Question 29: Could not a person be truly reborn even before he is baptized, since water baptism -...

Question 29: Could not a person be truly reborn even before he is baptized, since water baptism - as you yourselves will not deny - does not insure the true, spiritual rebirth?

Answer: Adam was created in Paradise in the image of God. When he was disobedient to his God, he lost his divine stature and had to accept the curse and death because of his disobedience. Therefore, a person may, of course, have attained a goodly proportion of rebirth before water baptism. But unless he becomes ever more obedient and humble, he may very easily lose again that which he had previously attained. The food of the new creation, then, for its sustenance and growth, is true obedience to the Lord Jesus. If they do not eat this food - which is indeed the food of the new creation (John 4:34) - but eat the food of the serpent - which is disobedience in manifold wisdom and cleverness against the Word - then the same thing will happen to them as happened to Adam in Paradise. Since, then, water baptism is commanded by Christ, each reborn person must humble himself in obedience and fulfill this righteousness.