Early Christian Beliefs About The New Birth

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Direct teaching

...ur enemies, as was predicted by Isaiah in many passages, which also contains the mystery of our own regeneration, as well as the regeneration of all who expect that Christ will appear in Jerusalem, and who earnestly strive to please Him by their works. These are the words spoken by Isaiah: ‘Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at His word. Say, our brethren, to those that hate you and detest you, that the name of the Lord has been glorified. He has appeared to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord who gives recompense to the proud. Before she who labored gave birth, and before the pains of labor came, she brought forth a male child. Who has heard such a thing? and who has seen such a thing? Has the earth brought forth in one day? and has she produced a nation at once? for Zion has labored and borne her children. But I have given such an expectation even to her who does not bring forth, said the Lord. Behold, I have made her who gives birth, and her who is barren, says the Lord. Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and hold a joyous assembly, all you who love her. Be glad, all you who mourn for her, that you may s

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

...s what is born of flesh is flesh, so what is born of Spirit is spirit, John 3:6, not only in giving birth but also in learning. Now the children are holy, 1 Corinthians 7:14, and they are pleasing offspring to God, and the sayings of the Lord have betrothed the soul. Fornication and marriage, then, are separate, because the devil is far from God. “And you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, so that you might become another’s, of Him who rose from the dead,” Romans 7:4. And again, a ready hearing is near, if you are obedient, since even through the truth of the law we obey the same Lord, who gives command from afar. Does not the Spirit rightly say openly about such people, that “in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to spirits of error and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose conscience is seared, forbidding marriage, and abstaining from foods which God created for sharing with thanksgiving by the faithful and by those who have known the truth, because every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer”? Theref

Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Heathen Direct teaching

...reatened? Come, come, O my young people! For if you do not become again as little children, and are born again, as the Scripture says, you shall not receive the truly existent Father, nor shall you ever enter into the kingdom of heaven. For in what way is a stranger permitted to enter? Well, as I understand it, when he is enrolled and made a citizen, and receives one to stand to him in the relation of father, then he will be occupied with the Father's concerns. Then he shall be deemed worthy to be made His heir. Then he will share the kingdom of the Father with His own dear Son. For this is the first-born Church, composed of many good children. These are the first-born enrolled in heaven, who hold high festival with so many myriads of angels. We too are first-born sons, who are reared by God, who are the genuine friends of the First-born, who first of all other men attained to the knowledge of God, who first were wrenched away from our sins, first severed from the devil. And now the more benevolent God is, the more impious men are. For He desires us to become sons instead of slaves, while they scorn to become sons. O the prodigious folly of being ashamed of the Lord! He offers f

Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching

... of God! For the blessed apostle declares and proves that baptism is where the old man dies and the new man is born, saying, "He saved us by the washing of regeneration," Titus 3:5. But if regeneration is in the washing, that is, in baptism, how can heresy, which is not the spouse of Christ, give birth to sons for God through Christ? For it is the Church alone which, joined and united with Christ, spiritually bears sons, as the same apostle again says, "Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify it, cleansing it with the washing of water," Ephesians 5:25-26. If, then, she is the beloved and spouse who alone is sanctified by Christ, and alone is cleansed by His washing, it is clear that heresy, which is not the spouse of Christ, and cannot be cleansed or sanctified by His washing, cannot bear sons to God.

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Direct teaching

He it is who effects with water the second birth as a certain seed of divine generation, and a consecration of a heavenly nativity, the pledge of a promised inheritance, and as it were a kind of handwriting of eternal salvation;

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

For the blessed apostle sets forth and proves that baptism is that wherein the old man dies and the new man is born, saying, He saved us by the washing of regeneration.

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

... that those who are baptized anywhere and in any way, in the name of Jesus Christ, are considered renewed and sanctified, then why are the baptized among them not also given the laying on of hands, in the name of that same Christ, to receive the Holy Spirit? Why does the same greatness of the same name not have power in the laying on of hands, if, as they claim, it had power in the sanctifying of baptism? For if someone born outside the Church can become God's temple, why can the Holy Spirit not also be poured out on that temple? For the one who has been sanctified, with his sins taken away in baptism, and has been spiritually remade into a new man, has become fit to receive the Holy Spirit, since the apostle says, "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Galatians 3:27. He who, after being baptized among the heretics, is able to put on Christ, can much more receive the Holy Spirit whom Christ sent. Otherwise, the One who is sent would be greater than the One who sends, so that a person baptized outside may indeed begin to put on Christ, but not be able to receive the Holy Spirit, as if Christ could be put on without the Spirit, or the Spirit could

