SOME men assume that "water" in the passage— "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God,"—must be plain fact; but they overlook the mystic or allegoric style in which this Gospel abounds. What is the "water" Christ gives, of which we read? Are the "rivers of living water," which should flow from the believer plain fact? Nor did the Lord then interpret the figure in these cases, any more than in His momentous teaching concerning feet-washing, founded on His previous action. But later He Himself gives a key to His meaning, if any needed one: "Already ye are clean by reason of, the word which I have spoken unto you." We are expressly told that He baptized 'none; but His words were spirit and life. They received Him, believing on His name, and were thus born of God. Water is here the figure for His word.
There is a difference discernible in the use of the figure in this Gospel. In chapter 3 as in 13 it is "water" to deal with the unclean or defiled. In chapters 4 and 7 it is "living water" to drink, as the power of communion in the one chapter, and of testimony in the other, the gift of the Spirit to believers. There it is not new birth in its cleansing power on him who now only believes, as in chapter 3, or the grace of restoration founded on it, as in chapter 13. To Nicodemus the Lord spoke of the purifying power of God's word when received in faith, as we may also see in other scriptures. Hence "water" alone, figuring the word, needs the addition of "and Spirit" to convey the Lord's mind fully as to new birth. The soul in bowing to Christ is born of water and Spirit. Had this divine work taken place in Nicodemus, he would have been by repentance a fit subject for Christian baptism, the sign of identification with Christ's death: thereby were we buried to His death. Christian baptism was instituted by the risen Lord.
This is confirmed, as the genuine character of the birth here meant, by, the earlier words of our evangelist. "But as many as received him, to them gave he right to become children of God, [even] to those that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” The possession of spiritual life in this Gospel as everywhere hinges on faith. What can be clearer than that the Lord attaches life eternal to faith in Himself without one word about baptism?
So true is this, that it is merely the effort of superstition to bring baptism into John 3:3-53Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:3‑5), as it does the Lord's Supper into John 6, with the utmost violence to both chapters. Indeed this Gospel is one which avoids outward forms expressly, so as to lay stress on Christ's person and the gift of the Holy Spirit—its grand topics. If we misapply John 6:5454Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:54) to the Lord's Supper, the inference would be that every partaker of it has life eternal, and shall be raised up in the blessed resurrection at the last clay. It is therefore manifestly erroneous.
Again, if one misapply John 3:3-53Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:3‑5) to baptism, the words must shut out from the kingdom every unbaptized person. But the Lord, in the most touching and effective way, teaches us the contrary on the most solemn occasion, by the converted robber—a sample of many souls since that day.