New Birth and Water Baptism

True Religion

Paul declared that true religion does not consist of meat and drink or any ritual observances.  Indeed, it does not lie in any outward thing whatever. It is not in anything outside the heart. The whole essence of true religion is in righteousness, peace and joy.

Forms and ceremonies, even of the best kind, are outward things, and not true religion. Suppose these religious ceremonies to be decent, significant, expressive or spiritual things, and helpful to both the educated and the uneducated. Consider them, as on the case of the Jews, to be appointed by God himself

Nevertheless, they do not contain true religion even during the time that God's appointment of them remains in force.  Strictly speaking, they do not contain true religion at all. This is even more true regarding rites and forms that are only creations of men.

The religion of Jesus rises infinitely higher and goes immensely deeper than all of these ceremonies. Ceremonies are good in their place, just as long as they are subservient to true religion. It is not necessary to object to them if they are used only as occasional helps to human weakness. But let no one carry them any further. Let no one dream that rituals have any intrinsic worth. Never believe that religion cannot exist without rituals. Such a belief would make any ritual an abomination to the Lord.

- John Wesley 

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Water Baptism is Not the New Birth 

By John Wesley 

The first of these is that baptism is not the new birth. Baptism and the new birth are not one and the same thing. Many seem to imagine they are the same. At least, they speak as if they think so. Such an opinion is not publicly accepted by any denomination of Christians. Certainly it is not by any that i know.

The judgement of my church is clear. It is stated in church teaching that there are two parts to any sacrament. One is the outward and visible sign, and the other is the inward spiritual grace signified by the outward sign.

In regard to baptism, it is a sacrament ordained by Christ. The outward sign is the washing with water, signifying the seal of regeneration  (rebirth) by His Spirit. So it is absolutely clear that baptism is separate from the thing signified. The outward sign is distinct from the inward regeneration. 

However, the rationale of the matter is so clear and evident that we need no other authority than that reasonable evidence. What can be more plain than that one is external and the other is internal. One is a visible work, and the other is an invisible work. Therefore, each is wholly different from the other. One is an act of man purifying the body. The other is a change wrought by God in the soul, purifying it. By this, the former is just as distinguishable from the latter as is the soul from the body.

Certainly water is distinguishable from the Holy Spirit. From these reflections, we may next observe that as the new birth is not the same as baptism, so it does not always accompany baptism. These two do not always go together. 

A person may be baptized with  water and yet not be born of the Spirit. 

There may sometimes be the outward sign where there is not the inward grace.

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The New Birth

( Adapted From The Holy Spirit & Power, By John Wesley)

Are you baptized with water but not yet born of the Spirit?

Are you outwardly religious but inwardly dead?

Will you invite the Spirit of God to change you and purify your soul?

Does your life bear fruit that God's Spirit lives within you?

The tree is known by its fruits.

From this, it is too plain  to be denied that many who belonged to the devil before baptism continue to belong to him after it. The works of their father they continue to do.  They continue to be servants of Satan in sin, without any pretense toward either inward or outward holiness.

The new birth is not the whole of sanctification; it is the gate into it.

When we are born again, our sanctification, our inward and outward holiness begins. From then on, we gradually grow up in Jesus who is our Lord. 

What can the reborn person who loves all mankind say to those who are still in sin and unregenerated [though baptized]?

He must say to them, "You must be born again."

The sinner himself may say, "I defy your doctrine, i do not need to be born again. I was born again when I was baptized. 

Are you telling me to deny my baptism?"

The answer is simple. First, there is nothing in the world which will excuse a lie. Therefore, we must say to the baptized sinner,

"If you have been baptized, do not admit it. Such an admission really aggravates your guilt. You claim that you were devoted and dedicated to God at your baptism. Now, all these years since then you have been devoted to the devil. Look at the way you live.

Before you were old enough to have reason, you were consecrated to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Since then, after the age of reason, you have been flying in the face of God, consecrating yourself to Satan by doing his works. 

Does love of the world, pride, anger, lust, foolish desire, and a whole train of such affections stand in your life where they should not?

Are you allowing all of these miserable emotions to live in a soul which was once a temple of the Holy Spirit?

If you were baptized, your soul had been set apart for an habitation of God through the Spirit. It had been solemnly given up to Him. And you now glory in this, that you once belonged to God? 

It is time to be ashamed. You should never boast of what you are denying before God and man."

Any life of sin denies the baptism in the most effectual manner. Sinners deny their baptism thousands of times. They still do it every day. In your baptism you renounce the devil and his works. Therefore, whenever you allow Satan a place in you allow Satan a place in your life and do any works of the devil, you deny your baptism. So, you deny it by every willful sin. You deny it by every act of uncleanness, drunkenness, or revenge. You deny it by every obscene or profane word, by every oath that comes out of your mouth.

Every time you profane the day of the Lord, you deny your baptism. You deny God and your baptism every time you do anything to another which you would not have them do to you. 

Whether you are baptized or not, you must be born again. Otherwise, it is not possible for you to be inwardly holy. Without inward as well as outward holiness, you cannot be happy in either this world or the world to come.

Perhaps you say, "But I do no harm to anyone. I am honest and just in my dealings. I do not curse or take the Lord's name in vain. I do not profane the Lord's day. I am not a drunkard. I do not slander my neighbour or live in any willful sin." 

If this were true, it would be well if all men were as good as you. But, you must go further still, or you cannot be saved.

Do you claim that you do go further? "I go further yet, for I not only do no harm, but do all the good I can." 

I really doubt that.

There are thousands of opportunities for doing good which are allowed to pass without action, for which there is an account to be made to God. But even if you have done good in all of these situations, done all you possibly could to all men, you still must be born again. 

Without the new birth, nothing will help your poor, sinful, polluted soul. But this will not keep you out of sin and hell. That can be accomplished only by being born again  (John 3:3).

Go to church twice a day. 

Go to the Lord's table every week. 

Say innumerable prayers in private. 

Hear many good sermons. 

Read many good books.

Still, you must be be born again. No outward practices will stand in the place of the new birth. Nothing under heaven will stand in its place.

If you have not already experienced this inward work of God, the new birth, add one thing more. Pray the prayer immediately:

"Lord, add this to all my blessings, let me be born again. 

Deny me whatever you please, but let me be born again. 

Take away from me whatever is necessary, only give me this. 

Take away my reputation, fortune, friends, and health, but let me be born again of the Holy Spirit. 

Let me be received among the children of God. 

Let me be born incorruptible by the Word of God, which lives and abides forever. 

Amen."

Then, after the new birth, pray continually, "Let me daily grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. "

When this is done, the new birth will be given. The Holy Spirit comes into the soul and gives a witness of His presence. We receive inward assurance of His work and indwelling presence.

(From "The New Birth", Forty-Four Sermons, Sermon XXXIX.)