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

...odily relief, yet also called those who were benefited by them to an exercise of faith. So also the washing with water, which is symbolic of the soul cleansing herself from every stain of wickedness, is no less in itself to him who yields himself to the divine power of the invocation of the Adorable Trinity, the beginning and source of divine gifts. For there are diversities of gifts. This view receives confirmation from the narrative recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, which shows the Spirit to have descended so plainly on those who receive baptism, after the water had prepared the way for Him in those who properly approached the rite. Simon Magus, astonished at what he saw, desired to receive this gift from Peter. But though it was a good thing he desired, he thought to attain it by the mammon of unrighteousness. We next remark in passing that the baptism of John was inferior to the baptism of Jesus which was given through His disciples. Those in Acts 19:2 who were baptized to John's baptism and had not heard whether there was a Holy Spirit were baptized again by the Apostle. Regeneration did not take place with John, but with Jesus through His disciples it does take place,

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Direct teaching

...man beings are meant to receive repentance and forgiveness of sins through the water and washing of regeneration—as many as come to the truth, are born again, and receive blessing from God. But the great sea creatures and the birds of prey are a likeness of greedy people and transgressors. For just as fish and birds are of one nature, some of them remain in their natural state and do no harm to those weaker than themselves, but keep the law of God and eat the seeds of the earth. Others, however, break the law of God, eat flesh, and injure those weaker than themselves. In the same way, the righteous, by keeping the law of God, bite and injure no one, but live in holiness and righteousness. But robbers, murderers, and godless people are like the great sea creatures, wild beasts, and birds of prey, because they, in effect, devour those weaker than themselves. Therefore, the race of fish and creeping things, though sharing in God's blessing, received no very special distinguishing property.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness

...ince man, regarding the formation after Adam, having fallen into transgression, needed the laver of regeneration, the Lord said to the man upon whom He had given sight, after smearing his eyes with clay, "Go to Siloam and wash;" thus restoring to him both his perfect confirmation and that regeneration which occurs through the laver. For this reason, when he was washed, he came back seeing, that he might both know Him who had fashioned him, and that people might learn to know Him who has given them life.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness

And inasmuch as man, with respect to that formation which, was after Adam, having fallen into transgression, needed the laver of regeneration, [the Lord] said to him [upon whom He had conferred sight], after He had smeared his eyes with the clay, “Go to Siloam, and wash;” thus restoring to him both [his perfect] confirmation, and that regeneration which takes place by means of the laver.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

All indeed who attain to the divine gift and inheritance by the sanctification of baptism, therein put off the old man by the grace of the saving layer, and, renewed by the Holy Spirit from the filth of the old contagion, are purged by a second nativity.

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Supporting witness

For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water.

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Supporting witness

Moreover, the things proceeding from the waters were blessed by God, that this also might be a sign of men's being destined to receive repentance and remission of sins, through the water and laver of regeneration — as many as come to the truth, and are born again, and receive blessing from God.

Titus 3:5 Direct teaching

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,

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Direct teaching

...e of His.” And, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” He is the One who effects with water the second birth, as a certain seed of divine generation, and a consecration of a heavenly birth, the pledge of a promised inheritance, and as it were a kind of handwriting of eternal salvation. He can make us God's temple, and fit us for His house. He asks for divine hearing on our behalf with groanings that cannot be uttered, filling the offices of advocacy and showing the duties of our defense—an inhabitant given to dwell in our bodies and an effector of their holiness. Working in us for eternity, He can also bring forth our bodies in the resurrection of immortality, accustoming them to be associated in Himself with heavenly power, and to be allied with the divine eternity of the Holy Spirit. For our bodies are trained both in Him and by Him to advance to immortality, by learning to govern themselves with moderation according to His decrees. For this is He who desires against the flesh, because the flesh resists against the Spirit. This is He who restrains insatiable desires, controls immoderate lusts, quenches unlawful fires, conquers reckless impulses, repels drunkennes

Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching

8. Stephen and those who agree with him argue that the putting away of sins and the second birth can come from the baptism of heretics, among whom, as they themselves admit, the Holy Spirit is not. Let them consider and understand that spiritual birth cannot exist without the Spirit. In agreement with this, the blessed Apostle Paul also baptized again with a spiritual baptism those who had already been baptized by John before the Holy Spirit had been sent by the Lord, and then laid hands on them so that they might receive the Holy Spirit. But what are we to make of this: we see that Paul, after John's baptism, baptized his disciples again, yet we hesitate to baptize those who come to the Church from heresy after their unholy and profane dipping. Unless, perhaps, Paul was inferior to the bishops of these times, so that these bishops can indeed give the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands alone to those heretics who come to the Church, while Paul was not able to give the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands to those who had been baptized by John unless he had first also baptized them with the baptism of the Church.

