BORN OF THE SPIRIT

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 14, 1892

BORN OF THE SPIRIT.

PAUL declares that mankind by nature are "the children of wrath," because they are "sons of disobedience." Eph. 2:2, 3, Revised Version. By the power of God their nature may become so changed that they become "the sons of God" in this life. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." 1 John 3:2. This change is wrought through faith. Gal. 3:26. This moral change which is wrought in man is indicated by various terms and figures. One is that of adoption. The man has changed fathers and families. He no longer belongs to the same household. Another term which indicates the radical change is that of creation. This term likewise shows the power which wrought. "Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature [margin, "there is a new creation"]." 2 Cor. 5:17, Revised Version. "We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." Eph. 2:10; Col. 3:10.

Another term is "begotten of God," "begotten of the word," "born of the Spirit." James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23; John 3:3-5. See Revised Version. The different terms are used to denote the different agencies. God through his word begets us; it is by the power of his Spirit in that word that the change is wrought. God puts his Spirit within us, and that creates within us a new heart, and puts within us a

new Spirit. Eze. 36:26, 27. We know that it is claimed by many that the new birth is the change which takes place at the resurrection. But by nature we are born sons of earthly fathers, children of wrath; we become sons of God by being begotten by his word and born of his Spirit. But all these various figures and symbols and terms used are not designed to show absoluteness in every particular line. Nicodemus tried to force this meaning into our Saviour's words. John 3:4. The words simply show that a moral change as actual as though a man were born again takes place in the individual by the power of God.

But what of the change at the resurrection? is not that necessary to fit us for the kingdom of God? asks one. Yes, it is; but the moral change having taken place, the other is assured. God counts the man as much, his son as though he were immortalized, and counts the body of corrupt flesh dead as though it had been laid aside forever. "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." Rom. 8:9-11.

It is character alone that is of worth in God's sight. That character must be obtained here by faith in Christ. By faith we put on the righteousness of God; by faith we hold it and walk in it, and the righteousness of God is life to us; it is a pledge of the life to come. And as Christ, in whom was the righteousness of God, could not be held by the grave, or mortal flesh (Acts 2:24), so those who are the sons of God, having by faith in Christ put on God's righteousness, cannot be held by mortality, any more than was Christ. The moral change includes all others. It is the one necessary thing, because it does include in itself all others. This change, wrought by the mysterious power of the Spirit of God in ways utterly incomprehensible to the yet carnal mind of the proud Pharisee, was the great thought which our Lord set before Nicodemus. Back of and underlying the erroneous ideas of the kingdom held by the Jews, were their erroneous views of righteousness, and how it was to be obtained. Did our Saviour's words to Nicodemus in John 3:3-5 include the change at the resurrection?—They did; for the change from the fleshly life, the carnal character, to the spiritual included all.