If we are saved by grace, then why does Jesus say we must be baptized in both spirit and water?

Question

Ephesians 2:4-9 says:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (NASB)

This passage along with various others in the Bible lead us to believe that only by grace we are saved. Therefore, we are saved when we put our faith in Christ alone, realizing that it was by His blood alone that we have forgiveness of all our past, present, and future sins. This is known as being "baptized in the Holy Spirit."

However, in John 3:1-5, we see this:

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (NASB)

So in this passage, Jesus is saying that we must be "born of the spirit" (putting our faith in Jesus alone, as mentioned above) and "born of water" (physically immersed in water as a public profession of your faith)?

I believe--and have seen plenty of strong evidence that supports--that it is by your faith in Jesus alone that saves you, and therefore allows you to live eternally in Heaven when you die or the Lord comes back. However, this verse has always given me trouble with my previously stated belief, and I can't seem to mesh the two together.

So ultimately I am asking this: How do the above two verses correlate with one another in teaching, and why did Jesus say what He did in the Gospel of John if it is only by our faith in Him that allows us to enter into Heaven?

Answer 1

This is a difficult question - not the question are we saved by grace, because we are - but the question of why does Jesus say "water and spirit". I am not sure an answer can have any finality to it, because of the nature of deep study that is required, and many top theologians disagree on the meaning of it.

So, what does Jesus mean when he says "born of water". Does he mean necessarily mean baptism? Its important to have the right interpretation so we can know if Jesus is saying we nee to be baptized to be saved.

I get three different interpretations from this scripture (I know there are more).

1. Jesus is referring to a believers baptism. I am not sure if he would make baptism a requirement, because then it would be a direct contradiction to the thief on the cross going to heaven (there was no time for baptism there)

2. Jesus is referring to the baptism of John. I think this is plausible because Nicodemus would have known about John's baptism as all teachers of the law. And some thought that baptism of the water is what redeemed them. But of course John just came to prepare the way for Christ, so therefore the statement paraphrased this way, you see John baptizing with water you can't just be baptized with water, but also by the Spirit.

3. Jesus is referring to natural birth. I think this is also possible, considering we are all in a water sack (placenta) in our mother's womb. This can make sense because Nicodemus says, how can I be born again, can I go back into my mother's womb?, and then Jesus answers (in this interpretations perspective) you must be born naturally (of course you have to be alive first) and born spiritually in order to enter the kingdom of God.

In the verses 7 - 8 Jesus says - 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Jesus drops the born of the water here and just says "So is everyone who is born of the Spirit". So that could provide context to what He said earlier. Meaning that ultimately it is those who are born of the Spirit, and the water is referring to maybe one of the interpretations above, meaning the water is only a start, but the Spirit is what does it.

Last quick note: Mark 16:16 Jesus says - He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Jesus says here that you should believe and be baptized, but only those who don't believe will be condemned. I personally believe you should be baptized if you're a believer, because Jesus commands it and he says those who obey Him are those that love Him. And I also believe the thief on the cross disproves the belief that you have to be baptized in order to be saved. But again... if you are able to be baptized I believe you should be.

Luke 23:42-43 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Of course that is all just studying this from my perspective, there are probably holes in it, but hopefully that helps a bit.

Answer 2

You are Saved by Grace Alone.

Yes, you are saved by grace alone. There is nothing that you could do in order to get into heaven without God's grace. It is by God's Grace that He will save you and give you all of the things that He promises He will.

Because God is so faithful, we can rely on the fact that He has said something, therefor if we follow His command then we will be saved. But this is all because of God's Faithfulness and His Grace. It can often seem like we have to DO something in order to get into heaven, but you must understand that we are only DOING what God expects of us.

You are saved by Faith

As Paul in Romans puts it, it is by Faith that we are saved. Look to the thief on the cross, the only thing that we can see is that he had faith in Jesus.

Luke 7:50 NIV

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

This kind of idea echos through the Bible. If you're happy with thinking that you have enough faith/belief in Jesus, then go on your way and don't worry about anything else in the Bible. Most of these people didn't have the new testament and still got saved.

Confidence in your salvation

You are saved by Faith, but as James puts it, not by faith alone. There is more to it then that. It's no wonder why 80% of America preaches faith alone, and Jesus says that the wide road leads to hell.

James 2:24 NIV

You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

Faith is what most people believe, but when you keep reading you'll begin to find verses that talk about something more that is required.

Hebrews 10:26-27 (NIV)

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

2 Timothy 2:19 (NIV)

19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

Luke 6:46 (NIV)

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

There is something that means more to God than Faith.

