What Does John 3:5 Mean? Nicodemus has asked how a man can be born again when he is old. Finished-Telestai (Easter Reflections - (8). Nicodemus had to learn that whosoever believes in JESUS is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God. Look down in pity on all whose hearts are crying out for the truth - just as Nicodemus did when he came to Jesus by night and discovered that it is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, that we can enter the kingdom of heaven and live with You in the eternal ages to come. We who were dead in trespasses and sins and without hope in the world have been covered with His love, forgiven of our sins, saved by grace through faith in His only begotten Son, in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit, accepted in the Beloved, given an eternal inheritance and are today.. seated together with Christ in heavenly places - for we have been positioned in Him and He has come to abide in us. John 3:5. But, to say simply that John 3:5 does not teach the necessity of baptism isn’t enough. 1 John 3:1 Context. All who believe in Him would be born-again of the Spirit, enter the kingdom of God, and LIVE eternally. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, Jew and Gentile alike, and everyman faces the consequences of of their sin - eternal condemnation, but whatever is born of the Spirit i.e. These may include: 1. And we know and have full assurance from God that the sinless Son of Man came to earth in order to take away our sins - to suffer and die on our behalf so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Finished-Telestai (Easter Reflections - (8). 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. One who is 'born again' believes in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin and life everlasting. Medical personnel use the term "vital-signs". Still others suggest that being born of water is the same as spiritual birth. Verse 5. John 1:1-5 . No such cleansing is in view in John 3.5, but rather the theme of birth, so these cleansing contexts are not relevant for a discussion of John 3.5 and 1 John … For example, Rom. The word “bloweth” translates the Greek verb pneo, which can mean to blow or to breathe, depending upon the context. 1 John 5:3, KJV: "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." John 3:5(NASB) Verse Thoughts. In this verse, Jesus introduces a second facet of the Kingdom of God, teaching that a person can enter into it, as well as that one must be "born again" to bring about the entrance.The question arises, "How long must one wait before entering it?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 1:4-9, see notes) I counted six occurrences of "light" in just those six verse in the Gospel of John 1. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of … ", Jesus was telling Nicodemus that unless a person is SAVED by GRACE through FAITH in HIM, he will not see the kingdom of God. In this passage, the Lord is suggesting that the Spirit breathes wherever he wills. Nicodemus did not appear to understand the need for spiritual birth... and so he sought illumination. Further, if Jesus had made such a statement, He would have contradicted numerous other Bible passages that make it clear that salvation is by faith (John 3:16; John 3:36; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Kindred forms of the word are elsewhere employed of breathing (cf. I. Over the years there have been many alternative views of what it means to be 'born of water', which has caused much confusion in the Church, while all agree that being 'born of the Spirit' is the work the Holy Ghost in the heart of a man or woman at the point of salvation. Jesus had to lead this searching man into a deeper understanding of salvation and the kingdom of heaven - and using the TRUTH of God's WORD, Jesus gently led this man into a deeper understanding of Who HE was - the Light of the World, in Whom are the words of eternal life. The believer loves God rather than the world (1 John 2:15). 4. 3:16). In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. He had to see that his natural birth into the world as a descendent of Abraham was not sufficient to enter the kingdom - he had to be born again. The rest of the book is a record which was written to show "that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." This stress is seen by the numerous references to what the believer knows (2:3, … We have now that state of mind in Jesus which leads to the act about to be described. Praise His holy name, AMEN. God's love for us is astonishing in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us - and the whole glorious plan of salvation, which was purposed before the foundation of the world is a testimony to the grace of our heavenly Father and His amazing love for each one of us. The believer enjoys fellowship with Christ and His redeemed people (1 John 1:3). Heavenly Father thank You for sending the Lord Jesus at the appointed time to come to earth as the sinless Son of Man, in order to take away my sins by dying for me on the cross at Calvary. Like us, Nicodemus had to come to an understanding that God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved, by God's grace through faith in Him. However, in all such cases, the figurative meaning is carried by a word for cleansing (occasionally with the word "water" added) but never by the word "water" alone. Clearly, salvation is by faith. The believer admits and confesses his sin (1 John 1:8). 