Is Water Baptism Required to be Born Again? No!

To be born again is to be born into God's Kingdom, into Jesus Christ, into Christ the Body.  When you are born, you are born a baby in Christ.  Your father was Satan.  Now, your Father is God.  You are in a new family.

Mark 16:16 says, "Whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved but whoever doesn't believe shall be damned." This is one of the Bible verses used to support a doctrine that baptism is necessary for being born again. This verse doesn't say that baptism is necessary for being born again, though, and it does not say that whoever is not baptized will be damned. It says that whoever doesn't believe will be damned. Another Scripture is used, and it only works because of a poor translation:  "John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say to you, Except a man be born of water/Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."  Another Scripture that is sometimes used is 1 Peter 3:21, "... baptism does now save us." That's taken out of context, but it does indicate that baptism has something to do with salvation.

It probably would be wise to define some terms such is baptism and salvation before we go much further.

Salvation is often thought of as being born again. If that is all that salvation is, then we need to get rid of an awful lot of Scripture. The fact is that being born again is the beginning of our salvation and growing in Christ is part of our salvation that culminates in the manifestation of the sons of God, which is the completion of our salvation. "The path of the just is as a shining light the shines more and more until the perfect day."

To be born again requires only belief.  Belief is faith.  Faith is a free gift from God that comes when He speaks and we don't harden our hearts/minds against Him.

Salvation, in the full sense, is coming into completeness in Christ.  This requires a total transfiguration of the human spirit, soul, and body.  It requires having Christ fully formed in you--total holiness with no fleshly nature at all.  The promise is that we will be redeemed, that is, set free from our own sinful nature, Satan's ability to tempt, and all influence of the culture.  All our theologies will be replaced by eyes that can see into the spiritual realm and see reality as it really is with no need for theory.  Not only that, but it requires that the Body of Christ, as a whole, be in perfect submission to Christ and in complete order according to the pattern laid out in Scripture.  It will require submission to those apostles who are set over the Church and discernment of the false apostles who have called themselves.  It will require full power of every gift of the Spirit and every ministry in the Church.  It must be a bride for Christ without spot or wrinkle.  It must have unity as of one totally complete man, the body in total submission the the Head in Heaven until we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect (totally complete) man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.  The fullness of Christ is the Head and the body in this unity and order and holiness. 

Such fullness is not possible without water baptism, communion, the complete infilling of the Holy Spirit, the total restoration of the Church according to the pattern of Scripture, the gifts of the Spirit fully operational and functioning in order, the the love of God flowing fully between the members and out toward the unsaved, and every other blessing that God has provided for our fulness.

There is baptism in water. The word, baptism, means literally to whelm or bury. It means to go completely under. The Bible speaks of baptism in water, in the Holy Spirit, and in fire. Some people say that baptism in the Holy Spirit is baptism in fire. Some people say that baptism in fire refers to the testing of our faith. It really doesn't matter. Water baptism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the testing of our faith are all part of what saves us.

When we are saved, what are we saved from? We are born into the family of God and the Christ Who now lives in our hearts in the real us; He is our ministry. He is born again into our minds/hearts/souls. As part of His family, our sins are forgiven on an ongoing basis. There is something else that happens. We begin to grow in Christ.

Read 1 Peter 3:21 in context below. Notice that it speaks of suffering, of water, and of the righteousness that is a key element of growing to fullness in Christ--and the baptism of the Holy Spirit is being filled with power for righteousness.

1 Peter 3: 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch to prayer.
8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as to a faithful Creator.
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves to the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born of water and the Spirit. That is the King James version, and virtually every other translation says the same thing. Some have interpreted this to mean that you must be baptized to be born again, but that is not the mind of God in this matter. God is not driven by popular opinion. He doesn't conform to the results of the latest survery. We have received revelation on this issue through the apostolic office that was restored to the church in 1948. It has been revealed that the water is the Spirit.

The word translated as "and" has kind of a squishy meaning, though. It could be translated as: "water, and of Spirit," "water, also of Spirit," "water, even of Spirit," "water, indeed of Spirit" "water, but of Spirit,"

The word, "but," makes no sense. The words, "and," and "also" would seem to confirm the majority opinion. The words, "even," and "indeed" confirm the revelation received by the brethren. If the Scripture were subject to private interpretation, we could argue about this, but to what avail?

2532 και kai kahee
apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force;; conj
1) and, also, even, indeed, but

In the following verse, John 3:6, Jesus says: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Also, in the same Gospel of the Bible in John 7:38-39, Jesus says, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." The verse goes on to say: "(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" And other Scriptures make it plain that you are born by believing, never mentioning baptism. Baptism is another vital step in our walk, but it is not the method God uses for us to be born again. Baptism plays a role in our salvation and is an example of fulfilling the free gift of righteousness. Looking at the diagram on this page, being born again is how you get started. Baptism is one of God's ordinances (orders) for taking ground.

There are other Scriptures, though, that tell us that we are born again by believing. Some Christian brothers and sisters are taught the idea of infant baptism. While there is no Scripture to defend the idea of infant baptism, the rationalization for it is that God would put that baby into hell forever and ever if it dies without being baptized. Some may have a different reason, but this is the reason usually given. The back up Scriptures are "baptism doth also now save us" and "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned."

Baptism is part of our salvation, but it isn't part of being born again. It is he that believes not who shall be damned, not he who is not baptized.

Is Baptism in the Holy Spirit Required to be Born Again? No!

When you are born again, the Holy Spirit leads you. The Holy Spirit is acting on you. Christ [the word, Christ, means Anointed One, and the Anointing is the Holy Spirit] is the Light Who lights every person according to the first chapter of John. The Holy Spirit is constantly giving His Light to every person. Some people acknowledge Him. Others do not. Once you are born again, then the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a further work that is well documented in Scripture. Some miss that and settle for a sprinkling that they had when they were saved. The word, baptism, means to whelm, to bury, to immerse. You need to be immersed in the Holy Spirit to help you walk in the Spirit.