On The Seven Sacraments : Baptism (Part One)

  

What does it mean to be born again—the term "born again" is commonly used by a vast majority of Christians to describe being reborn and regenerated— what does it really mean? The born-again experience is an experience common to most Christians and is believed to entail confessing your past sins, accepting Christ, and praying the sinner's prayer. Most of the time, Christians overlook the exchange in John 3 between Nicodemus, a Pharisee, and Christ our Lord. The term "born again "appears in the Bible for the first time in verse 3 of that chapter.

Jesus replied, "I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God." John 3:3 (NLT). 

This verse is used by the vast majority of Christians to support the idea that a second birth is necessary. It is the ideal illustration of the significance of rebirth and how it influences one's quest for everlasting life. In the subsequent verse, Nicodemus, upon hearing the novel term "born again" and being unable to comprehend its meaning, requests that Christ elucidate and clarify the meaning of the term and More specifically, he asks, How does a man achieve this great feat of being reborn ? It says in verse 4, 

"What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" John 3:4 (NLT). 

Jesus then clarifies and explains what the term born again means in verse 5. 

Jesus replied, "The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. John 3:5 (NLT).

Here it can be seen that Jesus makes a parralel between being born again and being born of water. 

The main reason I'm interested in this connection is that most people who reject the significance of baptism appeal to John 3:5. Many more appeal to this verse to reject the notion that Jesus intended water baptism when he spoke in verse 5 of that Bible verse. The truth is that the language of that text does not lend itself to a symbolic or figurative interpretation. I would argue that the earliest Christians never interpreted the passage to be figurative. St. Justin Martyr also makes that parralel in chapter sixty one of his first apology, where he says:

Those who are con-

vinced and believe what we say and teach is the truth, and

pledge themselves to be able to live accordingly, are taught in

prayer and fasting to ask God to forgive their past sins, while

we pray and fast with them. Then we lead them to a place

where there is water, and they are regenerated in the same

manner in which we ourselves were regenerated. In the same manner in which we ourselves were regenerated. In the name of God, the Father and Lord of all, and of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Ghost (this further proves that baptism was done using the Trinitarian formula).

St. Justin the Martyr finally makes the parralel between being born of water and being baptised he further tells us the reason why the converts are led to the water to be regenerated. He says: