reasons why "born of water" does not refer to water baptism.

(1) There are numerous people in the Old Testament who were not baptized in water but will obviously be in the Kingdom of God. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are a few examples:

Matthew 8:11 "And I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kigdom of heaven."
Luke 13:28 "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out."

(2) The robber who died on the cross next to Jesus (Luke 23:39-43) was obviously saved, because Jesus said to him, "Today, you shall be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43), and yet he was not baptized in water. It was about three years earlier at least, that Jesus had said, "Except a man is born of water ... he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5). Was Jesus contradicting his own teaching? Had he changed his mind? Surely his acceptance of the malefactor without water baptism is proof that "born of water" does not refer to water baptism.

(3) Jesus said to Zaccheus, "Today salvation has come to this house," (Luke 19:9), even though he was not baptized in water.

(4) Compare these two quotes by the apostle Paul:

1 Corinthians 1:12-17 "Now this I say, that every one of you says, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
1:13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
1:14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
1:15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in my own name.
1:16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other.
1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect."
1 Corinthians 4:15 "For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel".

Paul did not attach the great importance to water baptism that the modern churches seem to do, but made it clear that preaching the gospel was his priority, and that the Corinthians had been born again through his preaching. Many other scriptures indicate that people are saved by preaching (1 Corinthians 1:21; 15:1-2), preachers (Mat 4:23; Luke 9:2), Gospel saves (Rom 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 1:14-17; 15:1-2).

#4.2 Born of the Spirit is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit

JOHN 3:5
5 Jesus answered, Amen, amen, I say to you, Except a man is born of water, and of spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Note: Just like the section on "born of water", there are at least four reasons why "born of spirit" does not refer to Holy Spirit baptism.

(1) There are numerous people in the Old Testament who were not baptized in the Spirit but will obviously be in the Kingdom of God. Abel (Hebrews 11:4), Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are a few examples (Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:28). The scripture says that the Holy spirit would not be given until after the cross:
John 7:39 "But this he spoke of the Spirit, which those who believe in him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified."

Also God would pour out his spirit in the last days in a way that was not done before, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days I will pour out my spirit." (Joel 2:28-29). Peter confirmed that the outpouring on the day of Pentecost was when God began to do this:

Acts 2:16-18 "But this is that which was spoken through the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:"

This being so there would be numerous people saved in the Old Testament, who will be in the kingdom of God, but were not baptized in the Spirit. However, righteousness was a key to the kingdom then (Psalms 45:6; 103:17-18), and still is today (Matthew 13:43; 25:46; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Peter 4:18.

(2) In the New Testament again the robber who died on the cross next to Jesus (Luke 23:39-43) was obviously saved, because Jesus said to him, "Today, you shall be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43), and yet he was not baptised in the Holy Spirit. Surely his acceptance of the malefactor without Holy Spirit baptism is proof that "born of spirit" does not refer to Holy Spirit baptism.

(3) Jesus said to Zaccheus, "Today salvation has come to this house," (Luke 19:9), even though he was not baptized in with the Holy Spirit.

(4) The Ethiopian eunuch confessed, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God." (Acts 8:37), and all he had heard was the gospel of Jesus Christ from Philip the evangelist. However, putting other scriptures with it we can see that he had been born again, and the spirit of God had entered into him.

1 John 4:15 "Whoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God."
1 John 5:1 "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and everyone who loves him who begot loves him also that is begotten of him."

The eunuch's confession revealed that that he had been re–born by the spirit of God. He went on his way rejoicing without the baptism in the Holy Spirit, as it is clear that Philip did not have that as part of his ministry.(Acts 8:14-15).

#4.3 Born of the water - The washing of regeneration

JOHN 3:5
5 Jesus answered, Amen, amen, I say to you, Except a man is born of water, and of spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

TITUS 3:4-6 (Paul)
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savoir toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savoir;

1 JOHN 5:8
8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

Note: Here we can see two types of birth compared, "born of water, and of the spirit," (John 3:5), and it is important that we know exactly what they are because Jesus said, "You must be born again." (John 3:7), "must" being translated from the Greek word "dei", which means, "it is necessary". We can see what they represent by comparing them with other parallel scriptures, such as, "the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit;" (Titus 3:5), and "the spirit, and the water," (1 John 5:8).

The "washing of regeneration" undoubtedly refers to the washing away of sin, by the word of God, as is indicated by several scriptures,

Psa 51:2 "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."
Jeremiah 4:14 "O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved."
John 15:3 "Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you."
Acts 22:16 "wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
Ephesians 5:25-26 "Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word."

