John 3:5 and Titus 3:5:
Born of the Spirit (Part 9 of 12)

Part 9 of 12 · Salvation in Jesus Christ: The New Testament Witness to Grace, Faith, and the Blood

Some say the water in John 3:5 must be baptism, and that this settles the matter. Start with the man Jesus was talking to.

“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.” (John 3:5, KJV)

Nicodemus was “a master of Israel” (John 3:10), a teacher of the Scriptures, and Jesus expected him to understand. He should have known God’s promise through Ezekiel:

“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean… A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you… And I will put my spirit within you.” (Ezekiel 36:25–27, KJV)

Water and Spirit together fit God’s promise of new covenant cleansing and new life.

Jesus then puts the weight on the Spirit. “That which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6), and “so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

The same chapter tells us over and over how eternal life is received. It comes to “whosoever believeth in him” (John 3:15), and “He that believeth on him is not condemned” (John 3:18).

Titus 3:5 teaches the same truth. God saved us “by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” Notice who does the work. The Holy Ghost renews. The verse never uses the words water or baptism.

The new birth is a miracle of God. The Holy Ghost gives life when a sinner believes the gospel and receives Jesus Christ. Water baptism then bears outward witness to what God has already done.

Search these Scriptures for yourself: Ezekiel 36:25–27; Jeremiah 31:31–34; John 3:5–10; John 3:15–18; John 3:36; John 20:31; Titus 3:4–7; John 3:6–8; 1 Corinthians 6:11.

Next in this series: Part 10, Romans 6, Galatians 3, and Colossians 2: Baptized into Jesus Christ.

Go Deeper

• Born of God Through Faith in His Son
• It Is the Spirit Who Gives Life

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“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (KJV)