Born of the Water

The first place we hear Jesus teach the revelation of the Mystery is in His conversation with Nicodemus.

John 3:5-6 (KJV)

5 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.

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

• A man must be born of the water.
• A man must be born of the Spirit.
• That which is born of the flesh is flesh.
• That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.

It is imperative that we see the principle nature of the Scriptures. Verse five sets the foundation and verse six repeats it.

Except a man be born of the water: that which is born of flesh is flesh.

Except a man be born of the Spirit: that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Beloved, this is a part of the revelation of the Mystery of Christ that we neglected or overlooked in our preaching of the Gospel. We never consider that there was a rebirthing of the flesh. In fact, there is no way we would have included the flesh in our salvation experience seeing as how we had so demonized it. We made it the culprit in all of our sins. It was a convenient scapegoat.

Nevertheless, the keyword here is ‘born’. A man must be born of the water, and he must also be born of the Spirit. We know that the soul is born again when it is placed in the spirit. Therefore, that satisfies the latter part of verse six. He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. This is regeneration or the recreation of the soul. Therefore, that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.

But what does it mean to be born of the water? This statement has received a lot of controversy in the Body of Christ. However, most schools of thought attribute this statement to water baptism. But let us not be so quick to draw a conclusion in this matter. A more careful analysis of the scripture and this entire scenario suggests something quite different.

Before we go any further let me make a point here. The Scripture says, Except a man be born of the water, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Well, I want us to take a look at another Scripture that I think will shed more light on this one:

Ephesians 5:3-6 (KJV)

3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

All these things are the filthiness of the flesh. But if they are not done away with, it is impossible for those who do such things to enter in the Kingdom of God. Now the question is whether water baptism can satisfy this need for cleansing.

1 Peter 3:18-21 (KJV)

18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

According to the above scripture, water baptism does not take away the filthiness of the flesh, therefore a believer can be baptized in water and still be unclean. Yes my friends, there must be a cleansing of the flesh as well as the spirit. That cleansing is not by water baptism, it is by the Word (seed) of God; which will purge it of all unrighteousness. Even now I can feel the spirits of those who refuse to believe that the flesh was also born again (raised from the dead) by the Spirit of God. But truth must become sufficient for you.

I think it is most urgent that we follow the rules here. Let us allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. Once the soul is taken out of the flesh and placed in the Spirit, this signifies the putting off of the old man. This also means the old man is destroyed at this point. Destruction means death. So the old man is dead; crucified with Christ. This putting off or death of the old man is the opportunity for the Father to birth a new man.

Titus 3:5 (KJV)

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 Ghost;

The washing of regeneration:

Ephesians 5:26 (KJV)

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

1 Corinthians 6:11 (KJV)

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Revelation 1:5 (KJV)

5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Seeing as how He does not put new wine in old bottles, the body (flesh) must be cleansed, sanctified, or circumcised before it can be raised up again (born again) as the temple of the living God. This new birth takes place when the seed of God, the Word, the Holy Ghost, enters the believer’s body and he is born again from the dead by the seed that remains in him (I John 3:9). Was this not the same with our Lord Jesus Christ?

Acts 13:33 (KJV)

33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

And again the Lord teaches the mystery of the indwelling Christ.

John 6:63 (KJV)

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

What is it that the Spirit quickens (which means to bring or make alive)? Is it not the flesh? This statement is made in response to the offensive reaction of His followers when He said they must eat His flesh and drink His blood.

John 6:56 (KJV)

56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

The conclusion is that to literally eat of His flesh will profit nothing. But these words are spiritual. They imply that He will dwell in their bodies, which will become the bone of His bone and the flesh of His flesh. This is the eating of His flesh and the drinking of His blood.

Paul explains this even further:

Romans 8:11 (KJV)

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

The Scripture above also confirms that there is a raising of our natural body from the dead.

So, the conclusion of the matter is that in John 3:5-7, Jesus is teaching the rebirth of body and soul, not water baptism. Therefore, to be born of the water pertains to:

1. The washing of water by the Word of God.
2. The circumcision of the flesh (Col. 2:10-13).
3. The quickening of the flesh alive unto righteousness.
4. The Seed of God remaining in the flesh so that it will not sin.
5. The resurrection of the New Man.

Open your heart and allow truth to be sufficient.