5:1 states that we are justified (declared righteous) by faith. Why is “Spirit” (John 3:5) capitalized? We should also not lose sight of the fact that when Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus, the ordinance of Christian baptism was not yet in effect. Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. A. In order to study the meaning of “water and/also/even/as well as spirit” in John 3:5, I suggest to look at this from two angles. This religionist thought that he was entitled to the kingdom. he asked. "How can this happen?" 1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. However, He did not fit in with the Jew's perception of God's Messiah and Nicodemus wanted answers to important, spiritual questions. 2. 3. The believer obeys God’s Word (1 John 2:3–5). 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched —this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. Can a man enter his mother's womb a second time and be born?". And his commands are not burdensome, But claiming that baptism in water is necessary for salvation contradicts many Bible passages... all of which insist that salvation is by GRACE alone through FAITH alone in CHRIST alone. On that day the prophetic feast of centuries was fulfilled. Many commentators bypass the context of John 3:3-7 in search of an Old Testament or extra-biblical alternative meaning for “water” in 3:5, other than a physical “womb” birth. Many people agree that being, 'born of water', simply refers to the natural process of child-birth in the human realm - born of water, as opposed to the supernatural, spiritual birth into the family of God, when one is, 'born of the Spirit'. 1 John 3:5-10. Some sort of proof must be offered. The believer walks in the light, not in the darkness (1 John 1:6–7). 1 John 3:5, KJV: "And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin." To claim water baptism is required for salvation is a 'works-based gospel', which should be rejected as it adds a human act to Christ's full and finished redemptive work at Calvary. How important in consideration of the glorious hope and eternal benefits that we have received freely.. by grace through faith in Christ, that we live our lives in spirit and in truth.. as unto the Lord, and that we are not enticed by the lawless ways of the world, which is at enmity with our Father - but that we live in humble obedience and reverence of heart before Him.. all the days of our life. John 13:3. Your love is beyond my understanding but I praise and thank You that You sent the sinless Son of God.. to die for me, AMEN. Whatever were the details of the split — … Continue reading "Commentary on 1 John 3:1-3" Certain Christians use Ephesians 5:26 to suggest that being born of water refers to the Word of God, where Paul says that Christ, "sanctifies the Church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word." But there has been much confusion about being born of water. The answer is, Pentecost. 1 John 3:5 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] 1 John 3:5, NIV: "But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.And in him is no sin." The first five verses of John's gospel say quite a lot about Jesus. 1. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. Heavenly Father, thank You for my life and for all that it means to be born into the human race. Water and John 3:5. And so Jesus answered this silent, heart-searching question with the words, "Truly, truly I tell you.. that unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 2. Lk. (1 John 2:15-17) One night, the Lord Jesus was visited by an important teacher of the Jews called Nicodemus. John rightly closes with this warning, after having spent much of the book warning us against the dangers of the false Jesus many were teaching in his day (1 John 3:18-23; 4:1-3; 5:6-9). You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. - Two additional reasons for the absolute separation of the children of God from sin. A representative quote - What, may we ask, has intervened since the life, death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord that imparts to the Apostle's Epistle a viewpoint so definitely in advance over that taken in his Gospel, yet so closely related to it? Faith in Christ is the criteria for becoming a citizen in God's kingdom. By His coming the Body of CHRIST was formed and believe… Being born of the Spirit is understood to be a supernatural happening within the heart of a man or woman who has trusted Christ for salvation. The Incarnation of the Word of Life. born again into the family of God, becomes a new creation in Christ who will enter the kingdom of God. God's love for us is astonishing in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us - and the whole glorious plan of salvation, which was purposed before the foundation of the world is a testimony to the grace of our heavenly Father and His amazing love for each one of us. Thank You for sending Jesus to be the propitiation for my sin. But before all this could transpire God had to prepare a body for His Son so that the eternal Son of God could be born into the human race (at the appointed time) as the perfect Son of Man - in order that He could give His life as a ransom for many - including you and me. We can only have a real relationship with the God who is really there ! The promised gift of the HOLY SPIRIT was given, sent from the presence of the Father by the glorified CHRIST (Acts 2:33+). Ημῶν, though strongly supported, is probably not genuine. With the background of the passages cited here, it is impossible to miss Paul's meaning in this verse. 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