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Q3. Born of Water and Spirit


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  • 2 months later...

What does it mean to be "born of water and the Spirit"?

I’m sure there are millions of opinions in regard to the question above and in its likeness elsewhere.

I’d like to suggest:

2nd Corinthians 5:15-17 - And He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake.

Consequently, from now on we estimate and regard no one from a [purely] human point of view [in terms of natural standards of value]. [No] even though we once did estimate Christ from a human viewpoint and as a man, yet now [we have such knowledge of Him that] we know Him no longer [in terms of the flesh].

Therefore, if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

 

Born of the water = natural = in/with the knowledge we have; and the Spirit = surrender of self-will and unto the Lord.

“Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews – A Pharisee” knew the Torah (Written Torah and the Mitzvah -Oral Torah). Jesus was using a teaching technique He which He often used by comparing a spiritual truth with a physical reality. Nicodemus (was spiritually thirsty and hungry; he knew what he knew) he did not understand the concept/belief of spiritual birth, but he could understand the concept of ceremonial cleansing in correlation to anew and/or physical birth so that was where Jesus took him.

I believe “born of water” refers to spiritual cleansing; Nicodemus being a Pharisee would have naturally understood born of water that way. Throughout the Torah/Old Testament, water is used figuratively of spiritual cleansing, (Numbers 19:17–19; King David - Psalm 51:2, 7, and Ezekiel 36:25 – “ Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness; and from all your idols will I cleanse you”) [Hebrews 9:10] Nicodemus, a  ruler of the Jews – a Pharisee – a teacher of the law, would surely have been familiar with the concept of physical water representing spiritual purification.

Thorough faith in/of Christ as he surrender unto Christ he could experience the second birth. [John 3:4 --- How can a man be born when he is old?  ---- Just as in the natural baby contributes no effort to the birth process—the work is done by the mother—so it is with spiritual birth. The Believer is the recipients of God’s grace as He gives us new birth through His Spirit (Ephesians 2:8–9).

 

What do you think "water" refers to?

John 3:4 - Nicodemus saith unto Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?” In my opinion, Nicodemus with the knowledge he possessed, upon hearing unless one is born again initially contrived physical birth. Hence many often refer “born of water” to physical birth.

I think “born of water” refers to spiritual cleansing.

 

Water in the context here, I don’t think refers to born of water immersion baptism.

(Having said that I am not against water baptism, I simply do not think that’s what’s meant here, the issue here is more of a faith issue, not public acknowledgement/demonstration.  I do not say that to belittle water baptism I fully believe there’s much more entailed!)

 

Why have you come to this conclusion?

Water is also used in the New testament as a figure of the new birth. Regeneration is called a “washing” brought about by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God at the moment of salvation (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 5:26). Believers are “washed . . . sanctified . . . justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1st Corinthians 6:11). The “washing” Paul speaks of is a spiritual one (Hebrews 10:22).

 

How, then, would you paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to best bring out the full meaning?

1st Corinthians 15:46 - The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.

Jesus was using a teaching technique He often employed by comparing a spiritual truth with a physical reality.

“Born of water” and “born of the Spirit” are different ways of saying the same thing, Jesus is saying “born of water and the Spirit” describe different aspects of the same spiritual birth, or of what it means to be “born again” once metaphorically and once literally. To see/enter His kingdom a person does so by God’s grace by/through faith.

The water here can be referred to as the Lessons for Disciples # 7 note suggest: born anew by your own repentance and humbling yourself before God ("born of water," that is, a baptism of repentance) and the Holy Spirit's divine regenerative work within you ("born of the Spirit"). You can't enter the Kingdom of God by your own effort. You must surrender yourself to God! Only God can bring about this new creation in you (John 3:5).

Psalms 105:19 - Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.

Whichever perspective is correct, the Bible informs: person once-born has physical life; a person twice-born has eternal life; its appointed unto men once to die, but there’s a second death.

Hebrews 9:27 - And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Revelation 20:6 - Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Revelation 2:11, 20:14, Revelation 21:8 the second death.

