Answers to Correspondents.
By R. F. C.
1. How many births are spoken of in the Bible. 1. There is one literal birth. Another event analogous to this is, by a figure, called a birth. To be born again implies a second birth; so there are two events, at least, designated as births. The first or literal birth introduces us to the present life; the second is necessary to the future life in the kingdom of Heaven. The resurrection is a birth from the dead (Col. 1:18, Acts 26:23, Isa. 66:8); therefore if there are but two births, the resurrection is the second. But the resurrection is prefigured at conversion in which the sinner becomes dead to sin, is buried in the likeness of Christ’s death, and rises from the emblematic grave in the likeness of Christ’s resurrection and his own. Rom. 6:3–9. Here commences the Christian life, which, if persevered in, the person will be accounted worthy of a real resurrection, like that of Christ (Rom. 6:5), and thus being born from the dead, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven. We think that born, in 1 John 3:9; 5:1, 18 &c., should be begotten, and begotten, in Rev. 1:5, should be born, as rendered by Campbell and others. 2. We think it possible for a believer in Christ to sin, but he ought not. The apostle writes to believers that they “sin not.” But still he adds, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father.” Chap. 2:1. The rule is not to sin. Sin is out of harmony with the profession of faith in Christ. The Christian professes to be “dead to sin,” and if he continues to live in sin, he gives the lie to his profession. Yet if through ignorance or weakness he is overtaken in a sin, the apostle would not have him give up in discouragement. There is still hope; he has an advocate with the Father. In regard to harmonizing the Scriptures, it makes a wide difference with us whether we desire to find the harmony. I desire to find the harmony, because from general principles I am convinced of their truth. I take it that you too desire to see them harmonize; otherwise, if you seek to find contradictions you will have them, at least in your own imagination, spite of all that may be said. We can see from what has been quoted that the apostle thought it possible for believers to sin. He wrote to them to advise them not to do it. Therefore when he affirms that he that is begotten of God cannot sin, we are not to understand him to deny the possibility, but to teach that a life of sin is not at all consistent with the Christian profession—that he that is begotten of God has renounced sin. To illustrate: Invite a temperance man to take a glass of alcoholic liquor. His answer is, “No, sir; I cannot do it.” He does not mean to deny the possibility. He could drink; but he is bound by his profession not to drink. Now one might contend that the temperance man cannot swallow, while others contend as stoutly that he is a liar. But a sensible and kind interpretation of his language neither makes him a liar, nor makes him affirm the utter impossibility of his drinking. So a friendly interpretation of the apostle finds no contradiction, though it be possible for a Christian to return to sin and utterly renounce his profession. 3. We really see no difficulty in, nor see how any one can object to, the fact that Christ was foreordained before the foundation of the world, or that he was manifest in these last times for all those who by him believe in God, who raised him from the dead. This leaves all free to believe. And in Rom. 8:29, 30, nothing is affirmed of certain ones being foreordained or predestinated to salvation and others to damnation. When Christ arose from the dead he was the first-born among many brethren; for “many of the bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection,” Matt. 27:52, and “when he ascended up on high, he led a multitude of captives.” Eph. 4:8, margin. In order that he might be the first-born among many brethren, it was necessary for God to select certain ones from among those who slept in Christ to the honor of being “conformed to the image of his Son,” or raised and glorified with Christ at that time. But to be glorified they must first be justified before the general judgment of the saints, at the cleansing or justification of the sanctuary at the closing up of probation. This does no injustice to the rest of the saints, those who were not raised at that time. They are not predestinated to damnation. They, too, will come forth at the second advent of Christ, and will then be glorified, having their bodies changed, and “fashioned like unto his glorious body.” For further light on this subject see Answers to Correspondents in REVIEW of Feb. 25. Another correspondent wishes our opinion, 1. On the meaning of being born of water and of the Spirit. John 3:5. 2. Wishes us to parse the nouns water and Spirit. 1. We believe that our Saviour meant to teach that in order for a person to enter into the kingdom of God he must be truly converted—must be begotten or regenerated by “the word of truth,” James 1:18, the “incorruptible seed” of “the word of God,” 1 Pet. 1:23, must purify his soul in obeying the truth, repenting of his sins—turning from his transgressions of the law of God to obedience—must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, by whose resurrection he is begotten to the hope of a future life through the resurrection from the dead, 1 Pet. 1:3, must receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), the earnest or pledge of the fulfillment of the promises (Eph. 1:13, 14); this Spirit must “dwell” in him, and if it does, it will finally quicken or make alive his mortal body (Rom. 8:11), and thus he will be “born from the dead,” as Jesus was (Col. 1:18), and thus enter into the immortal life in the kingdom of God. Without this change from corruption to incorruption no one can inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 15:50–54. From what we have said it will be seen that we do not believe in “water regeneration,” but in a regeneration, a renewing of the mind, by the Spirit of God, the final result of which will be a change of the body into the likeness of Christ’s glorified body. See Phil. 3:21. The birth from the dead will consummate the regeneration or recreation of the people of God. But as this grand result is emblemized or prefigured by baptism, we incline to the belief that this is alluded to, as being born of water. 2. We can see no special importance in parsing these words, but to comply with the request we will say that water is a common noun, of the third person, singular number, neuter gender, objective case, and governed by the preposition of. Spirit is parsed in like manner, except that it is a proper noun, denoting the Spirit of God. A third correspondent asks for an exposition of 1 John 3:9, and Isa. 66:8, with some views on the new birth. He will please gather up what has been suggested in the preceding replies, remembering that the Greek word for begetting and bringing forth or giving birth is the same. “Spoken of men, to beget, generate, Matt. 1:2–16, and other places; of women, to bring forth, bear, give birth to, Luke 1:13, 57, and others.”—Greenfield. In the interpretation of figurative language the analogy must not be forgotten. The believer in Christ is begotten of God by the word of truth as seed sown in the heart. 1 John 5:1; James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23. This seed remaining in his heart prevents him from sin; 1 John 3:9; for sin would render it abortive. By the resurrection of Christ, an event which the word of the truth of the gospel has caused him to believe, he is begotten to a lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible beyond the resurrection of the saints, 1 Pet. 1:3, 4; 1 Cor. 15:52–54, and is “waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” Rom. 8:23. When that event comes, the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead will make alive his mortal body; Rom. 8:11; the Spirit which in the beginning moved upon the face of the waters and brought order out of chaos, will, by its mighty power, make the earth to bring forth in a day, and a nation (God’s peculiar people, 1 Pet. 2:9) will be born at once. Isa. 66:8. This birth to a future and immortal life is made necessary by the Scriptures in order to have a part in the everlasting kingdom of God.