"You must be born again" is not the same as "You must be baptized." - John 3:3 - 3:6

There are those who have a curious take on this passage in order to support their contention that water baptism is required to be saved. Unfortunately for them, this passage does not teach this. It's not even about baptism at all.

We read:

Jn. 3:3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” (You've been born once already, but that is not enough to see the Kingdom)

Jn. 3:4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked.“Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” (I don't understand how I can be born again. It's impossible for my mother to give birth to me again.)

Jn. 3:5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. (Your birth of water is not spiritual rebirth, so entering your mother's womb again is not born again. Born again is of the Spirit)

Jn. 3:6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (Your birth of the flesh is not spiritual rebirth. so entering your mother's womb again is not born again. Born again is of the Spirit)

We see from this exchange that a Teacher of Israel doesn't understand being born again. In fact, a Jew would consider himself a part of God's chosen people. Just by being born he belongs to God. But along comes Jesus to explain to Nicodemus that the first birth isn't enough. He doesn't understand the second birth, he thinks it's like the first.  Thus the whole purpose of the passage is to explain to Nicodemus what born again means.

Jesus is introducing a brand new concept, the fact that his natural birth as a Jew does not mean God accepts him. It is therefore odd that the water baptism folks would drag baptism into this Scripture. Baptism is not even mentioned, and is not under discussion. The water baptizers would have Jesus talking in code about baptism.

What's worse for them, Jesus is equating water with flesh, and contrasting water/flesh with Spirit/born again. If there is water baptism here, Jesus then would be calling it flesh! So by dragging baptism into this Scripture, the baptizers make baptism fleshly, which I'm sure is not what they intend.

Peter mentions being born again:

1Pe. 1:23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

So the first birth is perishable seed, and the second birth is eternal. The perishable seed (flesh) is not born again. The perishable seed (water) is not born again. Born again is Spirit, imperishable, not natural.