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Nicodemus would have been very familiar with the prophecy of Ezekiel 36:25-28 where Yahweh declared that the day would come when He would vindicate His holiness to the world through the house of Israel. In the steps to achieve that goal, He said the people/nation would be made “clean from all your uncleannesses and from all your idols” when He sprinkled clean water on them. Once cleansed, then He would give them a new heart and His own Spirit to dwell within them. For me the question is, what is this clean water needed for cleansing and the giving of the new heart and the Spirit of God? And what did Jesus mean in John 3:5 when He said one must be born of water?

As I work through the options, I don’t see baptism as the answer. Baptism isn’t what qualifies a spiritual birth because it cannot cleanse the inner person from sin. Water baptism is an outward testimony of what has already happened to the inner man. And it’s possible for a person to perform the act of baptism without ever being born again. Also, well-studied Nicodemus knew Jewish water immersion, a purification ritual. But he didn’t ask anything about that because Jesus spoke of being born anew of water, not of being baptized.

And I don’t think the concept of anything related to physical birth is the answer. Nicodemus must have been confused that this was what Jesus was speaking of because he asked follow-up questions about being physically reborn. In verse 5, Jesus wasn’t making some kind of contrast between natural and spiritual birth. He was explaining to Nicodemus how someone could be born again. In verse 6, He did make a contrast as He made it clear that a human birth can only make you human, but a spiritual birth (being born again/anew) is required to make you a new creation of the Spirit.

Could the water Jesus spoke of refer to a baptism of repentance and purification, as modeled by John the Baptist’s baptisms? I feel drawn to investigate the deeper basis for that repentance and purification, which would seem to be of even greater importance. What raises this question for me is that there are some other Scriptures that refer to water and cleansing, but with another possible meaning.

The ministry of John the Baptist was based on the word. As he preached the prophecy of Isaiah to the Jews, people responded to the word of truth with repentance as the basis for forgiveness of sin and with renewed expectancy of faith that Messiah was coming. Hearing and accepting that truth of the word was the agent used by the Spirit that caused the response of repentance.

In Ephesians 5:26 Paul explains that we’re sanctified (made holy) when we are cleansed by “the washing of water with the word”.

In John 15:3 Jesus assured the disciples that they were made clean because of the word He had taught them.

James 1:18 says “of [the Father’s] own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures”.

1 Peter 1:23 says we are born again through the living and abiding word of God.

Hebrews 4:12 says the word is living and has an active impact on the heart.

God doesn’t act apart from the Word, including spiritual birth and salvation. It seems very plausible to me that the Spirit uses the truth of the word as the water to spiritually wash the heart clean and do the miraculous work of purification and regeneration.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee had a simple paraphrase that I will borrow: born of “the Word of God applied by the Spirit of God”.

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On 7/23/2018 at 1:17 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be “born of water and the Spirit”? What do you think “water” refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit” to best bring out the full meaning?

a. When I was born again, I was desperate in a situation I was in.  I went to a friend in Florida. The Lord met me with prevenient grace, as someone told me about the Lord and I totally surrendered myself and my family to Him. It was revealed to me that I had some fault in the marriage.   I had a Catholic upbringing and saw Jesus as dead on the cross and not really alive anymore. I Thought of the devil as, in a little red suit, and that is all.  I had no help, no hope, I was alone in this.  The Lord revealed Himself to me and I was delivered and set free.  I believe at that moment on 10/10/72 , I was washed from my sin and born of the Spirit.  The next morning as I awoke I sensed God's presence and a glow in my inner being, the Spirit of God was alive, living inside of me, loved me and will never leave me or forsake me.

b. I believe water refers to being washed of your sin.  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. (I Cor. 6:11).

c. Surrender to God, brings New Life for old. 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   At that moment your are washed of your sins and born of the Spirit.

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Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be "born of water and the Spirit"?
I
n Matthew 3:16, its shows where Jesus when Jesus came up out of the water the Spirit of God descended like a dove...So water would be cleansing os sin and the Spirit woukd be setting the new seed. Rebirth.

 What do you think "water" refers to?
Water would be a form of cleansing sin from the soul.

Why have you come to this conclusion?
Even though Jesus had no sin, He is the teacher, therefore He has to show humans, which has sin, how rebirth would be done.

How, then, would you paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to best bring out the full meaning?
All of the above??

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Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be "born of water and the Spirit"? What do you think "water" refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to best bring out the full meaning?

