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Baptismal Regeneration
Is Baptism Necessary?
Yes. Jesus Christ was not in the habit of making idle comments or gestures. To demonstrate the importance of baptism, our Lord underwent baptism by John (Jn 1:29-34), and then He outlined the requirement quite succinctly for Nicodemus: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above” (Jn 3:3). When Nicodemus expressed confusion, Jesus merely repeated Himself, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit” (Jn 3:5). To suggest that Jesus, the Word made Flesh who walked on water, fed thousands, healed the sick and raised the dead, suddenly broke character and performed a meaningless gesture - a gesture which "doesn't really matter" because it is only symbolic – does not make sense. Instead, “Why delay? Get up and be baptized and your sins washed away, calling on His name” (Acts 22:16), because as in Jesus’ own words, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mk 16:16).
What About the Water?
Water, by its own nature, has no regenerative powers; the Holy Spirit is who regenerates us through the vehicle of water. However, the power and imagery of water is seen in Scripture; for examples, Moses delivered Israel from the Egypt through parting the waters of the Red Sea (Ex 14:1), the Levitical priests were cleansed by washing in baptismal waters before entering the sacred Tabernacle (Ex 30:17-21), the Syrian general Naaman was healed through dipping seven times in the Jordan River (2 Kgs 5), and as seen in when the Spirit brought life and order out of the waters that covered the earth (Gen 1:1-20). Noah was “saved through water”, a fact of which Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 3:20-21: “…God waited patiently in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water. This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
Water does not simply “symbolize” on the outside what happened internally. Rather, it is a sacrament, which is an instrument that effects His works of grace. Just as Jesus used His humanity on earth as a medium of His power - for example, the woman who touched the hem of His garments was healed (as He felt the power leave Himself to her) baptism is a medium for conferring grace by visible and concrete means, through water. Similarly, the Holy Spirit uses [human] instruments to convey the message, as Paul asked, “How shall they hear without a preacher?” (Rom 10:14). .
Some have said that the “water” in John 3:5 means the water of birth, i.e., the amniotic fluid associated with childbirth (a common phrase is when a woman’s “water breaks” just before going into labor). Nicodemus made this mistake, asking, “How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?” (Jn 3:4) Jesus quickly told Nicodemus that he was not referring to another natural birth. For one thing, absolutely nowhere does the New Testament use “water” to refer to amniotic fluid. More importantly, every life supposes a birth, but no human being receives a life of grace simply by being born to earthly parents – a new birth is required.
In John Chapter 1 Jesus is baptized in water. In John Chapter 2 Jesus elevates and transforms water into the New Covenant symbol of perfection at the wedding in Cana, In John Chapter 3 Jesus tells Nicodemus that no one can enter the kingdom of heaven "without being born of water and Spirit".
Immediately after telling Nicodemus to be born of water and Spirit, Jesus and his disciples spent some time baptizing in water, as did John baptize with water, because "there was an abundance of water there." (3:22-23). This is why baptism involves having one’s sins “washed away” (Acts 22:16).
What Does Baptism “Do”?
Jesus said that He is the vine, and we are the branches. Just as branches derive their life from the vine, we must derive our life from Christ. Baptism removes the stain of Original Sin and makes us a new creation - baptized into death to live in the newness of life: “Or are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were indeed buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life” (Rom 6:3-4)
Paul says it again in his letter to the Galatians: "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Gal 3:27)
Baptism is the introduction into the divine life without which Jesus said quite clearly and plainly we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven (Jn 3:5). Put another way, baptism is to the Christian life as the wedding is to a marriage.
Being baptized into the newness of life makes one "washed, sanctified, and justified" (1 Cor 6:11) - this process of justification is ongoing throughout the course of a person's life so that through God's grace a person is made holy and presentable before God.
Original Sin
Immediately before telling the Romans that they became new creations in Christ through baptism (Romans 6), Paul explains to them why it is necessary in the first place (Romans 5). "Therefore, just as through one person sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all, inasmuch as all sinned - for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law. But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come. ....just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all. For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous." (Rom 5:12-14, 18-19)
So because of Adam, sin entered the world - "by one man's disobedience all were made sinners" (Rom 5). As a result, we are born with a human nature in a fallen state, deprived of original holiness and justice, which is transmitted to us. In other words, Adam's disobedience transmitted to us a human nature with the propensity to sin - "through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners". For just as in Adam all die, in Christ through baptism we are brought to life (1 Cor 15:22), even when we were dead in our transgressions (Eph 2:5). Baptism, by making use of Christ's grace, erases original sin and marks the beginning of our new life in Christ.
How Does Baptism Work?
Baptism removes sin and initiates us into a life in Christ. It was prefigured in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament. Hebrews 10 speaks about our hearts being “sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in a pure water” (Heb 10:22). This is the fulfillment of God’s promise of regeneration for His people, through the prophet Ezekiel:
“I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you…I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees” (Ez 36:25-27)
The forgiveness of sins entails a true removal of them – they are “blotted out” (Ps 50:3, Is 43:25), “cleared away” (Ps 102:12), and “taken away” (Jn 1:29).
Let's review the surrounding context of John 3:5 where, once again, the message is clear - "no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit":
1) In John chapter 1, Jesus himself is baptized, the heavens opened up and the Holy Spirit descends upon him immediately, which is how we are regenerated through baptism (water itself has no magical regenerative powers). His was indeed an example to us - an example of what we must do to be born again!. Christ was baptized not just because it is "very important", but to show us the way to salvation, the way the heavens are opened up to us and the Holy Spirit descends on us.
