Born of Water? Not Baptism!

Compare John 3:3 and John 3:5 - Without the new birth, a man cannot enter into the kingdom or even see (perceive / understand) it.

John 3:5 - 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.

BORN OF WATER IS NOT WATER BAPTISM!
Compare John 7:37-39, the water is the Holy Spirit. "Born of water and [of] the Spirit" - Notice "of" is in italics in the KJV text and there is no article ("the") in the Greek. Literally, "Born of water and Spirit" indicates this is one birth spoken of in this verse in the Greek.

Also, Nicodemus is reproved for not knowing about what Jesus spoke, John 3:10. But how could Nicodemus have known about Christian baptism? Why would Jesus reprove him for not knowing about baptism?

B. H. Carroll Explains "Born of Water" is Not Water Baptism:

• Christ and Nicodemus discussed but two births, the natural birth and the spiritual birth, John 3:6. Whatever verse 5 means, it is one birth. Otherwise our chapter talks of three births-the natural birth, the baptism birth and the Spirit birth, which is contrary to the context.


• There is no article in the Greek before the words - not even before "Spirit." This is therefore one birth. "Born of water" is the same as "Born of Spirit."


• The context shows that the salvation invovled in John 3 is a salvation of grace and not of sacraments.


• The Lord rebukes Nicodemus for not understanding what He meant. Carroll says, "The censure lies in the fact that what is meant by 'born of water and Spirit' is clearly set forth in the Old Testament, which is so silent about baptism."


• "The phase, 'born of water and Spirit,' is but an expansion of the previous phrase, 'born from above.' It interprets and develops the first phrase, bringing out the two elements in regeneration, namely, cleansing and renewing. It is only when we lose sight of the cleansing element in regeneration that we are liable to go astray in interpreting the phrase 'born of water.' The matter is clearly set forth in Ezekiel 36:25, 26 which declares: 'Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness and from all of your idols, will I cleanse you.' This is the cleansing element of regeneration. 'A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit....' And this is the renewing element."


• See Hebrews 9:13-14. "The Old Testament idea of clean water...typified the blood of Christ, applied in regeneration by the Holy Spirit.... With this Nicodemus ought to have been familiar. 'Born of water and spirit' simply means 'cleansed by the blood of Christ and renewed by the Holy Spirit.'"


• See similar language of washing in Titus 3:5; Ephesians 5:25-27.

The above is paraphrased from "The Four Gospels, Volume 1" by B. H. Carroll, pp. 325-237.

John 3:7 - Marvel not....

Apparently, Nicodemus marvelled at this doctrine.

John 3:13 - And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Notice the omni-presence of Christ; in heaven and earth simultaneously. This phrase stricken from the critical text and the modern versions, which weaken the deity of Christ.

John 3:14 - And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.

Cross reference: Numbers 21:7-9.

"Even so MUST the Son of man be lifted up." - Must means it is absolutely necessary. Lifted up means lifted up on the cross; crucified. Defined in John 12:32-33. See also John 8:28.

John 3:16 - See "Man's Ruin" (or Romans volume 1) by Donald Grey Barnhouse, pp. 25-26 for excellent devotion on this verse.

VM