PerryDox – BeJustAChristian

Let’s look at John 3. What does it mean to be born of water? In trying to convince people of truth, the approach we take must, to be successful, be directed by the people to whom we are talking. Paul approaches the Gentiles (Acts 17) differently than the Jews (Acts 13), but all along preaching and teaching the same truths. Different people need different approaches.

The Front Door Approach is what I use when studying with those unfamiliar with the Bible in general, or the specific topic. This is the most simple and direct access to truth. It is called “front door” because it is direct and straightforward.

The Back Door Approach (and sometimes a Side Window) takes more imagination and familiarity with the Bible as a whole. This approach looks at the Bible not as 66 separate books, but one inspired book. I have been “accused” of taking the back door approach on many topics. Sometimes surprising people with truth is the best way to get around their biases from false teaching. Sometimes this approach can be good for those who have already been taught the truth because it shows different and hopefully interesting ways to teach the same topics.

I think the second approach is more interesting simply because most people I preach to on a regular basis have already come through the Front Door. When people are already familiar with the Bible, and the specific topic under discussion, and the two of you disagree, it is better to surprise them by entering through another way other than the Front Door. They are expecting you to come that way and are prepared to rebut your arguments because they have heard them before. Only use the Back Door approach when you have already used the Front Door, and know your way around.

Another use of the Back Door Approach is to teach old lessons new ways to those who are already believers. It can increase their marveling at God’s inspiration.

The fun (at least to me) part of this lesson is seeing all the different ways to approach a topic and/or verse. That is why, at least in my opinion, the Bible never ceases to be interesting. Some people, in their studies are very one dimensional. To me that is boring.  Approaching the Bible from different angles keeps God’s word interesting and alive. To me it’s the difference between eating chicken one way for the rest of your life, and eating chicken cooked and spiced a multitude of different ways.

We are endeavoring to explain what Jesus meant when He said we must be “born again” and “born of water and the Spirit.” Here are some major interpretations:

Interpretations:

• Christian Baptism and the Spirit
• John’s Baptism and the Spirit
• The Word of God and the Spirit
• The Word of God as the Spirit
• Natural Birth and New Birth
• Purification and Spirit

There are three interpretations given for “born of water.”

• Born of Water means Baptism in Water where the water is literal.
• Born of Water means Baptism of Spirit where the water is metaphoric.
• Born of Water means Physical Birth where the water is the amniotic fluid.

Instead of examining each of these, our focus will be on examining the text which hopefully will lead to understanding which of the above are true or false.

Before we begin, it might be helpful in asking some preparatory questions. Nicodemus approaches Jesus saying, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for one could perform these sings You do unless God were him” (Jn.3:1). According to what is recorded in the gospel, John only lists one sign so far, turning water into wine. But since Nicodemus refers to signs as evidence, we know that Jesus had already “performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book” (Jn.20:30).

I am wondering if the signs within John can help us in our understanding being born of water and the Spirit.

• 1st Sign: Water to Wine (2:1-11)
• 2^nd Sign: Healing the Official’s Son (4:43-54)
• 3^rd Sign: Healing at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath (5:2-15)
• 4^th Sign: The Feeding of the Five Thousand (6:1-15)
• 5^th Sign: Walking on the Water (6:16-24)
• 6^th Sign: Healing a Man Blind from Birth (9:1-41)
• 7^th Sign: The Raising of Lazarus (11:38-44)

That Nicodemus recognizes that Jesus does signs and therefore is from God leads Jesus to saying, “I assure you (lit., amen, amen): Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The signs of Jesus point to the kingdom of God. But recognizing that was not enough. Nicodemus saw the signs, but had not yet seen the kingdom. The repetition of the “unless” seems to encourage this connection. The signs point not only to Jesus, but to God’s kingdom.

There is no concept within the Old Testament about being “born again.” There is, and this is just thinking out loud, a connection between signs, a birth, and a birth from God – Isaiah 7:14.

Isaiah 7:14 (HCSB) 14) Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.

Being born of God is nothing new for a teacher of Israel.

Tags: Baptism, Denominationalism

This entry was posted by PHall on Saturday, October 29th, 2011 at 9:47 pm and is filed under John. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.