“Born Again” – Verb or Noun?

In John 3:3, Jesus told a Jewish man named Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus was amazed by the statement and did not understand what Jesus meant (not surprising). He would need to understand the Lord’s meaning of the term – Born Again – verb or noun?

Nearly 2,000 years have passed since Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus and people are still confused by His announcement. In fact, the term “Born Again Christian” has been coined to identify what some think is a new sect or denomination of Christianity.

People are Confused About Born Again – Verb or a Noun?

When I’ve tried to explain the Gospel of salvation to the unsaved over the years, I am often asked: “Are you some kinda born againer?” The term, Born Again Christian was popularized in the 1960’s as a sort of descriptive noun for evangelicals. The truth is one cannot be a Christian at all unless he or she becomes born again. It’s something we must “do” (verb), it’s not a title or identification. Simply put, to be born again is the method by which a person becomes saved.

The reason for the confusion is found in verse 12, where Jesus said to Nicodemus: “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” Paul develops this failure of mankind in 1 Corinthians 2:14: “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”

Many people during the time of Jesus failed to understand the things He said because they couldn’t shift their thinking from “earthly things” to “heavenly things.” The reason Nicodemus came to Jesus in the first place was to find out how he could gain entry to the Kingdom of God. His question would be similar to the question the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas in Acts 16: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

One must be saved to enter the Kingdom of God. It’s astounding that this spiritual and civil leader of the nation of Israel (Nicodemus), who was also “…the teacher of Israel” (verse 10), did not know how to be saved. Like most Jews, and just about every other religion since then, the belief was/is that salvation must be earned by human effort. However, this prominent religious leader did not have security about his own salvation (despite all his credentials and religious effort).

I don’t fault Nicodemus for his ignorance. Actually, I admire him. While most of his fellow Pharisees were plotting to kill Jesus, he had the humility and good sense to approach the only Person that could give him the assurance of salvation. Instead of receiving from Jesus a list of good works that remained to be accomplished by Nicodemus, he was informed that the very religious status he had achieved was worthless before God for salvation. He would have to be born again to enter the kingdom of God.

Of course, Jesus was not suggesting that Nicodemus would have to return to his mother’s womb for rebirth (as Nicodemus asked in verse 4). Jesus told him he must be born of “water” and the “Spirit” (verse 5). The new birth would not be an earthly transition, but a heavenly transition.

Defining the Lord’s Intent About “Born Again” – Verb or Noun

The key to understanding the process of being born again is to understand what Jesus meant in verse 5: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” What did He mean by “water and the Spirit” or more specifically, what did He mean by “water?” Keep in mind, the New Testament was not written in modern-day English. To understand Jesus’ meaning we have to consider several variables i.e., ancient Greek, use of the word “water” in other Scriptural contexts, figures of speech, as well as the fundamental doctrine of salvation.

If we’re thinking on an earthly plane, the first interpretation would be that “water” is referring to water baptism. The Greek word is “baptisma”, which means “dipping”, “sinking”, “immersion”, “submersion.” If this is correct, it begs the question, why didn’t Jesus just use the word “baptism?”

Jesus used “baptism” several times in His ministry, sometimes with a different meaning. For instance, in Luke 12:50, He said: “But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!” It couldn’t mean water baptism in this verse because Jesus was already water baptized at the beginning of His public ministry (Matthew 3:13-17). Therefore, He used the word figuratively and not literally regarding His soon-to-be “submersion” into suffering (the Cross).

The context of Jesus’ comments in John 3 is about salvation, which Scripture clearly states is not accomplished by water baptism. Consider the following:
1) The thief on the cross: He wasn’t baptized, but he was saved (Luke 23:43)
2) Simon the Sorcerer: He wasn’t saved, but he was baptized (Acts 8:13)
3) Baptism is an “earthly thing.” Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus about “heavenly things.”

If we look at Ephesians 5:26, we see “water” used in this context: “So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.” In this verse, “water” is figuratively defined as Scripture (the word). In John 7:38 & 39, we read “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke of the Spirit,” indicating that “water” is figuratively defined as the Holy Spirit.

Apostolic Teaching is Vital for Accurate Bible Interpretation

These magnificent, heavenly truths teach us that the doctrines set forth by the Lord Jesus cleanse and wash us (making us acceptable to God by faith), whose teaching we have, in writing, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The indwelling Holy Spirit is also (figuratively speaking) “flowing rivers” of eternal life (John 4:14), whom we receive at the moment we are saved (born again) by “water and the Spirit.”

Jesus wasn’t declaring that the way to be born again (salvation) was through the symbolic act of baptism. Symbolic acts cannot save anyone. He was telling Nicodemus that in order to be saved it must be based on trust in the Scriptures and not his religious effort. Specifically, those Scriptures that proclaim the bearing of our sins by Christ, as well Him bearing the wrath of God toward those sins. When did this happen? During His sacrificial and substitutionary intervention, on behalf of mankind, on the Cross of Calvary (1 Peter 2:24).

The rest of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, in John Chapter 3, makes this truth abundantly clear (especially verses 14 and 15, which I’ll cover in a later blog). In the end, he understood that Jesus was speaking of Born Again as verb and not a noun.

Despite all his religious activity, Nicodemus was lost and on the road to Hell. Nevertheless, as we read through the Gospels, we find that he likely forfeited his religious standing among the Jews in exchange for salvation through the Lord Jesus. I guess one could say that he became a “kinda born-againer.”

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