John is showing the difference between the spiritual birth (born again) and the physical birth. Of curse the new birth has nothing to do with the physical birth but one is born again when one is water baptized, John 3:5. Later in the context we see what Jesus meant by being born of water when He attends John baptizing men with water, John 3:22-23
From John 3:5 we see there is one birth that consists of of elements: 1) spirit and 2) water.
The role of water in the new birth is water baptism.
The role of the Spirit in the new birth is His written word. The Spirit is the author of the word and that word instructs men on how to be saved by being water baptism therefore the Spirit
thru His word begets men who obey the word:
You quote 1 Peter 1:23 that says men have been born again
through the word of God.
James says "
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth,.." James 1:18
Paul said to the Corinthians "
I have begotten you through the gospel" (1 Cor 4:15) and it is the written gospel of the HS that commands men to be water baptized and those who are baptized have been 'begotten thru the gospel'. It is the word of the HS that operates on the human heart (the word pricked the hearts of those in Acts 2). So the role of the Spirit in the new birth is planting the seed (the word of God) in the heart beginning the process of conversion.
Faith justifies NOT faith only James 2:24
Romans 5:1------------faith >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> justifies
Romans 6:17-18-----obey from the heart>>>>>>> justified (freed from sin)
James 2:24-----------works>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> justify
Since there is just one way to be saved (justified) no alternatives and the Bible does not contradict itself then the implication is that the faith of Rom 5: that justifies is obedience from the heart to that form of doctrine and obedient work in doing the will of God according to James.
From a earlier post of mine in this thread showing how the NIV perverts Romans 10:10:
Ever notices how the NIV perverts
Romans 10:10?
Romans 10:10 KJV "For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation."
Romans 10:10 NIV "For it is with your heart that you believe and
are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and
are saved."
Notice how the KJV correctly shows that one believeth
UNTO righteousness and confession is
UNTO salvation. Belief and confession are
UNTOsalvation in that they
lead one towards salvation but they do not save by themselves. The NIV, in trying to push Luther's faith only-ism, tries to get Rom 10:10 to say one is saved at the moment of believing and saved again at the moment of confession. It errs in having one being saved twice instead of correctly showing both belief and confession LEADS one TOWARDS salvation. It is water baptism being the point God has chosen to save men and not a belief or at confession for again these two things leads one toward salvation.
Eph 2:8------------------faith>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>saves
1 Pet 3:21--------------baptism>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>saves
Since there is just one way to be saved, no alternatives, then a NT faith must include baptism.
Since NT faith includes being water baptized and water baptism is how one contacts the blood of Christ:
--Revelation 1:5 John says Christ "
washed us from our sins in his own blood,"
--That blood that washes away sins was shed in Christ's death, John 19:34
So we must have access into Christ's death where He shed his blood in order to contact that blood so it can wash away sins.
By no coincidence, Paul says in Romans 6 that it is water baptism where one is baptized into the death of Christ. And being baptized into His death one contacts His blood in water baptism where sins are remitted, washed away by the blood of Christ.