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The New Birth

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 20, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 51.

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The New Birth

By HOK SIN

HOK SIN
“Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” John 3:7. This new birth is the most important thing that a believer in Christ should obtain; it is the door of salvation. If a man hears the gospel for many years, but has not yet been born again, he has no part in the kingdom of heaven. “Except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3.
Search the Scriptures, and you will see that man from his childhood is evil, and that every imagination of his heartis evil continually. See Gen. 8:21; 6:5. When a man already has evil imaginations in his heart, they are sure to appear on the surface and be revealed in his actions. “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” Matt. 12:34, 35.
When a man has evil desires sown in his heart, he will certainly bring forth evil fruit. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Gal. 6:7, 8. See also Gal. 5:19-21. This kind of man, who does evil, abides in death; for it is written: “And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Eph. 2:1. Being dead, if he would obtain the kingdom of God, he must surely be born again.
But man of himself can not be born again. He can not rise up from death and perform any work. A man living in the midst of sin has no power in himself to bring about the new birth and serve God. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Rom. 8:7.
Whence does man obtain the new birth? “But as many as received him, to them gave he 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.” John 1:12, 13.
He obtains it from Christ; for, “If ye know that he [Christ] is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.” 1 John 2:29.
He obtains it from the Spirit. Jesus answered, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of God.” John 3:5.
God uses many ways to cause a man to be born again, but that which he is always sure to use, is his true gospel, not a false gospel. “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.” James 1:18; see also 1 Peter 1:23.
Brethren, the Bible is the true gospel, a shining gospel that can not be destroyed. God uses it to cause us to be born again. Therefore we should always search the Scriptures to see whether the gospel which we have received agrees with the Bible. If it is based, even a very little, upon the ideas of men, then it is not the true gospel. I hope we may all search the Scriptures until we find the true gospel of God.
When a man has been born again, by what name is he called in the Bible? “Wherefore if any man is in Christ, there is a new creation.” 2 Cor. 5:17. “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” Col. 3:10; see also Gal. 6:15. The Bible tells us that God created Adam after his own likeness. Gen. 1:26, 27. At that time man’s heart was good, but after Adam’s fall into sin, man’s heart became evil. Gen. 6:5.
When God causes us to be born again, it is as if he recreates us and gives us a good heart just like the one Adam had when he was created; therefore he calls a man who has been born again, “a new creation.”
He is one raised from the dead. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved): and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Eph. 2:4-6; see also Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12.
Previously we obeyed the lusts of the flesh and did that which we should not, but now we must obey the Holy Spirit and walk according to his commands, “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.” Rom. 8:4, 5.
What does a man who has been born again receive?
“A new heart also will I give you.” Eze. 36:26, first part.
“And I will put a new spirit within you.” Eze. 11:19.
“And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Eph. 4:24.
“But as many as received him, to them gave he 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.” John 1:12, 13.
How does a man walk who has been born again?
The following scriptures will show:—
“We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not.” 1 John 5:18.
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.” 1 John 5:4. Our overcoming of the world is not by making use of battle-ships, large guns, or great strength, but by using good to overcome the evil of the world.
“We know that we have passed from death into life, because we love the brethren.” 1 John 3:14.
What is the proof of the new birth?—Love for the brethren (1 John 3:15, 16, 23); obedience to God and trust in him (Rom. 8:4, 14-16); peace with God. 1 John 3:19-22.
Thus we see the importance of the new birth. And not only can we be assured of having been born again, because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, but our actions will manifest the fact to others.
Brethren, let us all examine our hearts, that we may know whether we have been really born again or not. If we have, then we may be glad, and if we have not yet obtained the new birth, let us quickly ask the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts and cause us to be born again.
And those who have already been born again should not think that this is sufficient, but should, “as new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” 1 Peter 2:2. Then we may be one with Christ and bring forth the “fruit of the Spirit,” “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Gal. 5:22, 23.