Compiled and edited by 
David L. Mohn - 3 Mar 98

As can be seen from Jesus' own words quoted above, being born again is of utmost importance.  Jesus says we must be born of water (and spirit).  Few today question what Jesus meant by "born of spirit" but many ignore "born of water".  Since Jesus says this is a necessity "to enter the kingdom of God" then we better be very sure what he meant so that we can fulfill this requirement. 

Given here are quotations of famous Church writers and preachers taken from the first century all the way through the late 18th Century.  Perhaps it would be wise to consider their unified interpretation of Jesus' words before we choose more modern views...

Jesus  (John 3:3,5,7)
Except a man be BORN AGAIN, he CANNOT see the kingdom of God.
Except a man be BORN OF WATER and the Spirit, he CANNOT enter into the
kingdom of heaven.
You must be born again!

Justin (ca 150 a.d.)  First Apology  (Chapter 61)
Then they are BROUGHT by us to where there is WATER, and are BORN AGAIN in the
same way in which we ourselves were BORN AGAIN:  in the name of God...and of
our savior, Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they receive the WASHING WITH
WATER.  Christ said, `Except you are born again you shall not enter into the
Kingdom of Heaven.'"

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, or Miscellanies
(Chapter 26)  [citing Job 1:21 and Matt 18:3] "...also He GENERATED us from our
mother--THE WATER."

[Author uncertain] (150-250 a.d.) Recognitions of Clement [of Rome]
(Book IV, Chapter 8-9)  "this is His will: that you BE BORN ANEW BY MEANS OF
 WATER...For He who has been REGENERATED IN INCORRUPTION has made the one WHO
 IS REGENERATED BY WATER His heir.
 "when you are REGENERATED AND BORN AGAIN OF WATER and of God...you shall be
  able to attain salvation; but OTHERWISE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE!  For Jesus said,
  'unless a man is born again of water, he shall not enter into the kingdom of
  heaven.' [Jn 3:5]  ...there is IN THESE WATERS A CERTAIN POWER OF MERCY...
  souls are consecrated by baptism."  "...these WATERS, for they ALONE can
  quench the violence of the future fire, and concerning he who delays to
  approach them, it is clear that the idol of unbelief remains in him. ...the
  WATERS WHICH BESTOW SALVATION."

Tertullian, On Baptism
(Chapter 12) "WITHOUT BAPTISM, SALVATION is attainable BY NONE, chiefly on the basis of
 that declaration of the Lord, who says, `Unless one be BORN OF THE WATER, he has not
 life.'"
(Chapter 13) [Continuing the answers to objections:]
 For the LAW OF BAPTISM has been IMPOSED..." [Mt 28:19]  Jesus' own words,
 "Unless a man has been reborn of water and spirit, he shall not enter the
 Kingdom of the Heavens," [Jn 3:5] has tied faith to the NECESSITY OF BAPTISM.
 Accordingly, all thereafter who became believers used to be baptized.

Hippolytus [Irenaeus' disciple] (ca 170-236) Discourse on the Holy Theophany
8. "The Father of immortality sent the immortal Son and Word into the world, who
 came to man IN ORDER TO WASH HIM WITH WATER and the Spirit [Jn 3:5].  And He,
 BEGETTING us again to incorruption of soul and body...made us to have an incor-
 ruptible fullness. If, therefore, man has become immortal, he will also be God.
 [2 Pet 1:4; Ps 82:6]  AND IF HE IS MADE GOD BY WATER AND the Holy Spirit after
 THE REGENERATION OF THE LAVER, then..." "For this reason I preach: 'Come...to
 the IMMORTALITY OF THE BAPTISM.  ...And how shall we come?  How?  By WATER and
 the Holy Spirit.

Origen, Commentary on Romans 5:9
[After quoting Lev 12:8 and Ps 51:5] "...the church had a tradition from the
apostles, to give baptism even to infants.  For they...knew that there is in
everyone the natural stains of sin which MUST BE WASHED AWAY by the WATER AND
THE SPIRIT.  Because of these stains the body itself is called the body of sin.

John Chrysostom (329-389 ad)
Homily 25, John 3:5
 What [Jesus] declares is this: "You say that [to be born of water] is impossible, I say
 that it is so ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE as to be NECESSARY, and that it is NOT even POSSIBLE
 otherwise TO BE SAVED."

 Hear you, as many as are unILLUMINATED, shudder and groan; fearful is the THREAT, fearful
 the sentence.  "IT IS NOT (POSSIBLE)," He says, "for one NOT born of water and the Spirit,
 to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven"; because he wears the raiment OF DEATH, OF CURSING,
 OF PERDITION, he has NOT YET RECEIVED his Lord's token, he is a stranger and a foreigner,
 he HAS NOT the royal watchword. "Except a man be BORN OF WATER and of the Spirit, he can
 NOT enter into the Kingdom of Heaven."

Augustine, City of God
Bk 13, Ch 7
"For whichever UNBAPTIZED persons die, confessing Christ, this CONFESSION is as
 EFFECTIVE FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS as if they were WASHED in the sacred FONT
 OF BAPTISM.  For He who said, "Except a man be BORN OF WATER and of the Spirit,
 he CANNOT ENTER into the kingdom of God" [Jn 3:5],  made also an exception in
 their favor, in that other sentence where He no less absolutely said, "Whoever
 shall CONFESS me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is
 in heaven" [Mt 10:32]

Bk 21, Ch 27
"For what does it profit a man that he is BAPTIZED, if he is not justified?  Did
 not He who said, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he shall NOT
 enter into the kingdom of God" [Jn 3:5], say also, "Except your righteousness
 shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter
 into the kingdom of heaven?" [Mt 5:20]  Why do many through fear of the first
 saying RUN TO BAPTISM, while only a few through fear of the second seek to be
 justified [by the righteousness of faith and holy living]?

Luther
Table Talks, On Baptism
#304 - "When, in a difficult birth, the arm or leg of the baby alone comes out,
 we must not baptize that limb, under the idea that thereby the infant can
 receive baptism.  Still less can it be pretended that you baptize a child not
 yet come into the world, by pouring water on the mother.  ...John clearly shows
 that such practises are prohibited by Scripture: 'Except a man be born again,
 he cannot see the kingdom of God'.  We must not, therefore, baptize a child
 until it has actually come into the world, whole and entire.

John Wesley
Sermon 45, "The New Birth" (John 3:5,7)
2.3 The expression, "being born again" was not first used by our Lord in his
 conversation with Nicodemus.  It was well known before that time, and was in
 common use among the Jews when our Saviour appeared among them.  When an adult
 Heathen was convinced that the Jewish religion was of God, and desired to join
 therein, it was the custom to BAPTIZE him first, before he was admitted to
 circumcision.  And WHEN HE WAS BAPTIZED, he was said to be BORN AGAIN; 

4.2 the new birth is not the same thing as baptism, so it does not always
 accompany baptism.  They do not constantly go together.  A man may possibly be
 "born of water," and yet not be "born of the Spirit."  There may sometimes be
 the outward sign, where there is not the inward grace.  I do not now speak with
 regard to infants.  It is certain our Church [of England] supposes that all who
 are baptized in their infancy are at the same time born again; and it is
 allowed that the whole Office for the Baptism of Infants proceeds upon this
 supposition.