"born of water and of the Spirit" (John 3:5)
John 3:5 "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."
There was a question which came to me on verse John 3:5, which I paraphrase: "What is water according to this verse?" The context of this verse was when brother Nicodemus came to Jesus by night and sought his wisdom, saying:
John 3:2 "... 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."
Brother Nicodemus was a man of the Pharisees, but he knew Jesus came from God. Jesus then replied him, saying:
John 3:3 "... Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Then brother Nicodemus went on to clarify with Jesus, from a physical perspective:
John 3:4 "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?"
He was exactly right. To be born again is like entering the second time into the mother's womb and be born. The key phrase here is "mother's womb". What is in the mother's womb when a child was conceived?
"The amniotic fluid is the protective liquid contained by the amniotic sac of a gravid amniote. This fluid serves as a cushion for the growing fetus, but also serves to facilitate the exchange of nutrients, water, and biochemical products between mother and fetus." ~ wikipedia
That's right. It's a protective fluid that serves to cushion the growing fetus as well as providing a medium of exchange for the necessary nutrients, water and other things between the mother and the child. Jesus then answered Nicodemus:
John 3:5 "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."
Being the divine Creator (Colossians 1:16) that he is, Jesus knew exactly what he was saying i.e. a man is literally "born of water". That was his first birth. And then, when he is born of the Spirit, that will be his second birth. Then Jesus went on to say:
John 3:6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
Notice he mentioned two births here:
born of the flesh is flesh;
born of the Spirit is spirit.
A man was first born into this world in the flesh, that is, he was first "born of water" (John 3:5). The first birth was his natural birth. Jesus went on to explain:
John 3:7 "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."
To be born again is to be born the second time, that is, to be "born of the Spirit" (John 3:6). The second birth will be his spiritual birth, hence the term "born again".
1 Corinthians 15:45 "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit."
In like manner, Jesus came in the "likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:13). Then three days after, when he rose from the dead, he was no longer in his natural body, but he was raised a spiritual body.
Romans 6:5 "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:"
Likewise, born again believers who were planted together in the likeness of his death, will also be raised in the likeness of his resurrection i.e. we will be given a spiritual body.
Is water baptism nesessary ?