 1. The idea of being born of the Spirit is in the sense of Jesus' conception (Matthew 1:20). "water and Spirit" to refer to the ministry of John the Baptist who preached "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" (Mark 1:4). His baptism with water is also contrasted with Jesus' baptism of the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8; John 1:33). 

 2. Water refers to the removal of sins being baptized in water and being baptized of repentance.

 3. We must be born of water as Jesus was when John baptized him. We must first have a repentant heart to be saved.

 4. Getting baptized with repentance and water then receiving the Holy Spirit.

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Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be "born of water and the Spirit"? What do you think "water" refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to best bring out the full meaning?

I always thought that born of water meant procreation (a new word I learned today, but same concept). That seems to make sense to me because Jesus said that flesh gives birth to flesh and spirit to spirit which means the first birth would have been by birth by the flesh, or of human nature—to me anyway. …but of imperishable …(1 Peter 1:23) is another reason I think in terms of the human birth because the human birth is of perishable seed as compared to God’s imperishable see. The analogy of water birth being according to John the Baptist’s baptism has me thinking though. Born of water and spirit in my own words still hangs heavy on the human birth (perishable seed)though but born of Spirit is to be born of God (imperishable seed).  

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Q3. (John 3:5-7) 
What does it mean to be "born of water and the Spirit"? 
What do you think "water" refers to? 
Why have you come to this conclusion? 
How, then, would you paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to best bring out the full meaning?

To be “born of water and the Spirit” is an act of God in which He imparts new spiritual life to us. In the same way that we did not choose to be made physically alive, we do not choose to be made spiritually alive. 
We know that we were spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1), and having been “born of water and the Spirit” have been made alive to God - we have been "born again" (John 3:3, 7; Eph. 2:5; Col. 2:13), also known as regeneration. 
I don’t think the water Jesus refers to here is actual physical water of baptism, since we know that salvation is only by divine grace – by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Also, Jesus never baptized (John 4:2), as this was done by His disciples. Baptism is for those who have already been saved, but not as a means of salvation. Remembering that Jesus was speaking to a Pharisee who would know about the symbolism of water as purification from sin and defilement as mentioned often in the OT. Examples are: Exodus 30:18-21; Psalm 51:2; Isaiah 1:16, Jeremiah 33:8, Ezekiel 36:25; Zechariah 13:1. Pharisees, like Nicodemus, also resisted the idea that they needed to be purified of sin (Luke 7:30). However, God frequently used water to teach people their need for cleansing, and the new birth Jesus was mentioning, is a definitive cleansing from sin.
I understand the part “of water” as purification of sin. In line with Ezekiel 36:25: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols”. And the part “and the Spirit” as creation of a new life through the Holy Spirit. In line with Ezekiel 36:26: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” I think this will then be how Nicodemus should understand Jesus’ meaning of born again. 
If I had to paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit”; I’m comfortable with this NIV version.
I also like the CEV version: “you must be born not only by water, but by the Spirit”. Another way I’ve read is “born of water even the Spirit”. 
 

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On 7/23/2018 at 1:17 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be “born of water and the Spirit”? What do you think “water” refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit” to best bring out the full meaning?

To be born of water and Spirit, the water washes your sin away to be born Spiritually new, washed clean white as snow, so now the Spirit now lives in you. I come to that conclusion because that is what happened to me. I once was dead now I am alive.

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Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be "born of water and the Spirit"? What do you think "water" refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to best bring out the full meaning?

Being born of the water and the Spirit means that people are first born into this world naturally but in order to enter heaven, they have to be spiritually born again. They have to humbly confess their sins and admit they need to be saved. That they cannot do it on their own. They cannot enter heaven any other way but through the Holy Spirit bringing them to the realization that they need God. Only the Spirit can bring them into the kingdom of God. So the water refers to the first birth here and the Spirit to the second. I just came to this conclusion through reading the verses and then looking them up in a commentary. And this made more sense to me than the other two. Because as Christians we are baptized after we are saved not before like in John's baptism. Jesus was saying that Nicodemus needed to be born again through the Spirit not by becoming a baby again.

