"Born Again"? Not Without Baptism

Why? Because Christ said so!
scripture is from a Greek-English Interlinear NT
-John 3:3; "Answered Jesus and said to him: Truly, truly I tell you, except anyone is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Born from above would be born again, or the second birth.
-3:4: Nicodemus askes how.
-3:5; "Answered Jesus: Truly, truly I tell you, except anyone is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Born of water and the spirit would be born from above or born again.
-3:6; "The thing having been born of the flesh, flesh is, and the thing born of the spirit, spirit is. Jesus is telling us that we have a earthly life and a spiritual life.
-3:7; "Do not marvel because I told you: It behooves you to be born from above." See the pattern; "born from above" then,"born of water and the spirit", the again "born from above": being born again, or born from above is being born of water and the spirit, which is baptism.
Not only did Jesus instruct this, He actually had it done for Himself. Just as Jesus came up out of the waters of the Jordan the spirit in the form of a dove came upon Him, so too are we washed and then blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Christ did not need to be baptised, He was just showing us what to do. We do need baptism, He said it Himself calling it both "born from above" and "born of water and the spirit". And He did not say it was optional("except anyone is.......he cannot enter",John 3:5). By the way, the Greek reads 'born from above' not 'born again' you people will have to re-memorize your little speil.
Scripture tells us that Johns baptism was only a "baptism of repentence"(Acts 19:4), people should repent as needed, but the baptism of Jesus is so much more. From Acts 22:16, Pauls own story;" And now what intendest you? Rise up, be baptised and 'wash your sins away', calling on His name." And so Paul passes this on. Titus 3:5-6:"...not by works-in righteousness which we did, but according to the mercy of Him He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which He shed on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior." 1Cor 6:11; "And these things some of you were: but you were washed, but you were santified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God." Wash, washing and washed, with water, and then comes the spirit. Not a symbolic washing , how clearly scripture makes this: for forgiveness of sins, for regeneration and renewal, and to be " born from above". Spiritual life, for "having been born of the spirit, spirit is." Live a life of the spirit.
Why Not Children?
I don't know why not?
Bible Christians say NO to their children joining with the Spirit, scripture says the opposite. Acts 2:38-39; "Peter spoke to them: Repent, and be baptised each 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 to you is the promise and to your children and to all the ones far away, as many as the Lord our God may call." And to your children! Don't think about a believers baptism just yet, but I will mention now about original sin. Just read the Genesis story of Adam and Eve grtting the boot, especially "...and to your progeny forever.
It does not say anything straight out, yes or no, on baptising children in scripture. But it looks easily like a yes. Acts 16:15: the baptism of the household of Lydia.
Acts 18:8; the baptism of the household of Crispis, and others.
1 Cor 1; the household of Stephanus
Acts 16:30-33; the baptism of the jailers family.
Now are you going to tell me that there were no children in these four instances? But what was a household in bible times? From Manners and Customs in Bible Times(Moody Press), p. 54-55. "The family was a little kingdom that was ruled by the father. He ruled over wife ,children, grand children and servants-everyone in the household." Imagine your last family re-union, how many babies were there. All your aunts, uncles and cousins, with all those kids! "Permit the children and do not prevent them to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Matt 19-14.
Baptism: the new mark of Gods people
Jesus was presented at the Temple on the eighth day of His life,( Gen 17:12),and also was circumcised(Luke 2:21-24), which was Gods mark upon the Jew,(what is born of the flesh, flesh is). Col 2:11-12:"...in whom also you were circumcised with a circumcism not handwrought by the putting off of the body of the flesh, but by the circumcism of Christ, co-buried with him in the baptism, in whom also you were co-raised through the faith in the operation of God..." Here Paul calls baptism the "circumcism of Christ" and as replacing the circumcism of the flesh. Since this was on or about the eighth day of life, those children didn't know what was going on either, and bible christians do not baptise their children for just that reason. But still it was done, first circumcism, as commanded by God to Abraham; now baptism commanded by Jesus Christ to all, and so the" circumcism of Christ "is done soon after birth by all Christian parents, pledging their child thru the circumcism of Christ to Christ just as children of the OT were also pledged to God.
One can see thru the right reading of scripture that bible christians need to become Bible Christians and believe and use all of the inerrant word of God.
May God open their eyes, strenghten our hearts and pour His graces upon us. Amen.