MennoSota
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2017
- Messages
- 7,102
- Age
- 53
- Gender
- Male
- Religious Affiliation
- Christian
- Political Affiliation
- Moderate
- Marital Status
- Married
https://carm.org/baptism-and-john-35
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." *4 Nicodemus *said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? *He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"* 5Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the 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 the Spirit is spirit. *7"Do not marvel 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 do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit,"(John 3:3-8).
There are five basic interpretations of this section of*scripture*in reference to water.
The water refers to the natural birth.
The water refers to the Word of God.
The water refers to the Holy Spirit.
The water refers to the ministry of John the Baptist.
The water refers to the water of baptism as a requirement for salvation.
The first option looks to the context of Jesus' words dealing with being born "again" (3:3). *Nicodemus responds by mentioning the experience of being born from the womb (v. 4). *Jesus then speaks of water and the Spirit and then says,*"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."*(3:6).* The implication is that the first birth is the natural birth, and the second birth is the spiritual birth.* In other words, the water refers to the water of the womb--the first birth.* This seems to have support in the understanding of Nicodemus about entering into the womb to be born a second time.* However, this view is not the most commonly held view.
The second option holds that the water is referring to the Word of God. *Eph. 5:26says,*"that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word."*Some believe that the washing of water is done by means of the Word of God.
The third view says that the water refers to the*Holy Spirit. *Perhaps Nicodemus was reminded of*Ezek. 36:25-27,*"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. *26"Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. *27"And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."*Certainly,*Jesus' own words are applicable here when He says in*John 7:37-39,*"Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'" *39But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."
The fourth view holds that the water is in reference to the water baptism of repentance taught by John the Baptist. *Matt. 3:1-6*describes John's ministry in the desert, his teaching about repentance, and baptizing people into that repentance. Contextually, the first chapter of John mentions John the Baptist in verses 6-8 and 19-36. *Certainly, John and his ministry is in view here. *If this is the case, then Jesus would have been speaking of the "baptism" (the initiatory ordinance) of repentance preached by John the Baptist.
The fifth view is the one held by the International Church of Christ and other churches that require baptism in order to be saved.* They state that the water is referring to baptism and that it is essential to*salvation.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." *4 Nicodemus *said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? *He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"* 5Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the 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 the Spirit is spirit. *7"Do not marvel 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 do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit,"(John 3:3-8).
There are five basic interpretations of this section of*scripture*in reference to water.
The water refers to the natural birth.
The water refers to the Word of God.
The water refers to the Holy Spirit.
The water refers to the ministry of John the Baptist.
The water refers to the water of baptism as a requirement for salvation.
The first option looks to the context of Jesus' words dealing with being born "again" (3:3). *Nicodemus responds by mentioning the experience of being born from the womb (v. 4). *Jesus then speaks of water and the Spirit and then says,*"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."*(3:6).* The implication is that the first birth is the natural birth, and the second birth is the spiritual birth.* In other words, the water refers to the water of the womb--the first birth.* This seems to have support in the understanding of Nicodemus about entering into the womb to be born a second time.* However, this view is not the most commonly held view.
The second option holds that the water is referring to the Word of God. *Eph. 5:26says,*"that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word."*Some believe that the washing of water is done by means of the Word of God.
The third view says that the water refers to the*Holy Spirit. *Perhaps Nicodemus was reminded of*Ezek. 36:25-27,*"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. *26"Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. *27"And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."*Certainly,*Jesus' own words are applicable here when He says in*John 7:37-39,*"Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'" *39But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."
The fourth view holds that the water is in reference to the water baptism of repentance taught by John the Baptist. *Matt. 3:1-6*describes John's ministry in the desert, his teaching about repentance, and baptizing people into that repentance. Contextually, the first chapter of John mentions John the Baptist in verses 6-8 and 19-36. *Certainly, John and his ministry is in view here. *If this is the case, then Jesus would have been speaking of the "baptism" (the initiatory ordinance) of repentance preached by John the Baptist.
The fifth view is the one held by the International Church of Christ and other churches that require baptism in order to be saved.* They state that the water is referring to baptism and that it is essential to*salvation.