Ephesians 2:4-5
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).
Death is the separation of one thing from another. Physical death is the separation of your spirit from your body. Spiritual death is the separation of your spirit from the Spirit of God. Adam and Eve were born directly from the Lord. When He created them in the Garden of Eden they were both physically and spiritually alive. Their spirits were in communion with both their bodies and with the Spirit of God. Upon eating the fruit that God had commanded them not to, sin entered into their hearts and they died a spiritual death. Although our God desperately desired a relationship with them, it was impossible for Him to commune with sinful beings. Their spiritual death did not end God’s love for them but it separated Him from His creation.
Since all of humanity has come from the linage of Adam and Eve, not one soul has been born spiritually alive. Although you were born physically alive, you came into this world with the inheritance of sin. You were born with your spirit separated from the Spirit of God (Rom. 5:12). Nonetheless, Eph. 2:4-5 reminds us that God loved us while we were dead in our sins. Because of His great love for us, He provided a way to become spiritually alive. By the grace of God, through His Son Christ Jesus, those who have accepted His death and resurrection as a payment for their sins have been made alive in Christ. You have, as Jesus puts it, been born again. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water [physically] and the Spirit [spiritually], he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again'” (John 3:5, 7).
Child of God, never forget that you have been made alive in Christ. Eph. 1:1-3 reminds you of your former life. You were once dead to Christ and spiritually separated from God; you lived your life according to the morals and standards of a fallen world. Separated from Christ, it was impossible for you to live a holy and righteous life. Now, however, you have been made alive in Christ and given the Holy Spirit to lead you in righteousness. Can you see the difference though?
When was the last time that you thanked God for the enormous sacrifice He made to reestablish a relationship with you? How many people have you told about this amazing Man named Jesus Christ? When you got up this morning did you expect to share Christ’s love with someone today? Paige Patterson has said, “The reason Christians don’t share their faith is because they are ungrateful for the death of Jesus.” Have you “gotten over” your salvation experience? Have you forgotten that you have been made alive in Christ? You should never allow your walk with the Lord to reach this point. The Apostle Paul never forgot where he came from; he never allowed himself to forget that it was only by the overwhelming grace of God that he had been made alive. Have you?
I have issue with the statement that the verses John 3:5,7 are saying that ‘water’ is a physical birth. If you study all the instances speaking of being ‘born of water’, being ‘baptized’, etc…the meaning is this: Full immersion water baptism. One must accept Christ, truly believe and have faith, and be fully immersed in a water baptism to be saved. Check this out if you have more questions: http://geocities.com/violingirl.rm/baptism.pdf
Renée, Baptism by immersion is only a strict, Protestant view that came after. Both Scriptures and Sacred Tradition (Acts 2, 42—1 Corinthians 11:2—2 Thessalonians 2:15) show how other forms of Baptism are also valid. If you take a look at the book of Acts, you’ll see how there were multitudes who were baptized all at once, and also the numerous notions of how (so and so) and his house, meaning the whole family were baptized. In both circumstances, immersion would prove difficult if not impossible. And also we should consider how “his house” most likely included children, giving legitimacy to infant Baptism. And why infant Baptism?—That’s because all have fallen short of the Glory of God and all of us are born with the stain of Original Sin. My hope is that we would eventually become so open-minded, understanding and tolerant, that my sister-in-Christ, as Jesus has wished, “all may be one.” Laudatur Iesus Christus!–Jeff le Bel