Bible Question:
I have a interesting verse/interpretation problem that has been given to me. I would like to get some perspective on this. It pertains to John 3:5 when Jesus says " Unless one is born of water and spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." A friend had an interesting, and to be honest alarming, way of looking at this. He almost seemed to imply that it was contradictory with the rest of the chapter and what we read elsewhere about salvation. Because I feel that Jesus was referring to a Physical(water) birth and then a Spiritual rebirth, I assumed it was misinterpretation of an example of Jesus use of parables and metaphor to describe something in lay mens terms. What do you guys think. Oh and this is hopefully to be the first of MANY posting on this forum. God Bless for He reigns Amen. |
Bible Answer: Hi ChildofGod; Welcome to the forum! May I ask, what is your friends "way" of looking at this? To my knowledge, there are several ways, by the way, and I don't happen to agree with natural birth, I don't think John 3:5 refers to the water of natural birth at all. Eph 5:25b-26 "just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word," The Holy Spirit, works through the word of God to bring forth a change in the heart of man that we may Believe in Him. The Word of God is the water. John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, "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." John 7:38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" When we speak the word of God it is the rivers of living water that flows from our hearts. Water, is referring to the Word of God that flows from our hearts. It is that very Word of God, the water of the Word, that "washing of the water with the word" that brings the lost the gift of faith in Him who is sufficient to save. Rom 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Christ; is the living water, and it's by the Holy Spirit working through the word, that is the water that He is referring to in John 3:5 to be "born again". He is not speaking of temporal things, but spiritual things. John 3:12 "If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? God bless John |