Born Again

[sethjahnsen]

Hi I am currently enrolled in a New Testament Foundations class and was asked to briefly share my ideas on a principle that we learned about in our reading assignment this week. 

•  Jesus teaches of the saving ordinance of Baptism and what it means be born again by spirit and water, that is required to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 

In John 3: 1-10 Jesus preached this doctrine to Nicodemus. He says "Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) When I think of being born again I think that there has to be a death before you can be reborn, and that death can symbolize wickedness or sin leaving you through repentance. Baptism usually follows this repentance process and is the principle that Jesus refers to when he says "Be born of water". After we are baptized we are given the gift of the holy ghost. If we are obedient and in tune with the holy ghost it'll lead to spiritual experiences.  

[zil]

Welcome @sethjahnsen!

[Sunday21]

Welcome @sethjahnsen ! Hope that your class is going well!

[prisonchaplain]

Greetings and welcome. Concerning the OP: Certainly, there are scholars who agree that the "birth of water" refers to water baptism. Others though, suggest it could refer to natural, physical birth. Still others look to the Jewish mikvah (washing), suggesting it refer to cleansing of sin that happens over and over again, rather than to John's one-time conversion baptism. Lot's of interesting theological debate surrounds this, for sure.

[Word Chasing]

Double Baptism....

You are baptized into the Aaronic Priesthood through water, just as Christ and Joseph Smith were by John the Baptist, and then into the Melchizedek Priesthood through fire, more commonly known as, baptism of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:16-17... God The Father baptized His Son personally then Jesus, in His ascended form baptized Joseph and Oliver following their baptisms by John the Baptist. It is right and proper that it should happen this way in preparation tor the fulfillment of the end time prophecies.