Except A Man Be Born Again . . .

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, 

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:3

Baptism is not just a religious ritualistic practice to be performed as part of church membership.  It is a heartfelt experience and part of the adoption process into the body of Christ whereby we become joint heirs with Jesus Christ.  It is also an outward expression of the receiving of Jesus in our heart.  Baptism is truly necessary as Jesus told Nicodemus:

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus 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?  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.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.   John 3:1-7

The practice of the early church in relation to baptism was as follows:

ü  Before baptism they taught the basic facts of the Gospel centering on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  
ü They related these facts to the act of baptism.  
ü They verified understanding, repentance, and confession of faith in the new believer, then baptism in water followed.
ü After baptism the new believers received further instruction for spiritual development.

Spiritual significance of water baptism:

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?  Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death; That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  Romans 6:1-4

When you repent and accept Jesus Christ as Savior, death to sin and the old life occurs.  There is creation of a new life of righteousness lived for God:

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof. . . 

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.  Romans 6:11-12, 14

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  2 Corinthians 5:17

Baptism in water is a symbol of the death and resurrection of Jesus. It symbolizes death to sin as you are immersed in that "grave" of water and resurrection into a new life lived for God in righteousness as you emerge from up out of the water.  It is an outward act to an inward change of heart.  The believer who is raised up out of the water to live this new life does not do this in his own power. The new life is lived by the power of God, the same power that raised Jesus from the grave. 

The effect of water baptism depends on the repentance and faith of the one being baptized. Without this, baptism is of no value.  True baptism means we are baptized into Jesus Himself, not into a particular church or denomination:

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.   Galatians 3:27

Both John's baptism before and baptism after the resurrection occurs by immersion in water, but there is a significant difference between the two. When Apostle Paul visited the city of Ephesus he found a group of people who were disciples of John the Baptist. They had heard John's message of repentance and been baptized, but had heard nothing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Acts 19:1-5

After Apostle Paul explained the Gospel, these people accepted it and were baptized again. This time they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. This example shows that the baptism of John and baptism after the resurrection is different. John's baptism was no longer accepted after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Those who had received John's baptism were baptized again.  John's message prepared the hearts of the people of Israel for the revelation of their Messiah, Jesus Christ. By baptism they outwardly confessed repentance of their sins and their belief in the coming Messiah.  After the death and resurrection of Jesus, people were then baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit which is Jesus Christ. By doing so they outwardly demonstrated their acceptance of the Gospel message and the fact that it had changed their lives. Jesus commanded this baptism:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.   Matthew 28:19

The difference between Christ’s baptism and the baptism of John is that Christ’s baptism is to be done in the full authority of Jesus being the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  John's baptism could not be done with this same authority. It was only a baptism of repentance and confession of belief in the coming Messiah. Christ’s baptism is a baptism confessing acceptance of the redemptive plan of God through the completed work of Jesus.

Faith, confession and repentance have been noted as requirements to be met before baptism and confirmed that it is to be total immersion in water. One question remains: What are the words that should be spoken at the time of baptism?  Jesus said to baptize in the name of "the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

The Bible records that the disciples did this:

. . .They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.   Acts 8:16

And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.  Acts 10:16

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Acts 19:5

Jesus did not command His disciples to baptize in the names [plural] of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit, but in the "name" [singular] of the persons of the triune nature of God.  The name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is the name for "Lord Jesus Christ" because...

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  Colossians 2:8-9

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.  Acts 4:10-12

The Bible teaches we are baptized into Christ:

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death.  Romans 6:3

(Biblical Studies)


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