181. The internal man is first regenerated by the Lord, and the external afterwards, the external by means of the internal. For the internal man is regenerated by thinking the thoughts of faith and charity, but the external by living in accordance with them. This is what is meant by the Lord's words:
Unless one is born of water and spirit, one cannot enter the kingdom of God. John 3:5.
Water in the spiritual sense means the truth of faith, and spirit means living in accordance with it.
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