Faith & Reason Nexus

• John 3:5 – “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

Key Points:

• WATER and SPIRIT are equally essential:
• Jesus links both elements with “AND,” showing their equal importance in the New Birth.
• Not by water alone, nor by Spirit alone:
• Both elements are necessary for the New Birth, as Jesus stated.
• The Holy Spirit is crucial:
• We cannot reject the Spirit’s role, as Jesus emphasized its necessity.
• Water is essential:
• We cannot dismiss water as part of the New Birth process.

Elements of the New Birth:

• SPIRIT:
• Spirit moves through the Word:
  • John 6:63 – The Spirit gives life through His words.
  • Acts 2:4 – The Spirit fills believers, enabling them to speak in tongues.
• Born into:
• The Family of God:
  • Ephesians 3:15 – Believers are part of God’s family.
  • Galatians 3:26-27 – Faith in Christ makes believers sons of God.
  • 2 Corinthians 5:17 – In Christ, believers are made new creations.
• The Household of Faith:
  • Romans 8:16-17 – Believers are children of God and co-heirs with Christ.
  • Galatians 4:4-6 – God sent His Son to redeem believers as sons.
  • Ephesians 2:19 – Believers are citizens of God’s household.
• WATER:
• Joined with the Word:
  • Ephesians 5:25-27 – Christ sanctifies the church by the washing of water with the Word.