Apostle Peter responded to the men of Israel who "said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Acts 2:38-39
Apostle Paul instructed those of the church at Rome, that had been baptized in water, saying, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (a Spiritual being)
"For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified (figuratively speaking) with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Romans 6:3-6
This is what Jesus meant when he told Nicodemus that his followers must be born of water (baptized in water). If they would repent and be buried with him in a symbolic watery grave they would receive the baptism of the Spirit. Meaning the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, would dwell in their mortal bodies as it did in the body of Jesus Christ. This is what he meant by being born of water and of the Spirit. This was, according to Jesus Christ, a requirement for anyone, to be one of his followers, "a True Christian."
The human being (natural man) did not have the inherent ability to control his own mind and body so that he would not sin against God's commandments.
God's Word "came unto his own and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (born of the Spirit)" John 1:11-13
Jesus informed those that would be his followers, just prior to his ascension, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses (followers) unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8
Would-be followers of Jesus Christ cannot be "True Christians" until they repent, and be baptized of the water and of the Spirit, (Holy Ghost) the same as Jesus did as our example. Jesus was buried in baptism in the river Jordan, and at that time he was baptized with the indwelling Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost.
120 converts to the early church followed his example and were all filled with the Holy Ghost in the upper room in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost after Jesus' ascension. You can read the account of this in Acts Chapter 2 for your edification and instruction.
To be a follower of Jesus Christ a "True Christian" must become a spiritual being as well as a human being. This will give you the power to overcome your fleshly lusts and cease from sin.
Apostle Paul said this is necessary, "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
"For to be carnally (human) minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the laws of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if the Spirit of Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh (human being), to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." These are the "True Christians" Romans 8:4:-14
Jesus also told Nicodemus, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3:8
This was Jesus' way of describing the evidence of one that becomes born of the Spirit. He said, "thou hearest the sound thereof." He was referring to the sound made when a person receives the Holy Ghost and they "speak in tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." See Acts 2:4
According to Jesus' own words, all "True Christians" are born of the water and of the Spirit (Receive the Holy Ghost), and automatically speak in tongues as initial evidence they have become begotten of God as spiritual beings as well as human beings.
Next week, The everyday life of a "True Christian"