Born of Water and the Spirit
02/02/2009 09:41 AM Filed in: Articles
In John 3 Jesus told Nicodemus that, “unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Nicodemus was somewhat confused about what Jesus was talking about and asked a question that we should all be asking, “How can a man be born when he is old?” Of course Nicodemus was confused because the only kind of birth that he could conceive of was a physical birth, “Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus explained to Nicodemus that he was not talking about a physical birth by saying, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus was clearly taking about a spiritual birth not a physical one. But what does it mean to be born of water and the Spirit?
We can see what Jesus was speaking of here by looking at what happened when people were born again. We look to a simple, but profound, statement Paul made to the Corinthians when he said, “…in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” Paul was saying to the Corinthians that he had performed the delivery in their new birth. We see in Acts 18:8, that “many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.” Paul preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to them and they believed and were baptized. Remember, Jesus said “unless one is born of water and the Spirit.” We see the water clearly here in baptism but where is the Spirit?
In the case of the Corinthians being born again we have no difficulty finding the water that Jesus spoke of because they were baptized. There is a good example of this in Acts 8:36 were the eunuch said, “see here is water what is hindering me from being baptized.” Clearly the water in the new birth is baptism. This is further evident when we notice that every example of conversion in the book of Acts involved baptism (Acts 2:38-41; 8:12, 13, 38; 9:18; 10:48; 16:15, 33; 18:8).
Many have wrongly come to the conclusion that baptism is an option. But Jesus says here that one cannot enter the kingdom of heaven without first being baptized. Does the rest of the New Testament teaching on baptism support such a conclusion? Most assuredly it does! In 1 Peter 3:21, Peter makes a statement that should end all discussion on the necessity of baptism when he says, “There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” It shouldn’t surprise us then to find in Peter’s sermon in Acts 2, in answer to the question “what must we do,” Peter saying, “repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” But Peter wasn’t the only apostle to preach on the necessity of baptism. Paul, in recounting the events of his own conversion, said that a disciple by the name of Ananias came to him, having been sent by Jesus, and found him where he had been praying and fasting for three days. Paul had been this way from the time he saw Jesus on the Damascus road, where most people say that Paul was saved. But Ananias did not think Paul was saved because he said to him, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” How could Paul still have sins if he was saved on the Damascus road? The simple answer is that he was not saved, that is way he was fasting and praying, until he was baptized – having his sins washed away (cf. Rev. 1:5, the blood of Christ is contacted in baptism). Clearly then baptism is not an option, it is not a mere ritual, but it is essential to entering the kingdom of heaven (John 3:1-5). Having seen what Jesus meant by the water, we will now look at what was meant by being born of the Spirit.
Jesus said that the new birth was by water AND the Spirit. The New Testament leaves no doubt that the Spirit is involved in our being born again, but the question is how the Spirit is involved. Many believe that the Spirit acts directly on the heart of the sinner to bring them to salvation. This comes from the teachings of John Calvin, however, and not the Bible. Calvin taught that man was totally depraved (that is, completely incapable of doing right) and therefore could only be prompted toward righteousness by a direct operation of the Spirit on the reprobate heart. To the contrary, however, when we look into the Bible we find overwhelming evidence that the manner in which the Spirit persuades men toward righteousness is by means of the word of God, indirectly, not by direct operation on the heart of the sinner. Notice the following passages:
These are just a few of the many, many passages that show that people are born again through the gospel of Jesus Christ, the word of truth. When Jesus said, “by water and the Spirit,” He was saying that one must be baptized for the remission of sins according to the instructions given by the inspired word of God, in that the word was inspired by the Spirit. Notice what Peter said of the word of God, “…holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
Let me close with some very interesting words from the apostle Paul, “…the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). The Spirit bears witness with our spirit when we can look into His instructions for being born again, the word of God, and see that we have followed those instructions. Dear reader does the Spirit bear witness with your spirit that you have followed the New Testament plan of salvation (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 10:17; John 8:24; Acts 2:38; Romans 10:9, 10; Romans 6:3, 4).
We can see what Jesus was speaking of here by looking at what happened when people were born again. We look to a simple, but profound, statement Paul made to the Corinthians when he said, “…in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” Paul was saying to the Corinthians that he had performed the delivery in their new birth. We see in Acts 18:8, that “many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.” Paul preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to them and they believed and were baptized. Remember, Jesus said “unless one is born of water and the Spirit.” We see the water clearly here in baptism but where is the Spirit?
In the case of the Corinthians being born again we have no difficulty finding the water that Jesus spoke of because they were baptized. There is a good example of this in Acts 8:36 were the eunuch said, “see here is water what is hindering me from being baptized.” Clearly the water in the new birth is baptism. This is further evident when we notice that every example of conversion in the book of Acts involved baptism (Acts 2:38-41; 8:12, 13, 38; 9:18; 10:48; 16:15, 33; 18:8).
Many have wrongly come to the conclusion that baptism is an option. But Jesus says here that one cannot enter the kingdom of heaven without first being baptized. Does the rest of the New Testament teaching on baptism support such a conclusion? Most assuredly it does! In 1 Peter 3:21, Peter makes a statement that should end all discussion on the necessity of baptism when he says, “There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” It shouldn’t surprise us then to find in Peter’s sermon in Acts 2, in answer to the question “what must we do,” Peter saying, “repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” But Peter wasn’t the only apostle to preach on the necessity of baptism. Paul, in recounting the events of his own conversion, said that a disciple by the name of Ananias came to him, having been sent by Jesus, and found him where he had been praying and fasting for three days. Paul had been this way from the time he saw Jesus on the Damascus road, where most people say that Paul was saved. But Ananias did not think Paul was saved because he said to him, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” How could Paul still have sins if he was saved on the Damascus road? The simple answer is that he was not saved, that is way he was fasting and praying, until he was baptized – having his sins washed away (cf. Rev. 1:5, the blood of Christ is contacted in baptism). Clearly then baptism is not an option, it is not a mere ritual, but it is essential to entering the kingdom of heaven (John 3:1-5). Having seen what Jesus meant by the water, we will now look at what was meant by being born of the Spirit.
Jesus said that the new birth was by water AND the Spirit. The New Testament leaves no doubt that the Spirit is involved in our being born again, but the question is how the Spirit is involved. Many believe that the Spirit acts directly on the heart of the sinner to bring them to salvation. This comes from the teachings of John Calvin, however, and not the Bible. Calvin taught that man was totally depraved (that is, completely incapable of doing right) and therefore could only be prompted toward righteousness by a direct operation of the Spirit on the reprobate heart. To the contrary, however, when we look into the Bible we find overwhelming evidence that the manner in which the Spirit persuades men toward righteousness is by means of the word of God, indirectly, not by direct operation on the heart of the sinner. Notice the following passages:
- Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation, for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
- 1 Corinthians 4:15, “…in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.”
- James 1:18, “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth…”
- 1 Pet. 1:21, “…having been born again…through the word of God…”
These are just a few of the many, many passages that show that people are born again through the gospel of Jesus Christ, the word of truth. When Jesus said, “by water and the Spirit,” He was saying that one must be baptized for the remission of sins according to the instructions given by the inspired word of God, in that the word was inspired by the Spirit. Notice what Peter said of the word of God, “…holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
Let me close with some very interesting words from the apostle Paul, “…the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). The Spirit bears witness with our spirit when we can look into His instructions for being born again, the word of God, and see that we have followed those instructions. Dear reader does the Spirit bear witness with your spirit that you have followed the New Testament plan of salvation (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 10:17; John 8:24; Acts 2:38; Romans 10:9, 10; Romans 6:3, 4).