Bible Discussion Thread

 
  • Helen on John 14:21 - 3 years ago
    RE: John 3 verses 3 and 5. I am confused. Verse 3 you must be born again to enter the kingdom of God.

    Verse 5 you must be born of water AND of the spirit.

    3: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

    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.

    QUESTION: If a person is born again of the spirit ONLY and not of water he/she CANNOT enter the kingdom of God?
  • Chris - In Reply on John 14:21 - 3 years ago
    Helen, if you look at that encounter that Jesus had with Nicodemus, Nicodemus had just asked Jesus how someone could be physically born again a second time. He asked this because the spiritual truth that Jesus told him in v 3, that a man cannot see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again, was confusing to him. So Jesus explained this to him in verse 5: "unless a man be born of water (referring to that physical birth that Nicodemus was thinking of) & of the Spirit (referring to that spiritual birth that Jesus was speaking about), that man cannot enter God's Kingdom. In other words, it's my sense that if Nicodemus hadn't brought up the question of the impossibility of a person to be physically born twice into the world, then Jesus probably would not have referred to the necessity of a person being born physically (of water). The "water" we understand can refer also to the amniotic fluid being released in 'physical' birth.

    So, you & I need not fear about the words in verse 5 - they were only for Nicodemus (& any of us now) who might think that to be "born of water" meant something else or an added requirement to spiritual birth. No - spiritual birth is only by faith in Christ's work at the Cross & nothing else. If there was something else required, then salvation does not come by faith, and that's not the Gospel message.



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