John 3:5- What does it mean to be born of water and Spirit?

I was talking with my good friend Nate who raised a question concerning the birth of water and Spirit spoken of in John 3:5. I believe that the birth of water and Spirit that Jesus spoke of is Christian baptism. The Greek construction of this passage lends support to this belief.

I will give the construction of the Greek text of John 3:5 and then translate it.

"απεκριθη Ιησους, Αμην αμην λεγω σοι, εαν μη τις γεννηθη εξ υδατος και πνευματος, ου δυναται εισελθειν εις την βασιλειαν του θεου."

"Jesus answered, 'I certainly tell you, if one should not be born of water and the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.' "

The significance of the Greek construction is that the preposition "ek," which means out of, is not stated twice in the sentence; both before "water" and then also before "spirit." Instead, "ek" is used only once and then followed by both "water and spirit." To illustrate this distinction think of it like this: The passage does NOT read "...be born out of water and out of the Spirit" but it DOES read, "...be born out of water and the Spirit." When the preposition in Greek is followed by two objects it "may indicate that the author considered both objects as an undivided unit" (Young 87). David Black puts it this way, "Because a preposition tends to be repeated before each noun in a serious of nouns...sometimes the non-use of a second or third preposition ...may be significant, indicating that the writer regarded the terms in one list as belonging together in concept or reality." Black actually lists John 3:5 as an example and says that, " 'water and Spirit' together form a single means of regeneration" (87).

To sum it up, the birth talked about in John 3:5 is one birth that is composed of two elements: water and Spirit. Other passages in the New Testament shed light on a spiritual birth that is composed of both water and the Spirit. Acts 2:38 describes an event in which water and the Holy Spirit are combined in a single act to bring life, "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." Baptism is immersion, if you disagree refer to the word study I wrote on baptism. Titus 3:5 says, "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." The word for washing in this passage is "loutros" (λουτρος) which referred to a washing of the entire body.

I hope this is helpful and free of confusion but if it is confusing let me know and I will try my best to clear things up.
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Bibliography

Black, David Alan. It's Still Greek to Me. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998.

Young, Richard A. Intermediate New Testament Greek. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994.