Baptism (part 9) - Born Again of Water and the Spirit in The New Birth
Introduction. When Jesus revealed to Nicodemus the necessity of being born again of water and the Spirit, it was incomprehensible to him (Jn. 3:3-6). But now that the Holy Spirit guided us into all truth (Jn 16 :12-13), we are able to fully understand it. It is just like many of the things recorded in the creation. They would be inexplicable if we did not see them every day. Imagine speaking of birds, beasts and herbs yielding seed if they were not among us to see. Since every sinner under the New Covenant must be born again to enter the kingdom, all we have to do is look at the conversions in Acts to find the information. Added to that are the passages the Holy Spirit used to “teach us all things.”
The Holy Spirit revealed His own role in our new birth when He said, “you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.” Since the Holy Spirit is the author of all truth, anything that has to do with truth must be done by Him. Hence, those who obey that truth can only purify their souls through the agency and means of the Holy Spirit. Without Him no one could obey the gospel since “no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” (1Cor. 12:3). Once that truth has been obeyed, Peter used a perfect participle “having been born” to reveal that the action had been completed, but the effects of the new birth have continued: “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the living and abiding word of God.” The “living and abiding word of God” is now called the “incorruptible seed” that led us to be “born again,” for “the seed is the word of God.” (Lk. 8:11).
When we obey the truth, the living and abiding word of God is the seed to bring about the new birth. So, everyone who “purified their souls in obeying the truth” is “born again” “of water and the Spirit.” In order to understand “born again of incorruptible seed,’ we must understand the real nature of this “living and abiding Word of God.” It is also called the “sword of the Spirit,” “is living and powerful,” is “effectively working (energeo - energizing) in you who believe”, and it is also “the power (dunimis - dynamite) of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12; 1Th. 2:13; Rom. 1:16).
Because the Holy Spirit is the author and does His work through it, and the Holy Spirit is eternal and omnipotent, so is His word. It not only holds the power of the seed to bring forth life, but also the power of the rain. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven ... giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isa. 55:10-11). This is why when we “receive with meekness the implanted word,” it “is able to save your souls.” When we take that word into our hearts and believe it, the power that exists to bring about new birth is now residing within our heart, waiting for the water to bring complete it.
The water in baptism is the additional element used by the Holy Spirit to complete the new birth. “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1Cor. 12:13). The moment everything is completed, the new birth occurs while we are under the water of baptism. Just as Naaman was cleansed of his leprosy when he dipped the seventh time, so also we who are “baptized into Christ” and “put on Christ” become “a new creation” the moment we are “baptized into Christ.” (Gal 3:27; 2Cor. 5:17). When we believed the gospel to the point where we “received Him,” “He gave the right to become children of God” and through the new birth of baptism we were “born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”. Then at that moment, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (Jn. 1:12-13; 3:6-7). More simply put, but saying exactly the same thing, “For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” (1Cor. 4:15).
Jesus’ death on the cross was accomplished so that “He might sanctify and cleanse her (the church) with the washing of water by the word”. The washing of water is done in baptism and the word brings the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the means God used to save us. It was “through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” that the new birth was accomplished. Peter praised God that He made this possible: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope.” (Eph. 5:25-26; Titus 3:5-6; 1Pet. 1:3).
It is during the “washing of regeneration” (born of water) and “renewing of the Holy Spirit” (and born of the Spirit) that the power of the new birth is initiated and completed. It is in these two terms that the new birth is revealed. That baptism is the washing of water and the washing of regeneration is testified multitudes of times. Yet none is clearer than Ananias’ words to Paul “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’” (Acts. 22:16). The word “regeneration” takes in many of the concepts. It is defined: “a new birth, reproduction, renewal, re-creation, the word denotes, the restoration of a thing to its pristine state, its renovation.” (Thayer NT:3824).
This is exactly how Paul described baptism as we were “buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” Before we were baptized, we were still “being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh,” but after baptism, “He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,” (Col. 2:11-12) and “ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Eph. 2:10). This is the power and effect of being born again of water and the Spirit.
While we are in that water and the new birth is occurring, we are told, it is the “renewing of the Holy Spirit.” The word “renew,” also has a very important meaning, “to cause something to become new and different, with the implication of becoming superior - ‘to make new, renewal.’” (Lou & Nida NT:342). What went down into the water and what came up out of the water are entirely different. Now we are “a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2Cor. 5:17). Thus, “of his own will he brought us forth (gave birth to us) by the word of truth” (Jas. 1:18). We are then in the condition described by Peter, “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the living and abiding word of God. (1 Pet 1:23).
Conclusion. In our “first” and natural birth, power beyond our comprehension was exerted when an eternal spirit was placed into “an earthen vessel,” “formed out of clay,” and “formed by God.” (2Cor. 4:7; Job 33:6; Isa 45:9). At the end of our life, “the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.” (Eccl. 12:7). As Peter, we also know that, I too “must put off my tent.” (2Pet. 1:14). The spirit that will return to God is spiritually dead and lifeless without the new birth. As with Adam and Eve, and as Paul, so also each of us: “was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.” (Rom. 7:9-10). At the moment we heard the gospel, we were given the right to the power to be made alive again, through a complete renovation for the better. Then, “we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” and “even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.” (Rom. 6:4; Eph. 2:5). What an amazing thing we have in the living and abiding word of God, and in the amazing power of baptism.