I would say that the only way to enter into the kingdom of God is to be spiritually born again through the Holy Spirit. One needs to humbly confess his/her sins and admit they cannot do anything on their own to get to heaven. Then when they are truly repentant the Spirit can work in them and bring them to God and save them.,

https://versebyversecommentary.com/john/john-35/

 

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Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be "born of water and the Spirit"? What do you think "water" refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to best bring out the full meaning?

 

I believe it means a baptism of repentance & purification. Water refers to a physical body of water. I have come to this conclusion because without being baptized in the water like the Lord was there can be no change in the person outwardly there can be no recognition of that person being identified with Christ. The person identifies with Christ when they are baptized. I would paraphrase it this way a person need to repent of their old ways and admit to God that they need Him in their lives. As this happens they are born of the water and of the Holy Spirit. They are also washed clean of their sins and old ways and given a new life.

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ANSWER TO QUESTION 3 LESSON 4

What does it mean to be "born of water and the Spirit"?

To be born of water and Spirit is to be a new creation after believing in Christ Jesus and repenting from sin whereupon the Spirit finds you clean and fill you up enabling you to become a fountain of life.

What do you think "water" refers to?

Water is a cleaning agent and when one repents they are made clean as if water has removed the dirt ‘sin’ from them. The water can be said to refer to the act of forgiveness afforded a repentant sinner. Baptism of those who have humbled themselves and have bowed to Jesus symbolically uses water as a sign of life for the new born.                                                             

Why have you come to this conclusion?

I have come to that conclusion because the born again if not forgiven it means the Spirit cannot dwell in her/him. It is essential to be cleaned by the water of forgiveness.

How, then, would you paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to best bring out the full meaning?

Surrender oneself to God through repentance so that the Spirit generates a new personality that has new capabilities.

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Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be “born of water and the Spirit”?

WATER REPRESENTS LIFE ,     SPIRIT REPRESENTS WISDOM.     Water refreshes and restores and it also cleanses  both the inner man's soul from sin and the outer man's flesh from the ways of the world which would lead to death.     The Spirit guides our path and opens our eyes to the Kingdom of GOD and GOD's Truth !!!

What do you think “water” refers to?         Why have you come to this conclusion?

As Nicodemus became aware that Jesus was the Fount of 'Living Water',  we too are willing to be water baptized as we have our eyes opened as to who Jesus really is , and what HE has done for us. So the water can be physical as a day of remembrance that we have surrendered to the LORD; it is also because we have tasted the 'spiritual water' that the Holy Spirit has led us to that we begin to surrender.   So what came first : i have seen it both ways where some run to get baptized because they have tasted first and others have walked through the baptism and then tasted of His goodness at a later time.  

Water = ( first birth )  Body,  soul and mind cleansed  and all given over freely to the LORD ( second birth ) and allowing the Holy Spirit to change us into the likeness of Christ  ( in time , it's a journey .).

How, then, would you paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit” to best bring out the full meaning?

The Key to the Kingdom of GOD is by " being washed from the ways of the World and filled with the Spirit of GOD, the Spirit of Truth." 

"I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.    Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit                                                                                                                                                                                            You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'" (John 3:5-7)

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The Wind of the Spirit (John 3:8)

Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be "born of water and the Spirit"?

Jesus teaches;  5 "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'" (John 3:5-7)

ANS. Q 3: It means born not by the will of man.
You must be born again by your own repentance. By denying, surrendering and humbling yourself before God be baptized by water and be born of water, of John's baptism of repentance and forgiveness of sins. Baptism of water doesn't automatically gives you baptism of the Spirit. When Paul asked them they replied that they never heard of such baptism apart from John's the water one.
Be transformed by God Holy Spirit's divine renewal work within you  is to be "born of the Spirit" (but the Spirit gives birth to spirit) not of the corruptible but through the living and enduring word of God." (1 Peter 1:23).

NB: Jesus interpretation to Nicodemus: You must be born anew by your own repentance and humbling yourself before God andthe Holy Spirit's divine regenerative work within you. You can't enter the Kingdom of God by your own effort. You must surrender yourself to God! Only God can bring about this new creation in you.

a) What do you think "water" refers to?

ANS. Q 3a: Water refers to cleansing and rebirth. Washed from our sins. Dying with Jesus and resurrecting again to new life.

b) Why have you come to this conclusion?

ANS. Q 3b: Because represent purity and cleaning.

c) How, then, would you paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to best bring out the full meaning?