Also in other places, washing in blood removes sin:

1 John 1:7 "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin."
Revelation 1:5 "Jesus Christ ... washed us from our sins in his own blood."
Revelation 7:14 "These are those who came out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb."

But the blood and the water agree in one (1 John 5:8), because they describe the same cleansing process, although from a different point of view. So it still brings us to the same place.

#4.4 Born of Spirit - Renewing the Spirit of your mind

JOHN 3:5
5 Jesus answered, Amen, amen, I say to you, Except a man is born of water, and of spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

TITUS 3:4-6 (Paul)
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savoir toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savoir;

Note: The "renewing of the Holy Spirit;" (Titus 3:5), can be examined using other scriptures also:

Rom 12:2 "And do not be conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

In both of these scriptures the word translated renewing (Gr. ἀνακαινώσει, Gtr. anakainosei) and is the dative case of "anakainosis" and means "a renewal" or a "renovation". We can see that it is our mind that is renewed, which causes us to be transformed (Rom 12:2), and that it is the Holy Spirit that does the renewing (Titus 3:5).

2 Corinthians 3:18 "But we all with open face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
2 Corinthians 4:16 "For which cause we do not faint; for though our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is renewed day by day."
Ephesians 4:23-24 "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that you put on the new man, who after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."
Colossians 3:10 "And have put on the new man, who is renewed in knowledge after the image of him who created him."

Numerous other scriptures show that we are born again by the word of God:

1 Corinthians 4:15 "For though we have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel."
James 1:17-18 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.
Of his own will he begot us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures."
1 Peter 1:23 "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever."

#4.5 Conclusion

In conclusion then, the word of God in our heart will give us the ability to be able to avoid sin.

Psalm 119:11 "Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you."

This is also part of the New Covenant (Hebrews 8:10; 10:16), and the word of God in our heart is spirit. We know that, "the Spirit is truth." (1 John 5:6), and the Word of God is truth (John 17:17), which indicates that in some way, the Spirit and the Word are the same. Jesus said, "the words that I speak to you, they are spirit," (John 6:63), and as he only spoke God’s words (John 3:34; 8:28; 8:38; 12:50; 14:10), that confirms that the Word of God is the Spirit of God doesn’t it? When Jesus returns, he will destroy the wicked with "the spirit of his mouth," (2 Thessalonians 2:8), which is "a sharp sword," (Revelation 19:15), which is the "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;" (Ephesians 6:17). When Jesus cast out devils, he did it "with his word" (Mat 8:16), and "by the Spirit of God" (Matthew 12:28), again confirming that the Word of God is the Spirit of God. Also the Spirit quickens (John 6:63), and the Word quickens (Psalm 119:50), the Spirit leads us (Rom 8:14; Gal 5:18), and the word of God leads us (Psalm 17:4; Proverbs 6:20-22). The truth leads us (Psalm 43:3), "the Spirit is truth." (1 John 5:6), and the word of God is truth (John 17:17), all effectively indicating that "the Word, and the Holy Spirit: ... are one." (1 John 5:7). One what? "one spirit." (Ephesians 4:4). As the word for "one" (Gr. ἓν Gtr. hen) is neuter gender in the Greek, so the word for spirit is neuter. So we can conclude that Word of God is the Spirit of God. Just as "the Word was God." (John 1:1), which means that "the Word is God", as he doesn’t change (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17), so "God is a spirit:" (John 4:24). As God creates everything by his Word (Psalm 148:5; John 1:3), so he creates everything by his spirit (Psalm 104:30). Just as he sends his word to do his will (Psalm 107:20; Isaiah 9:8; 55:11; Acts 10:36), so he also sends his spirit (Psalm 104:30; John 14:26; Galatians 4:6; 1 Peter 1:12). We can see how words are spirit from the writing of the apostle Paul:

2 Corinthians 3:3 "You are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but on fleshy tablets of the heart."

When we write words with ink, the ink is the substance of the words, and the words are the form of the ink. If we rub out the words, the ink disappears, and if we rub out the ink, the words disappear. Why? Because ink and words are two ways of looking at the same thing, one describing its form and the other describing its substance. So it is when God writes his words in our heart, his word is the form, and his spirit is the substance, which is equivalent to the ink. Therefore, God is Word in form, but Spirit in substance, and his spirit in us gives us the ability not to sin. If we obey it, then we are washed from our sins which is how the word of God cleanses us (1 Peter 1:22).

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