Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ -John 3:4-7 NRSV
Can you relate to the carnal mindset of the Pharisee? He seems to have absolutely no clue about what Jesus is speaking to him about. He digresses into a weird question about a grown person being naturally born again. It is a strange reaction but not a surprising one. Many very religious people are clueless concerning spiritual matters.
Yet even today there exists an ideology and theology that embraces the idea that all humans are born with immortal spirits. On all sides of the religious spectrum folks embrace the idea that we are all born with something immortal inside of us. Jesus contradicts this widespread thought of natural immortality when he says: ‘You must be born from above.’
Dear Lord, please open our hearts and minds to really understand what it means to be born from above.
... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
Well said Bob, Unfortunately, this theology of humans having immortal spirits leads to the theology that "all roads lead to God." And many are deceived.
ReplyDeleteGood point Del.
DeleteBORN OF WATER JOHN 3:5
ReplyDeleteThere are some who deny water baptism is essential to the forgiveness of sins, by debating the clear meaning of "born of water" found in John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
The primary debating point is that born of water refers to natural child birth. Was Jesus telling Nicodemus that one of requirements to enter the kingdom of God, was that he had to exist? That makes no sense. It is obvious if you were never born you could not enter the kingdom of God.
To suggest that "water" in (John 3:5) means embryonic fluid, is at best an unreasonable conclusion.
Jesus said you have to born again to enter the kingdom of God. Being born of flesh the first time is not being born again. Again never means the first time!
When the apostles were preaching the gospel, did they say, in order to enter the kingdom of God, you have to physically exist; that is, you must have been born of embryonic fluid (water)? No they did not.
Jesus said "unless one is born of water he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5) Jesus said "has been baptized shall be saved."(Mark 16:16)
THERE IS A WATER AND SPIRIT CONNECTION IN SALVATION.
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,(The AND cannot be ignored)
WATER BAPTISM: washing of regeneration.
SPIRIT: renewing by the Holy Spirit.
NOTE: It is God our Savior that saves us.(Titus 3:4)
Acts 2:38 ....be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
WATER BAPTISM: for forgiveness of sins.
SPIRIT: receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
BORN AGAIN OF WATER AND SPIRIT!
The only way to not understand that Jesus meant water baptism in John 3:5, is by using extra-Biblical sources.
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Thanks for weighing in Steve. To me the passage interprets itself. Water and Spirit are repeated when he says: "What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit." In my view, Jesus is simply speaking of two different births and not speaking of water baptism at all.
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