Context of Jn 3:5 “born again”
John1:26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; (John prepared the way by baptism)
John 2:6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. (Old covenant prefiguring of baptism, purification from sin)(His disciples believed because the ever Virgin mother of God interceded Jn 2:11)
John3:5 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. (Baptism)
(Key verse! Actions speak louder than words: verse 22)
John 3:22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.(Baptism / water)
John 4:1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John.
Born again means Baptismal regeneration!
baptismal regeneration!
A new creation in Christ! 2 cor 5:17
Jn 1 JTB prepared the way by baptism!
Jn 2 the waters of purification are OT prefigurement of baptism!
Jn 3:5 born again means baptism
Jn 3:22 they immediately went to the river! Not to preach “accept Christ as personal lord and savior”
But to BAPTIZE!!!
John3:5 refers to being born twice: once naturally and once through the faith & the granting of the Holy Spirit.
Please also bear in mind that when John was baptizing two things had yet to occur: Jesus death & resurrection and the bestowing the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
It does
not refer to Baptismal regeneration.
John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-10 are both very clear: Faith in Jesus' death and resurrection in response to God's grace brings salvation.
As a foot note 1:Cor 13:2 is talking about love in action. It makes no mention of charity per se. What you are saying is that we need faith & baptism & charity now for salvation, this is in direct contradiction of Ephesians 2:8-10.. "it is not through works so no one can boast".
God has provided all mankind with the one way through which to have a right relationship with him: the death & resurrection of is Son Jesus. By adding human rituals such as baptism, confirmation, communion and saying that you must do these things to be saved, you are in effect saying to God that what he has done for us isn't good enough.
Our Christian walk is like a train, faith the the starting point, that moment of salvation, it is the engine of our train. Nothing else can travel along the tracks without it. If someone comes to Christ very late in life (please see the earlier example which you have so far studiously ignored) their journey is short but they still get to where God wants them to be.
Our works, the things we do, are the carriages: the display of Christian love, evangelism, serving at church, charity, deciding to be baptised, whatever they are, these are an outworking of a faith, a sign of our salvation. Some of us will have more carriages than others, but still the destination is the same for all of us with that engine of faith.
The works alone, without the engine of faith will never get to the destination, they need that engine to pull them. Just because people go to church and take the sacramants doesn't make them a Christian. As John Chapman once said: Sleeping in a garage doesn't make you a car.
Unless you can reply with an intelligent and meaningful post that isn't an avalanche of misquoted Bible verses, and why not start with my earlier question regarding the man being saved and then hit by a car, this will be my final post on this thread.
