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Born again ! ?

Are you guys saying that Jesus was telling Nick that a ceremonial dunking was what would bring him into the kingdom?
 
Question: "What does it mean that there is only one baptism (Ephesians 4:5)?"

Answer:
Ephesians 4:4-6 says, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Since there are different "baptisms" referred to in the New Testament, it can be a bit confusing when we read about "one baptism." The word baptize always means “to submerge or immerse.” So, when baptism is discussed, it involves a person being totally submerged into something else. Baptism implies being "all in." It also implies that a change has taken place. Baptized people are changed people.

Generally speaking, there are two types of baptism: a physical (water) baptism and a spiritual baptism. One is literal, done in water; the other is figurative, accomplished in the Spirit.

Water baptism was commanded by Jesus for all of His followers (Acts 1:8). Colossians 2:12 says, "Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead." Being baptized with water does not save us; faith in the finished work of Christ saves us (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9). But water baptism is an outward indication of an inward change. It is a wonderful picture of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Being immersed in water symbolizes the cleansing of our hearts and the washing away of our sin by the blood of Jesus (Acts 2:38). Through water baptism, believers publicly proclaim their testimony that they have been born again by the grace of God.

Romans 6:3 speaks of a spiritual baptism: "Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" This spiritual baptism “into Christ” is performed by the Holy Spirit the moment a repentant sinner accepts the gift of salvation and is born again (John 3:5; Ephesians 2:18; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 8:12). We respond to the Holy Spirit's drawing and are born into God's family (John 6:44; 1 Corinthians 6:19). By this "baptism," we are identified with the death and resurrection of Jesus; from then on, we consider ourselves "crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20). We choose to lose ourselves and be immersed in Him (Matthew 16:24), and the Holy Spirit makes that happen.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit was promised by John the Baptist, who said that Jesus “will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (Luke 3:16). No one understood what John meant until after Jesus had ascended back into heaven (Acts 1:9). Jesus had promised the disciples that He would send "the Comforter" (John 14:26; 15:26; Luke 24:49). His followers were to wait in Jerusalem until the "promise from the Father" came (Acts 1:4). That promise came in Acts 2. The Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples, and they were never the same again. They were bold in their witness, empowered to perform miracles, willing to endure persecution, and all but one died a martyr's death. The church had begun. Throughout the book of Acts, that baptism by the Holy Spirit was repeated as people came to know Jesus, both Jew and Gentile, and served to unify the church as the Jewish believers realized that the Holy Spirit was poured out on their Gentile brothers as well.

There are some differences of opinion among believers concerning the baptism of the Spirit. Some Christians believe Holy Spirit baptism is identical to being baptized into Christ and that it occurs at the moment of salvation, even if the believer is unconscious of it. Other Christians believe Holy Spirit baptism is to be equated with the filling of the Spirit and that often occurs after salvation—years later, perhaps—as the believer opens himself up to the Spirit’s control. Some believe that the baptism of the Spirit is always accompanied by signs (such as speaking in tongues), and others believe that such signs are unnecessary.

When Paul wrote to the Ephesian believers about "one baptism," he was reminding them that, regardless of their background or nationality, they all served the same Lord, shared the same faith, and had experienced the same baptism. He could be referring to water baptism; i.e., all believers have the same testimony of salvation and have been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Or he could be referring to Spirit baptism; i.e., all believers have been placed into the Body of Christ through the Spirit’s power. Either way, the emphasis is on unity among Christians. Verse 3 says, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." The Holy Spirit works to unify believers and provides assurance that they are children of God (Romans 8:16; Ephesians 1:13-14). By reminding the church that they all had a similar testimony and that they were all partakers in the same Holy Spirit, Paul encouraged them to work together for the cause of Christ so that the message of redemption would continue to spread throughout the world (Matthew 28:19).


Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/one-baptism.html#ixzz3EHaqTdqw
 
born of water and spirit is not but is after natural child birth - twinc


Jesus statement -

5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.


Jesus defines His statement -

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.


We have two elements being described.


Born of water = Born of the flesh

Born of The Spirit = born of the Spirit.


12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

Earthly things = born of water = flesh gives birth to flesh ie; natural child birth.

Heavenly things = born of the Spirit = that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.


Born of water is a reference to Natural child birth.


John uses this same expression again in 1 John 5, as it refers to the same thing.


This is He who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth 1 John 5:6


Here the clarity of the phrase came by water is unmistakable, when linked with came by blood.


This is proof of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit as Witness!




JLB
 
When we compare scripture with scripture we see that John 3:5 and Eph 1:13 are both speaking of the word of truth and not physical water. When we first heard the gospel preached and believed and confessed Christ as Lord and Savior we were at that time sealed by the Holy Spirit for our salvation. John was commissioned by God to baptize with actual water for remissions of sin until the promise of the kinsman redeemer come. After Jesus came and was fulfilled in the Spirit of God he commissioned the Disciples to go and baptize with the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 2:8 Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus and not by works, which would make water baptism a work towards repentance. John said I must decrease and Jesus increase, but yet Jesus never baptized in actual water.

John 3:5 never mentions the word baptize, but says only by being born of water and spirit, which means water as living water (word) that no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are Spiritually renewed (born again) by the word, which is Christ Jesus and by the Holy Spirit that seals us and indwells us. Many do read into the passage a preconceived idea or theology, but baptism is never mentioned in this verse. Word is living water as described in John 4:10; 7:38; 1John 5:6; Jeremiah 2:13; Isaiah 55:1-3 to name a few.
 
imho what has been overlooked is that as a jew this was required, for Nicodemus, to be born again as a Christian of water and spirit - imho it is not required of Christians to be born again and again and again of water and spirit but maybe just of spirit perhaps - any comments - twinc

I agree, the phrase "Born again" is a Jewish reference. Here is a post i posted on another board.

I think we should consider the context of John 3. I would suggest that the phrase, "born again" was directed at Nicodemus, who was a Jew. God had made certain promises to Abraham and his seed. The Jews were the seed of Abraham and as such they understood that they were the heirs of those promises. So, Nicodemus being a Jew would understand that his being the fleshly seed of Abraham entitled him to entrance into the kingdom of God. He believed that it was his birth as Abraham's seed that gave him entrance into the kingdom. Jesus is telling him he is wrong, that it is not his fleshly birth from Abraham that will get him entrance into the kingdom, that is why Jesus says, 'that which is born of the flesh is flesh.' Jesus uses birth as a metaphor saying you must be born again. In other words your birth as Abraham's seed isn't sufficient for you to gain entrance into the kingdom there is more required. Paul also addresses this misunderstanding of "Abraham's seed" by the Jews.

16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (Gal 3:16 KJV)

Paul says that when God made the promise to Abraham and his seed, he didn't mean all of Abraham's seed, but rather, God meant one particular person, which is Christ. Since the promise was to Christ and not to all of Abraham's seed, Nicodemus' fleshly birth from Abraham did not make him an heir as he thought.
 
imho what has been overlooked is that as a jew this was required, for Nicodemus, to be born again as a Christian of water and spirit - imho it is not required of Christians to be born again and again and again of water and spirit but maybe just of spirit perhaps - any comments - twinc


Was going to do a post on this....My thoughts for the meaning,is to be born from above........
 
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