2) Jesus' very first miracle was to turn the water into wine at the Cana wedding (Jn 2). He used the 6 stone jars for the Jewish rites of purification, which incidently are called baptismoi. As with most things in the Old Testament, these ritual purification waters were sign of things to come (Heb 10:1). The number six denotes imperfection, the water is changed into wine, the symbol of New Covenant perfection.
3) Right after Christ's baptism, his disciples go out and start baptizing people (Jn 3:22, Jn 4:1-2).
So, Christ is baptized. He elevates and sanctifies the waters of baptism. He shows us exactly how to be "born again". This is why Peter tells us that baptism saves us (1 Peter 3:20-21).
Water and Spirit
Nowhere in Scripture is someone “born again” by reciting a Sinner’s Prayer, or answering an “altar call”, or “accepting Jesus as my personal Saviour”. In every instance of the Holy Spirit being given, water baptism is associated with it. The Ethiopian eunuch had to undergo baptism after he believed (Acts 8:31). Paul, who had possibly the most intense conversion experience of all time on the road to Damascus still had to undergo baptism by Ananias (Acts 9:18).
The cleansing of baptism is always in tandem with God’s Spirit being poured out. When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him immediately in the form of a dove, because God’s Spirit is poured out on us (Ez 36:29, Ez 39:29). “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and petition” (Zech 10:1), “I will pour out my spirit upon your offspring and my blessing upon your descendants” (Isaiah 44:3), “I will pour out a portion of my spirit in those days” (Acts 2:18).
Some who object to baptismal regeneration point out that John 3:5 can be translated as 'born of water, even the Spirit'. This objection is meaningless for two reasons. First, major Protestant texts translate it as “water and Spirit” (in the KJV, the NASB, the NIV, the NSRV). Second, using “even” doesn’t change the overall meaning anyway. The text simply does not say “born of water and then later of the Spirit”, or “born of amniotic fluid, then of Spirit”, etc.
Early Christian Beliefs
The early Christians who received the gospel, not by picking up a KJV Bible at the nearest book store, but from the dual source of Scripture and Tradition from the Apostles and their successors, can provide useful insights into what the early Christian church believed: "For Christ also said, 'Except ye be born again, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.' Now, that it is impossible for those who have once been born to enter into their mothers' wombs, is manifest to all. And how those who have sinned and repent shall escape their sins, is declared by Esaias the prophet, as I wrote above; he thus speaks: 'Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from your souls; learn to do well; judge the fatherless, and plead for the widow: and come and let us reason together, saith the Lord. And though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white like wool; and though they be as crimson, I will make them white as snow. But if ye refuse and rebel, the sword shall devour you: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.' And for this [rite] we have learned from the apostles this reason. Since at our birth we were born without our own knowledge or choice, by our parents coming together, and were brought up in bad habits and wicked training; in order that we may not remain the children of necessity and of ignorance, but may become the children of choice and knowledge, and may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly committed, there is pronounced over him who chooses to be born again, and has repented of his sins, the name of God the Father and Lord of the universe; he who leads to the layer the person that is to be washed calling him by this name alone. For no one can utter the name of the ineffable God; and if any one dare to say that there is a name, he raves with a hopeless madness. And this washing is called illumination, because they who learn these things are illuminated in their understandings. And in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and in the name of the Holy Ghost, who through the prophets foretold all things about Jesus, he who is illuminated is washed."
Justin Martyr - First Apology,61
" 'And dipped himself,' says [the Scripture], 'seven times in Jordan.' It was not for nothing that Naaman of old, when suffering from leprosy, was purified upon his being baptized, but [it served] as an indication to us. For as we are lepers in sin, we are made clean, by means of the sacred water and the invocation of the Lord, from our old transgressions; being spiritually regenerated as new-born babes, even as the Lord has declared: 'Except a man be born again through water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.' "
Irenaeus - Fragment, 34
"Moreover, the things proceeding from the waters were blessed by God, that this also might be a sign of men's being destined to receive repentance and remission of sins, through the water and laver of regeneration,--as many as come to the truth, and are born again, and receive blessing from God."
Theopilus of Antioch - To Autolycus, 2:16
Conclusion
Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes the person “a new creature”, and adopted son of God who has become a “partaker of the divine nature” member of Christ and co-heir with him and a temple of the Holy Spirit. As Paul wrote, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry ‘Abba! Father!’ it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom 8:15-16). “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying ‘Abba! Father!’ “ (Gal 4:6). Baptism makes us members of the Body of Christ (Eph 4:25)
As new creations, we are made clean: "That is what some of you used to be; but now you have been washed, you were sanctified, you were justified.....". (1 Cor 6:11) "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Gal 3:27)
"So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Cor 5:17). This is what baptism achieves for us. Being born again does indeed mean becoming a child of God, initiated through baptism. The Holy Spirit can work wonders, but it just so happens that in the case of baptism, water and Spirit are connected:
Titus 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"
Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Acts 22:16 "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
1 Cor. 12:12-13 "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."
Col 2:11-13 "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;"
Paul tells us that baptism is the new circumcision. Recall that in the Old Covenant, circumcision was just "really important", those uncircumcised people were cut off from the people. This is not the language of a mere "symbol". Baptism marks the beginning of our new life in Christ, by washing us of our sins and giving us the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Greek for “born again” (anothen) can be translated “from above”, which is probably a better description, because baptism truly is, as Rumble & Carty describe, a “new birth to a spiritual life of grace far beyond and above the merely natural life secured by natural birth.” (Radio Replies, vol. 2, 717).
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