*Water baptism is certainly not the only "water" mentioned in scripture.
John 4:10 - Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a
drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you
living water.”
John 4:10 - but whoever
drinks of the
water that I shall give him will
never thirst. But the
water that I shall give him will become in him a
fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
John 7:37 - On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone
thirsts, let him come to Me and
drink. 38 He who
believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of
living water.” 39
But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
*Jesus connects living water with
fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. Living water is not water baptism. In
1 Corinthians 12:13, we also read -
drink into one Spirit.
In the Old Testament, we see that God Himself is called the "fountain of living water." Jeremiah 2:13 - For My people have committed two evils: They have
forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and hewn themselves cisterns--broken cisterns that can hold no water.
Jeremiah 17:3 - O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake You shall be ashamed. "Those who depart from Me Shall be written in the earth, because they have
forsaken the Lord, The
fountain of living waters."
Isaiah 12:2 - Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For the Lord God is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ 3 Therefore with joy you will draw
water from the wells of salvation.
I gotta say, for the modern interpretation of born again, at least that's a much better explanation than the one people usually use which is amniotic fluid.
Still, it's connection to being born of water and spirit is not as strong as the water and spirit of baptism is, its very implicit.
The fact that the rest of John 3 is focused on baptism cannot be dismissed in my opinion. Its a clear indication that it is connected to being born again as it immediately follows the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.
Baptism was already being practised by the Jews which is why Jesus said
"10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?" John 3:10
So the fact that Nicodemus should of already known these things is a sign that Christ wasn't teaching anything new but something old and already being practiced like baptism
Here are some verses that connect being born of water and spirit to baptism
Mark 1:8
I indeed
baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit."
Acts 1:5
5 For John
baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the
Holy Spirit.”
Romans 6:3-4
3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were
baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through
baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Mark 16:16
16 Whoever believes and is
baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 19:5-6
When they heard this, they were
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the
Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one
Spirit we were all
baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one
Spirit.
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit.
Mark 1:10
10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the
water, he saw heaven being torn open and the
Spirit descending on him like a dove
These verses are explicit in the connection of water and spirit with baptism.
I understand there are different interpretations on this matter and I accept that. I certainly don't slander those with differing opinions like many others do.
But in my opinion, it's much more likely that being born again involves baptism, it's arguments are stronger, it's what the early church believed and its what most Christians today believe.
God bless
)
