Jump to content
JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q3. Born of Water and Spirit


Recommended Posts

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?

Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Born of the Spirit is clear for us to understand as it is a regenerating work of the Holy Spirit within us to make as anew from the old. Our Spirit is quickened and made alive by the Spirit of God to be born again in the Spirit. We are a Spirit being with body and soul.

Born of water is understood in many ways - 

- as water baptism but that did not make sense to Nicodemus. 

- as washed by the word, word cleanses us as in Ephesisans

- as washed by the living water , the Holy Spirit 

- as washed by the water of cleansing as prophesied by Ezekiel which would have been known to Nicodemus. This is more closer to connect as this was prophesied in the Old Testament.

With mouth we confess we are sinner and fallen short of the glory of God and with our heart we believe that Jesus died for our sins and was buried and rose again to life and is coming back to take me with Him forever (eternal life in Christ Jesus).

There is a cleansing of our sins as we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour ( born of water) and the Holy Spirit quickens our Spirit to be made alive and born again in Him ( born of Spirit). For once we’re dead to sins and transgressions and when quickened by the Holy Spirit, we have been made new. The old is gone and the new has come. I am a new creation, no more in condemnation, as I am a born again child of God.

 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

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

To be born of the water and spirit means one can enter the kingdom of God.

What do you think "water" refers to?

Water is a reference to the natural birth. Water refer to John the Baptist ministry, the repentance for the forgiveness of sin and purification.         

Why have you come to this conclusion?

Because the natural birth comes first through water, the second birth by the Holy Spirit. The second birth of the water and spirit is essential to enter the kingdom of God

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.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...
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? This could be the idea that one needs to be born again twice-- baptized in water to cleanse yourself of sins, and to be baptized by the Holy Spirit. 

How, then, would you paraphrase “born of water and the Spirit” to best bring out the full meaning? Perhaps one might refer to this process as baptism by water and by the Spirit. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
  • 1 month later...

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

I have always believed "of water" to mean being baptised by full emersion, and "Spirit" being filled with the Holy Spirit, which is a gift from Father, through repentance and belief in Jesus Christ, and what He did for us on the Cross, but this study has actually made me look at it differently.

What do you think "water" refers to?

A refreshing, conversion, renewing of ones spirit, by the imperishable seed of Our Heavenly Father. That same imperishable seed that conceived Jesus.

Why have you come to this conclusion?

By Jesus' statement, "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit".

If Father can create the world and all that is in it by speaking it into existence, conceive a child in the womb of a virgin woman (Mary), then surely He can change, or correct our DNA, our whole makeup, to become totally different people, with new hearts, and minds, set on Him and His will, the people He planned for us to be.

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

To humble ourselves, submit all to God Our Father, so that He can renew, refresh and reform us from the image of Adam and Eve, (sin), into the mirror image of Christ (righteousness).

Father says, come to Me my child, and I will correct you, reform you into who I planned for you to be.

Love and Blessings to you all.. xx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I believe being born of "water" refers to baptism of repentance, a spiritual cleansing through the water baptism by immersion as an act that confirms being born anew through repentance and humbling of oneself before God. Being born of the Spirit is to be changed spiritually, to have the Holy Spirit's generative work within you so that one can enter the Kingdom of God since entrance is only spiritually achieved. Unless one is born of the Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit's regenerative work is within you and you are changed spiritually ( John 3:5 ) you cannot enter the Kingdom of God by your own effort. It is spiritually discerned,that is you cannot see it or grasp it unless you are "born from above"  through God enabling you to see it. (John 3:3) Only God can bring about this new creation in you.( John 3: 5 )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Q3.What does it mean to be washed by the water and spirit?To be born again cleansed by the  blood of Jesus.

What does water refers to? To washed clean of all your sins

How did you come to this conclusion?

In the natural we use water to clean ourselves and in spiritual  sense 'water' refers to be washed clean by the blood of the lamb

Paraphrase ' born of water and spirit

You become born again by being washed by the blood if Jesus all your sins , and receive holy Spirit  to come dwell in your life and allow Him to lead you in every step you take.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

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 would paraphrase water and spirit in such a way that those two words are not used. I would say this: To be saved means to be reconstituted by God.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Q3. I think to be “ born of water and the Spirit” means  that when we are convicted of sin we humble ourselves before God and confess our sins….. we then are baptised with water, which is a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin. It is a gift from the Spirit, to be chosen by God to be convicted. When we come to the place of committing ourselves to God , the Holy Spirit comes upon us and we are born of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit  comes to dwell in us. 
At baptism we are born of water, it is baptism of repentance. When we commit ourselves to God , we are born of the Spirit. 
Without being born again we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This can only be done by each of us humbling ourselves before God, seeking His forgiveness for our sins, and then allowing the work of the Holy Spirit to regenerate us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

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

ANSWER: To be “born again” is the same thing as being “born of water and the Spirit.” The parallelism is deliberate, and the phrase “born of water and the Spirit” is simply Jesus' explanation of the second birth.

What do you think "water" refers to?

ANSWER: Some suggest that “water” is a reference to the amniotic fluid that signals the onset of physical birth, and they therefore believe Jesus was describing two distinct births in verse 5 — physical birth (“water”), and spiritual birth (“the Spirit”). Possibly “water” could refer to:

  1. God's grace
  2. being born again (by the word of God)
  3. being born of the Spirit
  4. the act of cleansing
  5. baptism or refers to more than baptism
  6. a physical birth

In conclusion, “water” definitely refers to being born again or born of the Spirit; it refers to being cleansed before God; it points forward to the baptism of the convert and even to more than baptism but refers to the entire pericope itself.

Why have you come to this conclusion?

ANSWER: Jesus was not teaching that one must be baptized in water in order to be saved. Baptism is nowhere mentioned in the context, nor did Jesus ever imply that we must do anything to inherit eternal life but trust in Him in faith (John 3:16). The emphasis of Jesus' words is on repentance and spiritual renewal—we need the “living water” Jesus later promised the woman at the well (John 4:10). Water baptism is an outward sign that we have given our lives to Jesus, but not a requirement for salvation (Luke 23:40–43).

Both 'water' and 'Spirit' mean 'life' in John's gospel, indicating the commencing of a new life 'from above', that is the eternal life. Flesh begets flesh. Living beings all reproduce “after their kind” (Genesis 1:24). By the very nature of things, therefore, spiritual life cannot be the fruit of human achievement, a fact that contradicts every form of works-religion.

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

ANSWER: One birth natural (the flush of amniotic fluid ), and the other birth spiritual: Born of water means the natural birth every person goes through to come into life in this world (i.e., the woman’s water broke and she gives birth to a child shortly thereafter). Spiritual birth is the moment you trust and believe in Jesus Christ alone (imputed righteousness by "make one with" "identifying" with Jesus Christ). Therefore, you cannot be born-again as a child of God without first being actually having a natural birth through (water).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...