Article by: Kenneth J. Ester
Understanding - John 3:5
John 3:5 (NASB)
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Many try to interpret this as saying you must be baptized by water and baptized by the spirit to be saved. Unfortunately that is not what this says. To be clear from the start, in neither case does this verse state it is speaking of baptism. Many preachers only assume it is speaking of baptism. Lets look at another scripture that teaches how we are saved.
Ephesians 1:13 (NASB)
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Once you believe, what happens? God sends the Holy Spirit to you to seal you with the promise. What other promise could this possibly be other than the promise of salvation? Contrary to what many teach, baptism of the Spirit happens automatically upon believing.
But what about water? For that we go to another scripture...
Ezekiel 36:25-27 (NASB)
25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
In verse 27 it clearly tells us again that God will place His Spirit within us. So we know we are talking about the same event here as in Ephesians 1:13. But what does it say before that? That God will sprinkle us with clean water and wash is clean. There you have the being born of water.
John 3:5 is not speaking of water baptism. It is speaking about the being cleansed by water God sprinkles on us upon believing.
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Many try to interpret this as saying you must be baptized by water and baptized by the spirit to be saved. Unfortunately that is not what this says. To be clear from the start, in neither case does this verse state it is speaking of baptism. Many preachers only assume it is speaking of baptism. Lets look at another scripture that teaches how we are saved.
Ephesians 1:13 (NASB)
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Once you believe, what happens? God sends the Holy Spirit to you to seal you with the promise. What other promise could this possibly be other than the promise of salvation? Contrary to what many teach, baptism of the Spirit happens automatically upon believing.
But what about water? For that we go to another scripture...
Ezekiel 36:25-27 (NASB)
25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
In verse 27 it clearly tells us again that God will place His Spirit within us. So we know we are talking about the same event here as in Ephesians 1:13. But what does it say before that? That God will sprinkle us with clean water and wash is clean. There you have the being born of water.
John 3:5 is not speaking of water baptism. It is speaking about the being cleansed by water God sprinkles on us upon believing.
