What Should Nicodemus Have Understood? John 3:3-5

The only problem is that you think that this water which Christ mentioned is the water of baptism. It is not. It is the "water" of the Word of God -- the Gospel.

1 PETER 1: THE GOSPEL (THE INCORRUPTIBLE SEED) IS THE "WATER" OF THE WORD OF GOD
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you.

Both the Holy Spirit and the Gospel are involved with the New Birth, which is a supernatural spiritual birth. Thus "water and the Spirit". Baptismal regeneration is false doctrine.

Jesus told the apostles that repentance and remission of sins (water baptism) would be preached in his name beginning at Jerusalem. And to wait, as well, for the promise of the Holy Ghost in Jerusalem. This occurred on the Day of Pentecost.

Luke 24:47-49
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
And ye are witnesses of these things.
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
KJV

Required obedience to water baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus is part of the Gospel message found in the Word of God.

Amen ! even Gentiles who received the spirit first we’re immediately baptized in water for remission of sins

“And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

…Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭10:42-44, 47-48‬ ‭KJV‬‬


there’s no reason for us to not get baptized or argue against why it’s needed

Jesus stated that Nicodemus should have understood what being born of water and Spirit meant. (John 3:3-10) A study of the significance of Old Testament washings shines light on what Jesus was talking about.

Nicodemus should have been familiar with an OT washing that changed the status of a stranger (Gentile) into a Jewish child of God. The bible depicts such as proselytes. In order for an individual to be “born” into the Jewish community, the stranger/Gentile had to obey the OT law of circumcision and submit to a Mikveh/Mikvah. The Old Testament Mikveh/Mikvah parallels the New Testament water baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Surely, Nicodemus was aware of John the Baptist’s message and Jesus approval of water baptism as evidenced by Jesus’ presence during baptisms. As a teacher of Jewish concepts, Nicodemus should have seen water and Spirit baptism (Acts 2:38) as the antitype that brings about an actual change of status in the NT believer as a born again child of God.

As Jesus stated everyone must be born of water and Spirit. The Spiritual rebirth is needful to both SEE (comprehend) the kingdom of God as well as ENTER into it. (John 3:3-5)

The following is an article about the Jewish Mikveh (Mikvah). The Mikveh was a construct that held a sufficient amount of water to accommodate total immersion. It is considered a “womb” according to myjewishlearning.com. Consider the principles of this foreshadow of the NT water baptism.

“The water of the mikveh is designed to ritually cleanse a person from deeds of the past. The convert is considered by Jewish law to be like a newborn child. By spiritually cleansing the convert, the mikveh water prepares him or her to confront God, life, and people with a fresh spirit and new eyes--it washes away the past, leaving only the future…

In a sense, it is nothing short of the spiritual drama of death and rebirth cast onto the canvas of the convert's soul. Submerging into waters over his/her head, he/she enters into an environment in which one cannot breathe and cannot live for more than moments. It is the death of all that has gone before. As he/she emerges from the gagging waters into the clear air, he/she begins to breathe anew and live anew--as a baby struggling to be born. If we take this graphic metaphor a step further, we can sense that the mikveh is a spiritual womb. The human fetus is surrounded by water. It does not yet live. The water breaks in a split second and the child emerges into a new world. "As soon as the convert immerses and emerges he/she is a Jew in every respect… The newborn Jew takes on a Hebrew name, but a given name only is not sufficient to locate a person within the Jewish tradition. When Jews sign legal documents or are called up to the Torah, their parents' names are appended to their Hebrew names to locate them in Jewish spiritual space. A convert traditionally adopts Abraham and Sarah as spiritual parents and in legal situations is referred to as "ben Avraham Avinu," "son of our Father, Abraham," or "bat Sarah Imenu," "daughter of our Mother, Sarah.

Jesus stated that Nicodemus should have understood what being born of water and Spirit meant. (John 3:3-10) A study of the significance of Old Testament washings shines light on what Jesus was talking about.

Nicodemus should have been familiar with an OT washing that changed the status of a stranger (Gentile) into a Jewish child of God. The bible depicts such as proselytes. In order for an individual to be “born” into the Jewish community, the stranger/Gentile had to obey the OT law of circumcision and submit to a Mikveh/Mikvah. The Old Testament Mikveh/Mikvah parallels the New Testament water baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Surely, Nicodemus was aware of John the Baptist’s message and Jesus approval of water baptism as evidenced by Jesus’ presence during baptisms. As a teacher of Jewish concepts, Nicodemus should have seen water and Spirit baptism (Acts 2:38) as the antitype that brings about an actual change of status in the NT believer as a born again child of God.