ANS. Q 3c: After baptism of water and the filling of the Holy Spirit a new man is regenerated. You are a new creation, speaking in tongues, given power over the power of the enemy, with a mind set on the things of the Spirit.

Jesus puts it better: People who have been born of the Spirit, Jesus is saying, are motivated and moved by an unseen but powerful force beyond themselves. The life of the Spirit is a new level of spiritual existence, a different plane entirely. Only people who have been born of the Spirit can perceive and enter the Kingdom of God.

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Q3. (John 3:5-7) what does it mean to be “born of water and the Spirit”? What do you think “water” refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit” to best bring out the full meaning?

1.what does it mean to be “born of water and the Spirit”? It means to be born of the Spirit of God

2. What do you think “Water” refers to”?  Water refer to John the Baptist ministry, the repentance for the forgiveness of sin and purification.

3.How, then would you paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit” to best bring out the full meaning?

I believe Jesus is saying to Nicodemus, just as water was used symbolically in the Old Testament to bring spiritual renewal and cleansing (Num. 19:17-19; Isa.  4;4) You must be "born of water and spirit"  by the Holy Spirit  for repentance and by humbling himself before God.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

Only spiritually can we enter into the kingdom of God, but we cannot become spiritual until we are washed clean by the blood of Christ.  Being physically baptized with water begins our journey of rebirth from sin to walk in the newness of life with Jesus Christ as our advocate to God and the Holy Spirit leading and guiding us in all that He requires of us to obtain eternal life.  When we accept Christ as our personal savior we have accepted a covenant with God to walk in his word and do his will and to do all that he requires of us in order to obtain eternal life.  When we live our lives to do his will and not our will or that of the world, God sees and knows our heart and fills us with the Holy Spirit so that we are His and can do those things which will lead others to him to receive his gift of eternal life also. " We are create in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared before hand that we would walk in them." 

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Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be “born of water and the Spirit”? What do you think “water” refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit” to best bring out the full meaning?

What does it mean to be “born of water and the Spirit”?

Jesus used this word to speak with the people who followed him,We understand that Jesus operated in the spiritual realm .He was born of Spirit as the seed by  Holy Spirit .Jesus'' Conception 

Here the term is used in a second procreation ,or Creation as the faithful takes water baptism to be similar in all aspects of how it happened to Jesus Christ .( A New Man )

The Baptism of repentance and purification .leaving behind all that was sinful in the flesh and a new garment of Life controlled and directed by Holy Spirit/

What do you think “water” refers to?

Living Water .the flowing Holy Spirit anointment ,Ever rich and pure 

Why have you come to this conclusion

Jesus''  own words that living water will flow through a person once the person has come to Christ and drink the water He provides.(John 7/37)

How, then, would you paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit” to best bring out the full meaning?

Born Again of Water and Spirit -I shall surrender to the calling of Christ ,Continually stay in Him  as i am anchored in the free gift of grace ,,beseech the Holy Spirit the Comforter,Counselor  and Advocate in all dealings .I shall study all the commandments of Christ .more than 35 of them to be Joyous and Thankful in the span of life on earth .I shall not grieve the Holy Spirit which is possible only by the Power from Above , 

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To be born of water and spirit means to be baptized , having your sins washed way and raising from the old self to the new one in Christ. Once we have accepted Christ and are added to His church we are then born of the Spirit of Him who lives within us and as we walk with the Spirit of Christ we are born again and live to Him who has saved us from sin.  Being baptized as Jesus was and having the Spirit to live in us and guide us in holiness and faithfulness is what is meant by being born of water and Spirit .

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  • 2 weeks later...
On ‎7‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 10:17 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be “born of water and the Spirit”? What do you think “water” refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit” to best bring out the full meaning?

Q3 a. and b. The Jews did ritual bathing, ritual foot washing, ritual hand washing (up to the elbows before eating a meal), and as in all cultures water is used for sustaining life. John the Baptist baptized fully immersing in water as a sign of repentance for past sins and was preparation for salvation which Jesus would bring with His cleansing blood for past, present and future sins and new birth into eternal life.

