Jesus said that those born of water and Spirit will enter the kingdom. (John 3:3-5) The message that parallels Jesus' words was presented on the Day of Pentecost after the Holy Ghost was shed forth by Jesus. "Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ (water) for the remission of sin and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Spirit) Obedience is essential for all those living in the NT. Jesus is the author of salvation unto all those who obey Him. (Heb. 5:9)
Jesus did say that those born of
water and Spirit will enter the kingdom (John 3:3-5) and that message parallels Jesus' words in John 4:10 - “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a
drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you
living water" and John 4:14 - but whoever
drinks of the
water that I shall give him will
never thirst. But the
water that I shall give him will become in him a
fountain of water springing up into everlasting life and John 7:37-39 - On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone
thirsts, let him come to Me and
drink. 38 He who
believes in Me, as the Scripture has said,
out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke
concerning the Spirit, whom those
believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 1 Corinthians 12:13 also says
drink into one Spirit.
Also "water" is used in Scripture as an
emblem of the word of God, and in such uses it is associated with
cleansing or washing. (John 15:3; Ephesians 5:26) When we are born again, the Holy Spirit begets new life, so that we are said to become "partakers of the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4) The new birth is brought to pass through "incorruptible seed, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever" (I Peter 1:23) and the Holy Spirit accomplishes the miracle of regeneration. (Titus 3:5)