Water and Spirit - The New Birth
After watching a recent video by "Signs of the Last Days" on YouTube by William Thompson who touched on this subject, I felt inspired to write this article on the various rebirths of God's people throughout time.
Apostle Peter likens the submersion of the world under water as similar to the water baptism of repentance found in the New Testament:
1 Peter 3:20-21 KJV — Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
In the days of Noah, the earth was filled with corruption and the abundance of sin. In Genesis 6, scripture shows us God was sad that He ever created man and thus He cleansed the world with water, killing all things but the animals in the Ark and Noah and his family.
Likewise, our old life of sin is filthy and needs to be cleansed before God can create a new work in us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the transformation of our minds with studying the Holy scriptures (Ephesians 5:26). The Baptism of water is symbolic of washing away our old sinful life, and being born again by the Holy Spirit:
Romans 6:3-8 KJV - Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? [4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. [5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: [6] Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him , that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. [7] For he that is dead is freed from sin. [8] Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Our old sinful life was paid for by the blood of Jesus, which was spilled as an atonement for us. Therefore, Christ died to put away our sins, therefore, we live and walk in newness of life according to His commandments.
Colossians 2:14 KJV - Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.
John the Baptist, the one who came before Christ to prepare the way in Israel, was ordered by God to institue the baptism of repentance by water:
Mark 1:5-8 KJV - And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. [6] And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; [7] And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. [8] I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Luke 3:21-22 KJV — Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
* Jesus was without sin and did not need to be baptized yet He did it to show us the way. That we can wash away our past and be a new creature in Christ to do the will of God.
The new birth was even mentioned explicitly by Jesus Himself, and shows us that we must be born of water and of the Holy Spirit:
John 3:3-6 KJV — Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 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? 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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
A born again Christ follower receives the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 1:13), and now has a desire to keep the commandments of God:
1 John 5:2-4 KJV - By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. [3] For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. [4] For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Likewise, similar to the submersion of water in Noah's day (the great flood), and the baptism of repentance in the New Testament, the Children of Israel were cleansed from their ties with Egypt:
Exodus 14:21-27 KJV - And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land , and the waters were divided. [22] And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground : and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. [23] And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. [24] And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, [25] And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians. [26] And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. [27] And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
Just as God washed away the Egyptians who oppressed Israel by the waters of the Red Sea, Jesus (God embodied) has freed us from the bondage of sin through the blood of His cross.
Colossians 1:20-22 KJV - And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say , whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. [21] And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled [22] In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
The Egyptians enslaved the Children of Israel for 400 years to serve the Kingdom of Satan until Moses delivered them from their chains. Likewise, we were slaves to sin and serving Kingdom of Satan until we were redeemed and enlightened by Jesus Christ and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit:
Romans 6:16-18 KJV - Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? [17] But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. [18] Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Just as Moses, whom I believe spoke with Jesus on mount Sinai, received the commandments of the Lord for the Old Covenant, so did Jesus give us the new commandments for the New Covenant. The Israelites were baptized through the Red Sea and given the statutes for entering the promised land, just as Christian's are baptized in water and given the statutes necessary for entering the new promised land, that is the eternal Kingdom of God in New Jerusalem:
Acts 7:36-38 KJV - He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. [37] This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. [38] This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us.
Please see some of these other disciple resources:
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