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Greater than your faith, is your Love.

John 14:15

“If you love me, keep my commands.

The Love command is profound! Click to see!

Baptism for repentance

Getting baptized is your outward confession of repentance.

Matthew 3:11

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Repentance is to turn from your wicked ways and learn how to Love people!

See what Repentance is!

See how you will be judged!

Is Believing enough or do you have to do something else?

Answer 3

You also see passages like I Peter 3:21:

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (ESV)

All in all, baptism is directly mentioned more than 80 times in the New Testament, but is strangely absent from the teachings of many modern Protestant denominations. Instead, what you will commonly find is a construct known as the "Sinner's Prayer". Nowhere in the bible is any such prayer ever mentioned, referred to, or shown by example, but many denominations use it.

I put it to you that baptism is merely the way in which Gods asks us to ask Him for salvation. There is no power in baptism, just as there is no power in faith or prayer, but rather in the one in whom you place that faith or to whom you pray. Baptism would not then be a "work" to subvert grace, any more than the sinners prayer would be.

God is Sovereign. He can choose to save whomever he wants. If you choose not to be baptized, it is possible that God will still save you. But if you want to be certain, baptism seems to me (and the fellowship I belong to) to be the only proscribed way in which Gods wants you to ask for that Salvation.

Answer 4

I think baptism by water is more of an analogy for the people of the time, who were used to the idea of salvation by works, rather than a true requirement. Reproducing John chapter 3:

3 Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."

4 "How can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!"

5 Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

Here Jesus is essentially conflating baptism by water and baptism by the Holy Spirit. From his references to wind and spirit, and due to the omnipotence of God, I find it very strange that anyone believes physical baptism is necessary for salvation. Baptism is spiritual, and water merely a symbol. The act of purposefully undergoing baptism is purposefully inviting the Holy Spirit to act on you. That purposeful invitation is what is important, not the ceremony.

This is even more clear if you focus on Matthew chapter 22:

36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Under the new covenant, works don't matter. God simply does not care if you get dunked in a pool at church on Sunday, he cares whether your heart is true. Luke 13:

14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."

15 The Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"

Jesus broke the laws of the Old Testament but it didn't matter because he did the right thing. Jesus makes clear over and over that doing the right thing involves helping people and honoring God. It never involves silly rituals like slaughtering goats at the altar or sprinkling water on a baby.

Jesus walked around Israel forgiving sins with no mention of baptism. Salvation and forgiveness do not come from baptism. With death imminent and no chance of a following baptism, Jesus saves a criminal on the cross in Luke 23:

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"

40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."

42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

43 Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."

All that is required for Jesus to make you blameless before God is sincere belief. Baptism is irrelevant.

Answer 5

Some traditional Catholics hold that water Baptism is a requirement and use references such as this to argue the point:

Pope Eugene IV, The Council of Florence, “Exultate Deo,” Nov. 22, 1439, ex cathedra: “Holy baptism, which is the gateway to the spiritual life, holds the first place among all the sacraments; through it we are made members of Christ and of the body of the Church. And since death entered the universe through the first man, ‘unless we are born again of water and the Spirit, we cannot,’ as the Truth says, ‘enter into the kingdom of heaven’ (John 3:5) The matter of this sacrament is real and natural water.

Answer 6

I've been thinking about this recently and I do not think that being "born of water and the Spirit" is referring to two separate "births", but rather the singular moment of baptism. The same way God took the living man Adam and breathed divine life into him, bridging the gap between merely being alive and being alive in God. It is through the water of baptism that the Spirit enters us for the first time and we are thus "born" into true life rather than merely being alive in the temporal sense, which will end. I believe this is why the older traditions practice infant baptism as well. They understood humans as not having an eternal soul inherently.

Answer 7

The doctrine of "salvation by faith alone" is quite incorrect. It comes from taking a few specific passages badly out of context, and it leads to some very scary places on the moral landscape. It also flatly contradicts pretty much everything that Jesus personally had to say on the subject.

When you read Jesus's own teachings, as well as Acts and the writings of Peter and James to help keep Paul in context, a very different picture emerges: salvation comes through sincere repentance and obedience to the laws of the Gospel, virtuous acts which are motivated by our faith. Without faith, these are simply useless works, but without obedience and good works, our faith is dead and has no power to save us. (See James chapter 2 for a clear explanation of the principle.)

If salvation comes by faithful obedience to God's commandments, and God has spoken saying that baptism is a requirement for salvation, as he did in John 3, (see also the Day of Pentecost, Acts 2:37-38,) then that's about as clear as it gets.