Born Again: The Essential Role of Water Baptism

Introduction:

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, before I share a message with you, I want to remind brother Russ of the challenge that he issued me to preach a sermon and that he will be on the schedule soon as song leader. You Brothers and Sisters are very mature in Christ. I want to speak to those who, like me before, are holding to a faith only gospel. Lets look and see what the Scriptures say regarding the necessity of being born again. We will explore the significance of water baptism in the Bible.

I. The Baptism of John and Spiritual Rebirth:

In Acts 1:5, we encounter the baptism performed by John the Baptist, a baptism of water that carries divine authority. This sets the stage for understanding the concept of spiritual rebirth. He preached a baptism of repentance and the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world.

(Acts 1:5) 5 for John baptized [a]with water, but you will be baptized [b]with the Holy Spirit [c]not many days from now.”

II. Jesus' Dialogue with Nicodemus:

In John 1:19-34, Nicodemus, a Pharisee, is aware of John's baptism but lacks a full comprehension of its meaning. Seeking understanding, he approaches Jesus. In this pivotal conversation, Jesus emphasizes the need to be "born again" to enter the Kingdom of God—born of both water and the Spirit. This underscores the essential role of water baptism in spiritual rebirth.

John 1:19-34 This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 And he confessed and did not deny; and this is what he confessed: “I am not the [a]Christ.” 21 And so they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he *said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you? Tell us, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one calling [b]out in the wilderness, ‘Make the way of the Lord straight,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

DOESN’T THAT MEAN THEN THAT ALL OTHERS WAYS ARE CROOKED?

24 And the messengers had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the [c]Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize [d]in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 It is He who comes after me, of whom I am not worthy even to untie the strap of His sandal.” 28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing people.

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He in behalf of whom I said, ‘After me is coming a Man who has proved to be [e]my superior, because He existed before me.’ 31 And I did not recognize [f]Him, but so that He would be revealed to Israel, I came baptizing [g]in water.” 32 And John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 And I did not recognize [h]Him, but He who sent me to baptize [i]in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes [j]in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the [k]Son of God.”

(John 3:1-7) Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to [a]Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these [b]signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born [c]again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a person be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born [d]again.

III. Water Baptism as an Integral Part of Spiritual Rebirth:

Contrary to the belief that spiritual rebirth is solely about believing, the New Testament accounts highlight instances where individuals like Cornelius, Paul, and the Eunuch were baptized. Baptism, then, is an integral part of the process of being born again.

Paul experienced the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord first hand! Why does he then need to hurry and be baptised if water immersion is unnecessary?

Acts 22:16

16 Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on His name.’

( 1 John 5:4-12) 5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not [b]with the water only, but [c]with the water and [d]with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 [e]the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are [f]in agreement. 9 If we receive the testimony of people, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. 10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 The one who has the Son has the life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

John3:9-11 Nicodemus responded and said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you people do not accept our testimony.

IV. Jesus and His Emphasis on Baptism:

Jesus, His disciples, and John the Baptist practiced and emphasized the significance of baptism (John 1 and John 3). The approval of John's baptism by Jesus is pivotal, and it aligns with the divine sanction of this practice. At the final judgment, those misled by false beliefs are disowned. This underscores the necessity of true spiritual rebirth through obedience to His Gospel

(Matthew 7:21-23). Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [a]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

Isn’t the reason that they are unknown by Christ, is that the spiritual man has never born of water and the Spirit believing the death, burial and resurrection?

Doesn’t it sound like Jesus is describing television evangelist and those preaching faith only in stadiums?

Saying Lord, Lord yet refusing to enter His Kingdom and hindering others by lying to them saying baptism is an outer sign of an inner work?

V. Caution Against False Gospels:

God cautions against any false gospel, including a faith-only gospel, deeming them vain, worthless, and dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-2, 12-17, James 2:24). To believe in His name is to acknowledge His authority, exemplified in the disciples' commission to baptize nations in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20).

1 Corinthians 15:1-2. Now I make known to you, brothers and sisters, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, in which you also stand, 2 by which you also are saved, if you hold firmly to [a]the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

How can some one say that they believing in Him and yet won’t believe what He says about being born of water and the Spirit?

1 Corinthians 15:12-17.

Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith also is in vain. 15 Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified [g]against God that He raised [h]Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.

Isn’t the same true if we who are dead in our sins have not been raised alive with Him in baptism?

VI. The Transformative Power of Baptism:

In conclusion, John's baptism, performed with divine authority, holds great significance in understanding spiritual rebirth. Jesus affirms the importance of baptism as a necessary step in the process of being born again. By being baptized, individuals participate in the death, burial, and resurrection, putting on Christ (Colossians 2:9-15, James 2:14-26, John 6:35, Matthew 22:11-14, Galatians 3:27).

VII. The Majority View and Concerns:

Many in the world consider the gospel to be centered around faith only. But, my friends, I urge you to be concerned, for the true path, being born of water and Spirit, is the minority view. In the words of Jesus, are you on the broad way or the narrow way that few find?

(Matthew 7:13-14)

13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Remember that Jesus was baptized by John in order to fulfill all righteousness!

Didn’t he say that a student is never above their teacher?

If you will not do as He has done or do has He has said, how exactly can you enter into His Kingdom?

Luke 6:39-41

39 Now He also spoke a parable to them: “A person who is blind cannot guide another who is blind, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A [a]student is not above the teacher; but everyone, when he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.

How else are we like our teacher?

We preach His Gospel! We share that Jesus is the bread of life, the new covenant that is in His blood, we invite others to church, we share baptism, a message of hope and free people held captive by false ideas of spirituality.

Matthew 25:34-40

34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’

The lost will say but the Thief on the cross, what about him?

The thief was under a system of law and appealed to the only God that could forgive him. Today, we are in the new covenant in His blood and must be born of water and the Spirit to enter into His Kingdom.

Will you enter His Kingdom today?

The lost will say that I am preaching a works based gospel and they aren’t wrong. The saved person takes the action of hearing the Gospel to understand it, they take the action of believing the Gospel to develop faith, and once faith has been established the action of being born of water and the Spirit is taken to enter His Kingdom.

Where the faith only people errored, to their peril, is in where the credit or glory lays. It is not with the one being saved but its with the saviour, the grace of God.

Luke 17:7-10

7 “Now which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him after he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and recline at the table to eat’? 8 On the contrary, will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and properly [h]clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and [i]afterward you [j]may eat and drink’? 9 He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? 10 So you too, when you do all the things which were commanded you, say, ‘We are [k]unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’”

Will you enter his Kingdom today?

If you have heard these words and understand what has been said, why do you delay?

I know that if the seed has landed in your heart, the devil is trying to take it away with excuses. Don’t let him do it. The water is ready! We have a change of clothes and towels available for you. Think of this, if you leave here today without taking action and you die in your sins, who’s fault is that, God’s or yours?

Please, enter His Kingdom today!