What Does "Born of Water" Mean?

A clear, precise answer to what Jesus meant concerning being born of water...

Could you just tell us what the video says born of water means? I am wary of clicking on videos. Have got some nasty stuff on my 'puter that way. (just saying)

As for me, I see this scripture referring to man being born of water and spirit this way:

John, Chapter 3:

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

4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

5Jesus 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.

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

7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

When man is born, the mothers water breaks......born of water. When a man is reborn he is reborn through the cleansing blood of Jesus applied by the Holy Spirit. His "spiritual rebirth."

As I considered that verse, I came to this conclusion:
Tit 3: 5:
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit;
And
Eph 5: 26:
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

Born of water means the waters of baptism. However, baptism must be accompanied by repentance and faith or the Holy Spirit has no part of it, you're just getting wet. In baptism we die with Christ and are raised to new life; this is what is meant by "born again." Now let all the anti-baptism folks attack.

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore 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." Romans 6:1-4

Amen! The washing of regeneration of the Holy Spirit says it all. Jesus baptizes with the Spirit (and there is only one baptism).


Titus 3:4-5

Ephesians 4:5-6

It means water baptism. All these ideas about it being the water of the first birth are refuted by the idea of being born AGAIN. Not the first time. Plus as the video shows the context has water being water all over the place.

The interviewer opens with an introductory summary of the guest speaker's view of the meaning of the phrase 'born of water' referring to water baptism and then gives the speaker space to elaborate on his position.

I'm not going to argue neither for nor against him but prefer to just offer my view. Just as no one can be (successfully) born of a woman without taking in their first breath of air, naturally, it can be asserted that, to enter into the kingdom of the world, everyone must be born of woman and of air (both these are of the natural world). And likewise, to see the kingdom of heaven (which is not of this world), one must be born of water and the spirit (both these are of the heavenly that the baptism as well as the water of Noah illustrate, hence the rhetorical question Jesus posed, if you don't understand earthly things how you can understand heavenly things).

Just as a (natural) seed must be placed into a woman so must a seed of faith (faith is, exclusively, a spiritual thing) be placed into the word (water one drinks spiritually). We've all experienced reading the bible superficially, but our spirit doesn't profit from it, and that result is a spiritual stillborn in that case and, indeed, Nicodemus approached Jesus as a spiritual stillborn. someone born of water but not the spirit. Nicodemus knew the word of God, but his could only see it naturally and his understanding would profit him nothing unless it was joined with faith. He had to take his first breath of the spirit, and not only air.

This excerpt excludes verse 6
First born of flesh, then born of Spirit is what is being talked about to me thanks, it is not having to be water Baptized, it is first born of the flesh. And the flesh cannot please God, Flesh needs to be born again, and John did not want to Baptize Jesus, he said to Jesus he needed to be Baptized by Jesus, yet Jesus said for John to Baptize him, he was here to do all that was right.
So ask God, Father of the risen Son Jesus for you and be born new by Father in you and see that work through you in love to all, thank you, God's Love as in 1 Cor 13:4-7
Ephesians 4:5
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
We have Spirit Baptism and flesh Baptism, yet there is only one Baptism
Which is it
of the flesh or of the Spirit of God?

Improper reading/understanding of Scripture by you and many. Proper reading necessary:

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

Born again AFTER his FIRST birth

4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

Earthly understanding of being born AGAIN as the FIRST birth, but not what Jesus was saying.

5Jesus 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.

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

Born of the flesh is the FIRST birth. Born of the SPIRIT is the "spiritual" birth. THIS is why Jesus said "BORN AGAIN,"

7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

This passage of Scripture can be compared to what Paul wrote concerning the Rapture:

1 Corinthians, Chapter 15:

39All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

40There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

The terrestrial bodies are our earthly bodies. The bodies we received upon our FIRST birth. The celestial bodies will be the bodies we are resurrected with because of our BORN AGAIN birth. Spiritual rebirth.


Water baptism has ZERO to do with salvation. ZERO!

Water baptism is done in obedience to Jesus. It acts as a "sign" to the Church and the world that a man has become a believer in and follower of Jesus. The "one baptism" which is unto salvation is the "spiritual baptism" where the Holy Spirit applies the cleansing blood of Jesus to our "spiritual" beings. THIS IS BOTH OUR SALVATION AND OUR BEING BORN AGAIN.

