Bible Questions Answered:
What does John mean, born of water and Spirit?
Henry J. / Castle Rock, Colorado
Bible Answers:
The scripture to which you refer is....
John 3:5 KJV
[5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Water Baptism is “not,” the water spoken of here!
Water Baptism is our duty, but in no wise, does it grant Salvation!
I Peter 3:21 KJV
[21] The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
I Peter 3:21 NETB
3:20....God patiently waited in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water.
3:21 And this prefigured baptism, which now saves you not the washing off of physical dirt but the pledge of a good conscience to God – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Romans 10:8,9 KJV (The Pledge)
[8] But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
[9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Ephesians 2:8,9 KJV
[8] For by grace (Acronym: God's Riches At Christ's Expense) are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works (religious or otherwise), lest any man should boast.
Isaiah 64:6 KJV
6] But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
John 1:12,13 KJV
[12] But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:
[13] Which were born, not of blood (Earthly Nobility), nor of the will of the flesh (Earthly Inclinations), nor of the will of man ( Human resources, religious or otherwise), but of God.
Well if our Lord is not talking about baptism, and He is not, what is He talking about?
Water in scripture is often referred to as the Word of God.
The Spirit of God uses the Word, to lead one to the Lord Jesus, and the New Birth.
John 7:37-39 KJV
[37] In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst (spiritual thirst for the living water of His word), let him come unto me, and drink.
[38] He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
[39] (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive:...”
Matthew 4:4 KJV
[4] But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Ezekiel 36:25-27 KJV
[25] Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
[26] A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
[27] And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them.
Titus 3:4-7 NLB
4 But—"When God our Savior revealed His kindness and love,
5 He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.
He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.
6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.
7 Because of His grace He declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life."
James 1:18 KJV
[18] Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
I Peter 1:22,23 KJV
[22] Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
[23] Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Ephesians 5:25,26 KJV
[25] Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it;
[26] That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
John 3:5 KJV
[5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water (The Word of God,) and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
