Is baptism necessary for salvation according to John 3:5?

from the old testament

• The Old Testament does not talk about baptism.

from the new testament

• John 3:5 does not explicitly mention baptism. Instead, it refers to the one “born of water and the Spirit.” Some interpret “born of water” to mean “baptism.” They then argue that being “born of water” means that baptism is necessary for salvation.
• However, to assume Jesus means baptism is an unwarranted jump in reasoning. Put another way, saying that this passage means that baptism is required for salvation is based on one specific understanding of “born of water,” but that interpretation does not have the contextual strength of other interpretations.
• One of the alternate explanations is that Jesus was referring to physical birth. This choice fits the context better than baptism because Jesus’ reply is specifically answering Nicodemus’ question about how someone can be physically born a second time (John 3:4). This view also argues that the reason “water” is mentioned is because unborn babies live in “water,” in a sac of amniotic fluid. Even we use the expression, “her water broke,” when it’s time for birth. If this view is correct, then Jesus meant that everyone must be born twice to be saved: once from his mother (what everyone experiences) and once spiritually (what only believers experience).
• While physical birth could fit the context, a still better alternative is one that fits the thrust of the entire context, namely Jesus’ focus on the spiritual aspect of being born again. In this view, “born of water and the Spirit” describe different aspects of the same spiritual birth. So, when Jesus said that a person must be “born of water and the Spirit,” He was talking about the need for spiritual cleansing. Water is used for spiritual cleansing, such as in Psalm 51:2 which asks God to, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!”
• In the New Testament, water is also sometimes used in reference to the idea of spiritual cleansing or purifying. Titus 3:5, for example, says, “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” Here both washing and the Spirit are paired together just as Jesus does in John 3:5.
• In addition, John 3:16 makes clear that salvation cannot be by water baptism, but only by faith in Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Notice that the one given eternal life is the one who believes.
• Therefore, regardless of the meaning of “born of water,” it is unlikely that it refers to baptism, as this contradicts both the immediate context (John 3:3-6) as well as the rest of the New Testament, which teaches that salvation is by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12). Only faith in the resurrected Jesus as Lord is necessary for salvation.
• The thief on the cross in Luke 23 expressed faith in Jesus when he said, “remember me when You come in Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). Jesus’ reply was not, “you need to be baptized, first” but “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). Because of the situation, the thief was unable to be baptized, and yet Jesus affirms that he was still saved because salvation is based on his faith, alone.

implications for today

Baptism does not save, and interpreting “born of water” as baptism is both unneeded and unlikely. John 3:16 specifically says that salvation comes by believing in Jesus. Likewise, Scripture regularly says that salvation is by faith alone (i.e., Romans 2:28). Therefore, it is unlikely that “born of water” means baptism, but even if it did, it is certainly an error to say that John 3:5 teaches that baptism is necessary for salvation.

While there is some disagreement about the exact meaning of “born of water and the Spirit,” it is clear that the context is about the second birth. In John 3:1–21, Jesus was teaching Nicodemus that one must be “born again” to be saved. To be born again means that we must be internally transformed. That comes by our belief that Jesus was sent to bring salvation (John 3:16) and our belief in Him (John 3:15).

What are we to believe about Jesus? We must confess that He is fully God (Colossians 1:19), and that He added on humanity to be like us (Philippians 2:6–8). We must also believe that, unlike us, He never sinned (1 Peter 2:22). Since death is only required for sinners (Romans 6:23), He did not have to die. However, God sent Him to save sinners and to crush Him for their sin (Isaiah 53:5). That is, Jesus died in the place of sinners and paid the penalty of death that they owed (1 John 4:10).

That is what we must believe about Jesus. When we do, we are born again and made a new creature by the Spirit. As believers, we are “born of water and the Spirit” and will enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5).