Do you not see experiences relative to water and Spirit are recorded in all detailed conversion accounts?
(Acts 2:38-41, 8:12-18, 9:17-18, 10:43-48, 19:1-7, 22:16) Do you believe this is just a coincidence?

All detailed accounts relative to the NT rebirth include both water and Spirit. (Acts 2:38-41, 8:12-18, 9:17-18, 10:43-48, 19:1-7, 22:16)

The gospel message was first presented to full-fledged Jews and proselytes. (Acts 2:2-41)

Then carried to Samaritans who were half Jewish and half Gentile. (Acts 8:12-17)

Afterward,, to the Gentiles. (Acts 10:43-48)

Paul. (Acts 9:17-18, 22:16)

The Apostle Paul to the 12 men in Ephesus. (Acts 18:4-8, 19:1-7)

Paul's comment in Romans indicates sins are destroyed upon baptism wherein believers are buried with Jesus into death. (Romans 6:3-6) The implication is that's when the initial cleansing of the blood of Jesus takes place.

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:...
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."

The Spirit, the water and blood agree. Getting water baptized into Christ doesn't nullify faith in His blood, it confirms it. Nor does the belief that the Spirit washes us exempt us from the necessity of baptism. People are too hung up on what "saves" us. They seem to only be interested in how to acquire fire insurance. Instead of trying to find a foolproof plan, just simply obey the Word.

"This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree." 1 John 5:6-8

Tit 3: 5:
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit;

Note two experiences are mentioned in Titus 3:5. The NT rebirth involves both water and Spirit as indicated in all detailed accounts, and is available to everyone regardless of nationality. (Acts 2:38-41, 8:12-18, 9:17-18, 10:43-48, 19:1-7, 22:16)

The key phrase of your comment is:

"As for me, I see this"

You need to see "born of water" to mean physical human vaginal emergence to support your faith alone regeneration theology. But the Bible never refers to this event as "born of water".

Your belief ("as for me") is a sad example of the lengths that many will go to in order to follow their own sensibilities.

When Jesus speaks of "born of water and of the spirit" He is not speaking metaphorically.

It means physical birth. It's sandwiched between ... can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? - and - That which is born of the flesh is flesh
Jesus is respecting Nicodemus' question and clarifying the "again" of born again. No more could a man reenter his mother's womb than could the water. There needs to be a completely new birth.

According to God, man is without excuse because His designs as seen in the natural realm reveal Spiritual truths. Just as the natural birth consists of both water and Spirit, so too, the NT rebirth.

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. <= no water. None.

Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.

^ Cleansed through the word. Not earthly water. It is the Word of God Who cleanses us.

Noah's venture represents baptism. Nobody got wet.

Moses and the Hebrews passage through the sea prefigures baptism. Nobody got wet then, either.

Not one drop in either case. Noah = this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--
not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.

The verse specifically speaks against getting wet in a way which washes our body.

And none of this is to say one should not get baptized. Some just love to twist it that way because they are dishonest.

Yea, no one is saying don't get water baptised. But to know that it is something you do because, 'for' the fact of already being saved eternally.

You don't have to do it as part of salvation, but it is the right thing to do after salvation.

That is what early Christians did. Straight away, or very soon after salvation..water baptised by immersion. For those who had already believed.

Hello, my first reaction at the forum-


Baptism of water is a spiritual Significance of Ritual Washing**

The baptism described in the Old Testament holds not only a practical significance (See Ex 30,;Lev 14 and Deut 23)but also a spiritual meaning, namely, inner cleansing as indicated by the texts below. Even the pagan governor washed his hands as a symbol of his innocence regarding Jesus' death (Matt. 27:4).

- **Psalm 51:2**: Wash me clean from my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin.
- **Psalm 73:12**: Yes, I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocence (Ps. 26:6, Matt. 27:24).
- **Isaiah 1:16**: Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean! Remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil.
- **Jeremiah 4:14**: O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart so that you may be saved.
- **Zechariah 13:1**: On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity.

And I agree with David K. Bernard: The Jews knew the Proselyte Baptism In the Targum Jonathan, we read that pagan men and women who converted to the Jewish faith were circumcised (men) and also baptized. They renounced their pagan identity and entered into the covenant of Abraham and Moses. A circumcised and baptized Gentile was seen as a newborn child. This baptism is called proselyte baptism. (The term "proselyte" means "stranger.") Therefore, it is not surprising that Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?” in response to his question about how one can be born again.

The spiritual meaning of water baptism is that you receive a new identity and your sins are washed away.

Greetings from the Netherlands