John 19:34: When the soldier pierced Jesus side to prove that He was dead, both blood and water flowed from His side. (Apparently, the spear pierced His heart)

 c. To be born of water (representing the blood of Jesus) and the Holy Spirit Who was to come at Pentecost, invites one to repent and receive forgiveness and new life in Jesus where Holy Spirit then resides, and Who becomes a well spring of life to be poured out for others.

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  • 1 month later...

I think that to be “born of water and the Spirit” means that we have to repent our sins and be baptized. I think “water” refers to the water that we are baptized in because we can only receive the Spirit through the gift of God. We are baptized when we have accepted Jesus Christ as our savior. After that we are baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

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Q3. (John 3:5-7)

Q. What does it mean to be "born of water and the Spirit"?
A. It means the second birth through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that leads to repentance of sin and the regeneration that follows
Q. What do you think "water" refers to?

A. It could mean the water baptism that follows conversion of a sinner. One is immersed into water signifying dying with Christ and rising out of water to represent the new birth to new life.

Q. Why have you come to this conclusion?

A. That is what I have been taught

Q. How, then, would you paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to best bring out the full meaning?

A. It means the second birth or changed that comes about by repentance and the consequent infilling of the Holy Spirit resulting in a transformed person in thinking and deeds

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 7/24/2018 at 1:17 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be “born of water and the Spirit”? What do you think “water” refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit” to best bring out the full meaning?

Since Jesus says, only the Spirit gives birth to spirit, to be "born of the Spirit" seems to emphasize an internal conversion and transformation, both initiated and sustained by the Spirit, rather than by mere self-effort and self-discipline.

To be "born of water" is more difficult to understand, for which Dr Ralph Wilson has given 3 possible meanings. I think the people of those days easily and automatically associate "water" with washing, cleansing and purifying, whether in baptism or in the many procedures of washing before eating and before temple procedures. So without stretching to far-fetched analogies, maybe Jesus just meant the person must be cleansed from his sins?

If so, I paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to mean, a person must be cleansed from his sins and receive the Holy Spirit into his heart, in order to enter the kingdom of God.

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Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be “born of water and the Spirit”? What do you think “water” refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit” to best bring out the full meaning?

In the creation account that we read in Genesis, we see that there was darkness and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters and God’s Word came, let there be light and there was light. To me that’s what happened when He made me a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). I was in darkness, empty, dead in my sins, unable to save myself, not even able to respond on my own, when His Word was spoken to me and the Spirit of God quickened that word and brought me alive in Him. In Ephesians 2:1, we read “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sin. Ephesians 2:5 says Even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved). With our efforts we cannot even repent of sins. We do not even have the ability to repent on our own. Try speaking to a dead corpse to move its little finger... It’s absolutely not possible. But when He quickened, we responded with repentance. It’s a mystery to me how it happened some 28 years back, and I thought I expressed my interest in Him until later I realized it was not that I sought Him first, but that He came to seek and save me, much much before I even responded to Him.

In 1 Peter 1:23, Peter says, “Being born again, not of the corruptible seed, but of the incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. The seed of man will only produce flesh whereas His seed causes us to be sons of God. Jesus when He was speaking to Nicodemus the concept of being born again, says in John 3:6 that which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of Spirit is spirit. So a spiritual birth is required to be born again. So we are born again because His seed is in us. 

In Ephesians 5:26 cleansing happens through the word of God. In order to make His bride holy and blameless, He cleanses her by the washing with water through the word. In the scriptures when we see cleansing with water and put the Word there, somehow it makes sense and when the water speaks of refreshment and put Holy Spirit there, it makes sense. So I believe water speaks of the Word of God. For it was when the Word was spoken to us and the Holy Spirit brooded on it that there was a quickening in us causing us to have repentance and accept Him as our Savior and Lord.


 

 
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On 7/23/2018 at 9:17 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be “born of water and the Spirit”? What do you think “water” refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit” to best bring out the full meaning?

It means to be born again, or born anew as the Greek word anagennaō refers to.

I believe the water refers to baptism because when Jesus was baptized, He was first baptized in water, then the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove. Likewise, when we are being baptized in water, we are being purified and when we're baptized with the Holy Spirit, He fills us.

A person can be "born of water and the Spirit" by repenting and turning to God and accepted Jesus as his or her Savior and allowing the Spirit to fill him or her.

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