Without being born of water and Spirit

MONDAY 20 APRIL (Jn 3,1-8)

Jesus’ words are clear, unequivocal and unchangeable. They say necessity without exception. They apply to every child of Adam, no one excluded: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit.” To this need Jesus also adds the command to his Apostles. That’s how it is in the gospel according to Matthew: “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28,16-20). In Mark the command is still more explicit: He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mk 16,15-16). If the Apostles do not preach Christ in his mystery of death and resurrection and do not baptize in his name, they are omissive of a commandment given to them by the Lord. They are responsible for all those who are lost for their lack of obedience. This very grave eternal responsibility is also for every other minister of the Word.

The Apostle Peter understood this need and this command well. Not only does he baptize those who believed in his Word on Christ Jesus, but also Cornelius and those of his house after the Holy Spirit descended on them: “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter (said) to them, “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. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day” (At 2,37-41). “While Peter was still speaking these things, the holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the holy Spirit even as we have?” He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ” (At 10,44-48). This is the Word of Jesus and his Command. A need for every man to let himself be baptized. A command for each Apostle to preach the Gospel and to baptize those who believe. It is also the duty of the Apostle to ensure that this will of Christ Jesus is proclaimed according to the purest truth and lived with perfect obedience on the part of all.

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?” Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

If the preaching of the Gospel, making disciples and baptizing are the essence of the apostolic mission, if these things are also a command and not just an exhortation, might there be in the Church of God one man who can deny this command and this need? If he did it, he would certainly no longer be an Apostle of Christ the Lord. He would not be his minister of the Word. He would not even be a Christian. He is an Apostle, a minister and a Christian who lives with the thought of Christ. Since in the non-defense of baptism and in the declaration of its uselessness, there is a denial of the thought of Christ, whoever said these things would be excluded from the following of Jesus and also from being his Apostle and his minister. True faith implies consequences that are eternal.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, give every Christian a true faith in the command of Jesus.