The Holy Spirit revealed His own role in our new birth when He said, “you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.” Since the Holy Spirit is the author of all truth, anything that has to do with truth must be done by Him. Hence, those who obey that truth can only purify their souls through the agency and means of the Holy Spirit. Without Him no one could obey the gospel since “no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” (1Cor. 12:3). Once that truth has been obeyed, Peter used a perfect participle “having been born” to reveal that the action had been completed, but the effects of the new birth have continued: “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the living and abiding word of God.” The “living and abiding word of God” is now called the “incorruptible seed” that led us to be “born again,” for “the seed is the word of God.” (Lk. 8:11).
When we obey the truth, the living and abiding word of God is the seed to bring about the new birth. So, everyone who “purified their souls in obeying the truth” is “born again” “of water and the Spirit.” In order to understand “born again of incorruptible seed,’ we must understand the real nature of this “living and abiding Word of God.” It is also called the “sword of the Spirit,” “is living and powerful,” is “effectively working (energeo - energizing) in you who believe”, and it is also “the power (dunimis - dynamite) of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12; 1Th. 2:13; Rom. 1:16).
Because the Holy Spirit is the author and does His work through it, and the Holy Spirit is eternal and omnipotent, so is His word. It not only holds the power of the seed to bring forth life, but also the power of the rain. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven ... giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isa. 55:10-11). This is why when we “receive with meekness the implanted word,” it “is able to save your souls.” When we take that word into our hearts and believe it, the power that exists to bring about new birth is now residing within our heart, waiting for the water to bring complete it.
The water in baptism is the additional element used by the Holy Spirit to complete the new birth. “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1Cor. 12:13). The moment everything is completed, the new birth occurs while we are under the water of baptism. Just as Naaman was cleansed of his leprosy when he dipped the seventh time, so also we who are “baptized into Christ” and “put on Christ” become “a new creation” the moment we are “baptized into Christ.” (Gal 3:27; 2Cor. 5:17). When we believed the gospel to the point where we “received Him,” “He gave the right to become children of God” and through the new birth of baptism we were “born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”. Then at that moment, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (Jn. 1:12-13; 3:6-7). More simply put, but saying exactly the same thing, “For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” (1Cor. 4:15).
Jesus’ death on the cross was accomplished so that “He might sanctify and cleanse her (the church) with the washing of water by the word”. The washing of water is done in baptism and the word brings the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the means God used to save us. It was “through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” that the new birth was accomplished. Peter praised God that He made this possible: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope.” (Eph. 5:25-26; Titus 3:5-6; 1Pet. 1:3).
It is during the “washing of regeneration” (born of water) and “renewing of the Holy Spirit” (and born of the Spirit) that the power of the new birth is initiated and completed. It is in these two terms that the new birth is revealed. That baptism is the washing of water and the washing of regeneration is testified multitudes of times. Yet none is clearer than Ananias’ words to Paul “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’” (Acts. 22:16). The word “regeneration” takes in many of the concepts. It is defined: “a new birth, reproduction, renewal, re-creation, the word denotes, the restoration of a thing to its pristine state, its renovation.” (Thayer NT:3824).
This is exactly how Paul described baptism as we were “buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” Before we were baptized, we were still “being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh,” but after baptism, “He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,” (Col. 2:11-12) and “ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Eph. 2:10). This is the power and effect of being born again of water and the Spirit.
While we are in that water and the new birth is occurring, we are told, it is the “renewing of the Holy Spirit.” The word “renew,” also has a very important meaning, “to cause something to become new and different, with the implication of becoming superior - ‘to make new, renewal.’” (Lou & Nida NT:342). What went down into the water and what came up out of the water are entirely different. Now we are “a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2Cor. 5:17). Thus, “of his own will he brought us forth (gave birth to us) by the word of truth” (Jas. 1:18). We are then in the condition described by Peter, “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the living and abiding word of God. (1 Pet 1:23).
Conclusion. In our “first” and natural birth, power beyond our comprehension was exerted when an eternal spirit was placed into “an earthen vessel,” “formed out of clay,” and “formed by God.” (2Cor. 4:7; Job 33:6; Isa 45:9). At the end of our life, “the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.” (Eccl. 12:7). As Peter, we also know that, I too “must put off my tent.” (2Pet. 1:14). The spirit that will return to God is spiritually dead and lifeless without the new birth. As with Adam and Eve, and as Paul, so also each of us: “was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.” (Rom. 7:9-10). At the moment we heard the gospel, we were given the right to the power to be made alive again, through a complete renovation for the better. Then, “we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” and “even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.” (Rom. 6:4; Eph. 2:5). What an amazing thing we have in the living and abiding word of God, and in the amazing power of baptism.