John 3:5

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“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

How is one “born of water and the Spirit”? Some believe this is how God’s kingdom enters men’s hearts. Without examining any other scripture, this thinking can be disproved with two points just from the context: (1) Jn 3:6 is speaking of someone who is Spirit. Notice the phrase, “and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit,” and (2) Jn 3:5 states that Christians enter God’s kingdom. It does not say that the kingdom enters into Christians or their hearts.

Now notice several other verses, which clarify John 3:5:

James 1:18: God begets His children with the word.

I Peter 1:22-23: God’s truth is obeyed through or with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:26: We are all washed by the water of the word.

When taken together, these verses reveal that Christians are washed by water and the word now—in this life. Also, the word translated born can be translated begotten and, in most other contexts, this would be the correct rendering. Initially, either word would seem to be acceptable as a proper translation in Eph 5:5. However, Eph 5:6 demonstrates that the only correct meaning is born. The end result describes one who is composed of spirit—not just one who has it.