Quote:
Originally Posted by shag
I just now thought of sonething, if water means water birth in John 3, then no babies that ever died before birth/without a water breaking will be in heaven.
Except a man is born of water(child birth water break) & spirit, he cannot enter... |
The idea that 'water' means natural birth would also rule out every C-Section baby ever entering the kingdom of God.
Thankfully, we know that 'born of water' and 'born again' were terms familiar to first century Jews as referring to gentile conversion via mikvah/baptism. And thus, the Pharisees couldn't understand why they needed to be 'born again', and it explains why they rejected John's message and baptism, and why it was said to them 'God is able to raise up children to Abraham from stones'.
And why Jesus asked Nicodemus 'art thou a master in Israel (a rabbi) and you don't know these things?'