New Birth - Jhn 3:4-7

Jhn 3:4-7 (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? (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. (7) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

What does Nicodemus ignorance demonstrate?

When we read John 2:7 I refereed to water as an emblem of the Word.  Here I feel is no difference.  Verse 5 has been seized by theologians and religious sects to prove the doctrine of baptismal regeneration.  Though I believe very strongly after Christ’s effectual calling I had a responsibility, as a public profession of my faith, to be baptized, it in no means a condition of my salvation.  If it was then I would be forced to ignore every passage in God’s word which teaches salvation is by grace and not of works (Eph 2:8-9).  What exactly is the new birth then?  By Adam and through our parents we were born into flesh and were baptized in their sinful nature.  Of God, through His Son, and by His Spirit we are born again and become His nature (2 Pet 1:4).  This is not an arbitrary decree but a stated fact from God, an abiding principle.  Heaven is an already prepared place for His already prepared people.  This is the principle of the new birth.  That which is born of a woman is human and himself unchanging; that which is born of God is divine and in Him unchanging.