What Does “Born of Water” Mean?

–See John 3:1-12

I. A WRONG THEORY: Some teach it is being immersed in water baptism. WHY THIS ISN’T TRUE?:
(1.) Because baptism isn’t under consideration in this scripture. Nothing indicates that baptism was being discussed.
(2.) If baptism was implied, then Jesus contradicted himself by putting salvation upon the basis of faith, John 3:16,18,36.
(3.) To assume that baptism is being set forth as the way into salvation, is to deny that salvation is “by grace through faith…not of works” Ephesians 2:8-9
(4.) To say baptism is here presented to be essential to salvation, is to make the New Testament teach two ways of salvation. For certainly the thief on the cross was not immersed. Cornelius was saved before he was baptized. These cases bear out that salvation precedes baptism. Those who teach baptismal regeneration are saying that Christ and His work must be added to with water and works. But salvation is not by “waterworks”.

II. ANOTHER THEORY: The idea here is that water is a symbol of the Word of God. This would make the passage read, “except one be born of the Spirit and the Word”. But we do not believe this to be what the passage is saying. Why?:
(1.) Because we believe if Jesus had meant the “Word” (or baptism), He would have said so plainly.
(2.) Because they were not talking about the Word.
(3.) Because such a conclusion requires that one go outside this scripture for the key to its meaning, whereas we believe the key to the passage is right in the passage itself.

III. WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE THE CORRECT MEANING: We believe that a person must be born of the flesh (naturally) and of the Spirit (supernaturally) in order to enter the Kingdom of God; that the spiritual birth is just as real in producing spiritual life, as the physical birth is in producing physical life.
(1.) It is a stated fact that one must be born twice to enter God’s Kingdom.
(2.) In the very next breath, Jesus makes plain that He is speaking of two births (whereas baptism pictures death, burial, and resurrection, NOT birth), the two births being of the flesh and of the spirit. For He says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” He clearly gives His own explanation as to what He meant.
(3.) Because the point of confusion in Nicodemus’ mind was the matter of contrasting births, John 3:4. Jesus had to say to him in substance, that the new birth was distinctly in addition to the physical birth, a spiritual birth into spiritual life, that which the physical birth did not provide.
(4.) Any physician can confirm the natural birth to truly be a “water birth”.
(5.) We believe that the obvious and simple meaning is in this case, as generally, the true meaning.

–Edited and copied from Grace and Life

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