Being Born Again of Water and Spirit Old Testament

May 21, 2022 Post a Comment

Bible Question:

I accept heard explanations about 'existence built-in of water and the Spirit' using Ezekiel 36, only they seem to be too much of a stretch. In light of Genesis ane:2-iii and ii Corinthians 4:vi, could beingness 'born of h2o and the Spirit' simply mean being made 'a new creation'? Is it incorrect to teach others like that?

Bible Answer:

In that location are various opinions near the significant of the phrase "born of water and the Spirit" in John 3:5.

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of h2o and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John 3:5 (NASB)

There are three primary opinions every bit to the meaning of this phrase. The context of any passage of Scripture helps us determine the meaning. Therefore, we must think that in John 3:three-4 Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born again in order to see the kingdom of sky. Then Nicodemus asked how he could be born a second fourth dimension.

Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to y'all, unless 1 is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a human be born when he is sometime? He cannot enter a second fourth dimension into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" John 3:3-iv (NASB)

Can a man enter his mother'due south womb a second time in gild to be built-in again? These 2 verses assist u.s. sympathize the meaning of the phrase "born of h2o and the Spirit."

Born of water and the Spirit - John 3:5

Starting time View – Amniotic Fluid and The Holy Spirit

The commencement view believes the phrase "built-in of water and the Spirit" refers to beingness born once more in John iii:three. That is, the amniotic water corresponds to "born of h2o" and "the Spirit" refers to the Holy Spirit. Advocates of this view reason that "born of water" refers to the concrete birth and "the Spirit" refers to a Christian's spiritual nascency. Thus, believers are born twice or "built-in again."

At that place are two major bug with this view. First, at that place is no scriptural support for this view. Since neither the Onetime or New Testaments take a similar statement, there is no supporting evidence for this theory. Second, when John three:3 refers to being "born again," it does not refer to being born twice. The Greek discussion for "born over again" is anothen which literally means "born from to a higher place." John 3:seven, 31; nineteen:11; James 1:17; 3:xv, 17 containanothen. Almost every Bible translation, including the KJV, translates the word as "from to a higher place" in each passage. That is, Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born from higher up. Nicodemus' reply reveals that he was confused and did not understand. He did not retrieve almost a spiritual birth; but instead he thought virtually concrete nascency. This view has serious bug.

Second View – Water Baptism and The Holy Spirit

Others claim that "built-in of water and the Spirit" refers to Christian water baptism and the Holy Spirit. They state that Jesus was instituting water baptism equally a requirement for conservancy and the Holy Spirit as then imparting new life through regeneration (Titus 3:5-6).

Still, there are four reasons why this view is wrong. Start, baptism for eternal life was never taught past John the Baptist or Jesus Christ. It is not possible to find any verse that connects eternal life with baptism. It is of import to notice that John 4:1-two tells us that Jesus "was not baptizing." If baptism was and so essential for eternal life, why didn't Jesus baptize? Second, Romans half-dozen:1-vii teaches the states that baptism is a symbol of identification of a Christian dying to his or her onetime self and rise to new life in Christ. Information technology was not instituted for the church building until afterward the death of Christ. Third, Nicodemus would non take understood Christian baptism since it was not taught in the Old Testament and was not taught until after Christ's decease and resurrection. The quaternary reason to reject this view is that if baptism is so essential to gain eternal life, why is baptism never mentioned again in John iii or a following chapter in the book of John? Why did Jesus not include baptism in John 3:16 or in verse 36? Fifth, the major passage that is usually quoted equally proving Christian baptism is necessary for conservancy is Acts 2:38. Merely what is usually missed in the interpretation of Acts 2:38 is that repentance is interchangeable with saving faith (Luke 5:32; xiii:5). Repentance is not identical with saving faith, but repentance and saving faith occur together. Therefore, to assume that baptism is what saves a person, makes baptism the real requirement for salvation and ignores John 3:16; Romans 5:1-2 and Ephesians 2:8-ten which teach that faith is required for eternal life. Since Ephesians 2:eight-9 teaches that we are not saved by works, this excludes baptism as being necessary for conservancy.

Tertiary View – Cleansing From Sin and New Life By the Spirit

The tertiary view recognizes that Nicodemus would have been familiar with Ezekiel 36:25-27 since he was a teacher of Israel (John three:10). Yet, he yet did not understand the poetry in its fullest sense. Ezekiel 36:25-27 reads as follows,

Then I volition sprinkle clean water on yous, and you lot will exist clean; I volition cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I volition requite you a new eye and put a new spirit within you; and I volition remove the heart of rock from your flesh and give you a center of flesh. I volition put My Spirit inside yous and cause you to walk in My statutes, and y'all volition be careful to observe My ordinances. Ezekiel 36:25-27 (NASB)

The most important signal about this passage is the repeated statement of "I volition." Detect that we are told God will "sprinkle clean water on you," "cleanse you from all," "give you a new heart," "put a new spirit within in yous," "remove the heart of stone," "put My Spirit within you lot" and "cause you to walk in My statues." Now we will discover the significant of these actions that God performs for Christians. Sprinkling make clean water symbolizes forgiveness of sins. Washing with water was unremarkably associated with purification among the Jews (John 3:25-26). Hebrews i:3 and ii Peter 1:ix illustrates that purification also symbolized the forgiveness of sins. Ephesians v:26 illustrates this truth. Titus three:5 connects the washing of water with the ministry of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. In fact the message of John 7:37-39 is that living water is likewise symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we should understand Ezekiel 36:25-27 as the work of God. God the Father forgives and the Holy Spirit regenerates and renews every true Christian. The Holy Spirit dwells within each believer. Who will crusade this to happen? The respond is our God above!

At present retrieve that Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born "from above." John i:13 repeats the same truth that salvation is the piece of work of God and not something that we perform.

But as many every bit received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, fifty-fifty to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the volition of the flesh nor of the volition of human, but of God. John 1:12-13 (NASB)

Discover the passage says nosotros are born by the volition of God. We are not in control. Our man wills are non the deciding cistron.

Determination:

Jesus' message to Nicodemus was that conservancy is the work of God and not the work of man. Salvation comes from above and involves human choice — human will. It is also important to notice that in John iii:six, Jesus teaches that spiritual life or eternal life is the upshot of the Spirit and non the work of man. At this betoken some individuals worry that they might not exist able to get a Christian. Simply the message of the passage is that if you believe in Christ and want to go a Christian, then you demonstrate that God has already caused you to be born from above. He has chosen you and John 3:16 is true for you!

If you are not a Christian, we encourage y'all to read "Searching for God" and/or contact us.

Schuck Cumeneamord