Jesus was speaking about Baptism when he said, “No one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” Consider the weight of that phrase, “no one.” It is all-encompassing. The murderer, the abuser, the terrorist—if they hope to enter the kingdom of God, they need the cleansing washing that comes with Baptism. But so does the gossip, the envious, the worrier. That’s what “no one” means. The man who has lived a long life, who has 80-plus years of sin on his record, needs the saving power of Baptism. But so does the newborn infant who is not yet capable of speaking a sinful word. That’s what “no one” means. 

This is a hard teaching for people to accept. Many cannot understand how a violent criminal can be in the same moral category as a young “innocent” baby. Yet, in God’s eyes, they are, for they both were born of sinful flesh. Therefore, they both need the salvation God provides through Baptism. Today, we see that Baptism is indeed needed by all.