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Response
In John 3, Jesus mentions being “born of water” in response to Nicodemus’s inquiry about entering the kingdom of heaven. He informed Nicodemus that he “must be born again” «Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. », (John 3:3). Nicodemus questioned how this could occur as an adult. Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can access the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit” «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. », (John 3:5).
Being “born of the Spirit” is easily understood—salvation entails a new life that only the Holy Spirit can bring about «who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. », (cf: 2 Corinthians 3:6). However, there are differing interpretations of what Jesus meant by “born of water.” One viewpoint suggests that “born of water” signifies physical birth. Unborn babies reside in amniotic fluid within the amniotic sac for nine months. Upon birth, the amniotic sac breaks, and the baby emerges in a rush of “water,” entering the world as a new being. This birth mirrors being “born of the Spirit,” as a similar transformation occurs within our hearts «Therefore if any
Man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new., (2 Corinthians 5:17). A person once-born has physical life; a person twice-born has eternal life (John 3:15-18, 36;17:3;1 Peter 1:23). Just as a baby contributes no effort to the birth process—the work is done by the mother—so it is with spiritual birth. We are merely the recipients of God’s grace as He gives us new birth through His Spirit (Ephesians 2:8-9). According to this view, Jesus was using a teaching technique He often employed by comparing a spiritual truth with a physical reality. Nicodemus did not understand spiritual birth, but he could understand physical birth so that was where Jesus took him.
The other perspective is that “born of water” refers to spiritual cleansing and that Nicodemus would have naturally understood it that way. According to this view, “born of water” and “born of the Spirit” are different ways of saying the same thing, once metaphorically and once literally. Jesus’ words “born of water and the Spirit” describe different aspects of the same spiritual birth, or of what it means to be “born again.” So, when Jesus told Nicodemus that he must “be born of water,” He was referring to his need for spiritual cleansing. Throughout the Old Testament, water is used figuratively of spiritual cleansing. For example, Ezekiel 36:25 says, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities” (see also Numbers 19:17-19;and Psalm 51:2,7). Nicodemus, a teacher of the law, would surely have been familiar with the concept of physical water representing spiritual cleansing.
Being spiritual purification.
The New Testament also uses water as a symbol of the new birth. Regeneration is referred to as a “washing” brought about by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God at the moment of salvation (Titus 3:5;cf: Ephesians 5:26;John 13:10). Christians are “washed . . . sanctified . . . justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” «And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. », (1 Corinthians 6:11). The “washing” Paul mentions here is a spiritual one.
Whichever viewpoint is accurate, one thing is definite: Jesus was not teaching that one must be baptized in water to be saved. Baptism is not mentioned in the context, nor did Jesus ever imply that we must do anything to inherit eternal life except trust in Him in faith «For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. », (John 3:16). The focus of Jesus’ words is on repentance and spiritual renewal—we need the “living water” Jesus later promised the woman at the well «Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. », (John 4:10). Water baptism is an external indication that we have surrendered our lives to Jesus, but not a prerequisite for salvation (Luke 23:40-43).