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Supporting witness

... we have made, so that we may not seem to have done this by our own judgment and with rashness. For John says of our Lord in his epistle, teaching us, “This is He who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For three bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and these three are one,” 1 John 5:6. From these words we may gather both that water is accustomed to confer the Spirit, and that a man's own blood is accustomed to confer the Spirit, and that the Spirit Himself also is accustomed to confer the Spirit. For since water is poured out just as blood is, the Spirit also was poured out by the Lord upon all who believed. Certainly, both in water, and no less in their own blood, and then especially in the Holy Spirit, men may be baptized. For Peter says, “But this is what was spoken by the prophet: ‘It shall come to pass in the last days, says the Lord, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and their sons and their daughters shall prophesy, and their young men shall see visions, and their old men shall dream dreams. And upon my servants and upon my handma

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...ety. Besides this, those who try to baptize people who have already been initiated crucify the Lord again, kill Him a second time, mock divine things and ridicule holy things, insult the Spirit, dishonor the sacred blood of Christ as though it were common blood, and act impiously toward Him who sent, Him who suffered, and Him who bore witness. No, the one who, out of contempt, refuses to be baptized will be condemned as an unbeliever and rebuked as ungrateful and foolish. For the Lord says, "Unless a man is baptized of water and of the Spirit, he shall by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven." John 3:5 And again, "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned." Mark 16:16 But the one who says, "When I am dying I will be baptized, lest I should sin and defile my baptism," is ignorant of God and forgetful of his own nature. For do not delay to turn to the Lord, for you do not know what the next day will bring. You should also baptize your infants, and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of God. For He says, "Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them." Matthew 19:14

Irenaeus, Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenæus Supporting witness

being spiritually regenerated as new-born babes, even as the Lord has declared: “Except a man be born again through water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

John 3:5 Direct teaching

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 3:8 Supporting witness

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Acts 1:5 Supporting witness

for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Origen, Commentary on John Background

...rom the other Gospels like this, I may seem to be digressing, but I do not think it is useless or unrelated to our present subject. For after the priests and Levites who came from Jerusalem, the Pharisees send men to John to ask who he was and to inquire, “Why do you baptize then, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” After making this inquiry, they then come at once for baptism, as Matthew records, and then they hear words suited to their quackery and hypocrisy. But the words spoken to them were very much like those spoken to the multitudes, and because of this it was necessary to examine both speeches carefully and compare them with each other. It was while we were doing this that various points arose in the order of the matter, and we had to consider them. To what has been said we must add this. In John we find mention of two groups that send messengers. One is the Jews from Jerusalem, who send priests and Levites. The other is the Pharisees, who want to know why he baptizes. And we found that after the inquiry, the Pharisees present themselves for baptism. Could it be that the Jews, who had sent the earlier mission from Jerusalem, received John’s words bef

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Supporting witness

For Christ also said, “Except ye be born again, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Now, that it is impossible for those who have once been born to enter into their mothers’ wombs, is manifest to all.

Tatian, The Diatessaron Supporting witness

John 3:5 Jesus answered and said to him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man be not born of water and the Spirit, 32 he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

John 3:6 Direct teaching

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 3:7 Supporting witness

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

John 3:3 Direct teaching

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Supporting witness

...d Him. Even Peter himself, who had boasted that he would remain firm in his faith, and had most stubbornly resisted the prediction of the Lord Himself, still at last denied Him. This was so that it might be shown to us that whatever sins they had contracted in the meantime, and in whatever way, those same sins were without doubt put away by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, since afterward their faith was shown to be sincere. Nor, as I think, was it for any other reason that the apostles charged those whom they addressed in the Holy Spirit to be baptized in the name of Christ Jesus, except that the power of the name of Jesus, invoked upon any man in baptism, might give no small advantage toward obtaining salvation for the one being baptized, as Peter says in the Acts of the Apostles: "For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved," Acts 4:12. The Apostle Paul also explains this, showing that God has exalted our Lord Jesus and given Him a name above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord, in the glory of God the Father

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

...n. But all who have abandoned the desires of the flesh are equal and spiritual before the Lord. And again he writes in another place: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, and we have all drunk of one cup." 1 Corinthians 12:13 Nor would it be absurd to use the expressions of those who call the remembrance of better things the filtration of the spirit, understanding by filtration the separation of what is baser, which results from the remembrance of what is better. There necessarily follows, in the one who has come to the recollection of what is better, repentance for what is worse. Accordingly, they confess that the spirit in repentance retraces its steps. In the same way, therefore, we also, repenting of our sins, renouncing our iniquities, purified by baptism, hurry back to the eternal light, children to the Father. Jesus therefore, rejoicing in the Spirit, said, "I thank You, O Father, God of heaven and earth, that You have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes." Luke 10:21 The Master and Teacher applies the name babes to us, who are readier to embrace salvation than the wise o

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

Regeneration did not take place with John, but with Jesus through His disciples it does so, and what is called the laver of regeneration takes place with renewal of the Spirit;

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed upon us richly, we became such as we are.

John 1:13 Supporting witness

who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.