As Jesus stated everyone must be born of water and Spirit. The Spiritual rebirth is needful to both SEE (comprehend) the kingdom of God as well as ENTER into it. (John 3:3-5)

The following is an article about the Jewish Mikveh (Mikvah). The Mikveh was a construct that held a sufficient amount of water to accommodate total immersion. It is considered a “womb” according to myjewishlearning.com. Consider the principles of this foreshadow of the NT water baptism.

“The water of the mikveh is designed to ritually cleanse a person from deeds of the past. The convert is considered by Jewish law to be like a newborn child. By spiritually cleansing the convert, the mikveh water prepares him or her to confront God, life, and people with a fresh spirit and new eyes--it washes away the past, leaving only the future…

In a sense, it is nothing short of the spiritual drama of death and rebirth cast onto the canvas of the convert's soul. Submerging into waters over his/her head, he/she enters into an environment in which one cannot breathe and cannot live for more than moments. It is the death of all that has gone before. As he/she emerges from the gagging waters into the clear air, he/she begins to breathe anew and live anew--as a baby struggling to be born. If we take this graphic metaphor a step further, we can sense that the mikveh is a spiritual womb. The human fetus is surrounded by water. It does not yet live. The water breaks in a split second and the child emerges into a new world. "As soon as the convert immerses and emerges he/she is a Jew in every respect… The newborn Jew takes on a Hebrew name, but a given name only is not sufficient to locate a person within the Jewish tradition. When Jews sign legal documents or are called up to the Torah, their parents' names are appended to their Hebrew names to locate them in Jewish spiritual space. A convert traditionally adopts Abraham and Sarah as spiritual parents and in legal situations is referred to as "ben Avraham Avinu," "son of our Father, Abraham," or "bat Sarah Imenu," "daughter of our Mother, Sarah.

Many fail to realize that the scripture you reference states that it is THROUGH HIS NAME that one receives remission of sins. As stated in Acts 2:38, everyone is to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins. It cannot get any clearer than that. Sadly, many will hold on to error they have accepted rather than accept what the bible actually says.

Jesus told Nicodemus that if one isn't born again of Water and the Spirit, they shall not enter the Kingdom of God.

In the New Testament, Baptism of Water and the Spirit follows a very clear pattern, beginning with John the Baptist and continuing to the present day.

John the Baptist clearly prophesizes/foretells that Jesus will 'Baptize with the Spirit. " Mark 1:8: I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." Luke 3:16 16John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Also make no mistake that throughout the Old and New Testament, all Baptism is a ritual performed with water. All Christian baptism is performed with water.

And, as I said, immediately after Jesus conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus and the Apostles went on a mission of baptizing. John 3:22 Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people. And they were baptizing with water and the Spirit.

Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He gave His apostles a new commission, and their mission consisted of Baptizing with water and the Spirit:

Matthew 28:16-20 16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Water has always been an essential part of baptism.

And the baptisms continued after Jesus' ascension, with water and the Spirit: Acts 2:38 On the Day of Pentecost, Peter told the crowd, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). His command concerning baptism was that it be done “in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Paul is clear that through Baptism we die and are reborn in Christ, Romans 6:4; Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Baptism continues to this day, 2,000 years later, a baptism of water and the Spirit.

And, it is foolish to believe that Baptism is just a non essential ritual. Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He told His apostles, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. " Mark 16:16

Jesus and His Apostles/Disciples put a great importance on Baptism. It's not just a ritual.

Obviously you have difficulty in believing Jesus, Mark 16:16, Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

The beginning of Romans 6 Paul describes Baptism as being reborn, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

This idea that we are made one with Christ through baptism is reiterated by Paul in Colossians 2:12, Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

And in Galatians 3:27 Paul likens baptism to “being clothed with Christ.” Paul says, “for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

So, is there any reason why a Christian shouldn't be baptized with water, 'In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?
If there is a reason, what would it be?

The beginning of Romans 6 Paul describes Baptism as being reborn, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

This idea that we are made one with Christ through baptism is reiterated by Paul in Colossians 2:12, Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

And in Galatians 3:27 Paul likens baptism to “being clothed with Christ.” Paul says, “for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

So, is there any reason why a Christian shouldn't be baptized with water, 'In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?
If there is a reason, what would it be?

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:27-29‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Baptism without water...it's a spiritual birth into Jesus Christ.

Are there any examples of this from the Tanakh or is it all just tradition? I don't remember reading anything like this, but I may have forgotten.

Give Old Testament Scripture that says this.

NOT Rabbinical writings that do NOT carry the weight of the Word.