1:231 Peter 1:23

Being born again means receiving new spiritual life not from perishable human origin but from imperishable seed by God's living word that lives and abides forever.RH Jul 25, 1907+2 That imperishable seed is Christ Himself, the living Word, brought in the gospel that is preached.AA 519.3–520.2+2 As natural seed holds the life that reproduces its kind, every command and promise holds God's own life and power to reproduce His character in whoever receives it by faith.COL 37.1–38.2 This birth comes when the Holy Spirit impresses that truth on the heart to convince and awaken it, and the word must then be taken in, cherished, practiced, and obeyed from the heart.AA 519.3–520.2+4 Its genuine fruit is a soul purified from malice, deceit, and evil habits, made holy and partaker of the divine nature, showing itself in unfeigned fervent love for others and growing to eternal life.RH Jul 25, 1907+4

The new birth comes not from perishable seed but from imperishable seed, by the living word of God that lives and abides forever.RH Jul 25, 1907+4 That birth is joined to obeying the truth through the Spirit, purifying the soul, and loving fellow believers sincerely and fervently.RH Jul 25, 1907+4 Received and made part of a person's life, the Word produces faith that works through love and cuts away inherited evil tendencies and cultivated faults of character.ST May 20, 1897+1 Being born again through God's incorruptible, living, enduring word calls believers to love one another sincerely and fervently.RH Jul 25, 1907+2

The imperishable word is Christ, the living Word of God, received when divine truth becomes an abiding principle in the life.AA 519.3–520.2+2 It is also the word preached in the gospel, the channel through which God makes the Spirit and power known.AA 519.3–520.2+4 Every overcomer must undergo this decisive new birth through receiving Jesus Christ, as the Holy Spirit impresses supernatural truth on the heart, awakens new understanding, and stirs dormant powers to cooperate with God.AA 519.3–520.2+2 The Word is then received through obedience and becomes a lived experience, producing genuine brotherly love.AA 519.3–520.2+1

As every seed holds a germinating principle with the life of the plant enfolded in it, so God's word holds life, with the power and very life of God in every command and promise to fulfill the command and realize the promise.COL 37.1–38.2 Whoever by faith receives the word receives the very life and character of God.COL 37.1–38.2 As every seed brings forth fruit after its kind, the incorruptible seed received into the soul by faith brings forth a character and a life like the character and life of God.COL 37.1–38.2

Christ, who stood in the councils of God and dwelt in the innermost sanctuary, came from a higher world to communicate that seed to men and to sow truth in a world where Satan sows error.COL 37.1–38.2 Ever since the fall He has been the Revealer of truth, sowing the gospel seed beginning with the first promise to the fallen race in Eden, especially through His personal ministry among men.COL 37.1–38.2 The work of all believers is to sow the world abundantly with this incorruptible seed that gives new birth, by talking truth, praying truth, believing truth, and communicating truth everywhere.21MR 392.1

In contrast to the enduring word, all flesh is as grass that withers and all human life and glory fall as the flower, while the word of the Lord by the gospel endures forever.ST Mar 5, 1912+4 Its lasting truth also stands in contrast to worldly ambitions, plans, and purposes, which fade like grass, while God's word is to be practiced and is bound up with eternal well-being.STMW9 66.3 Faith and hope rest not in feeling but in God and His enduring Word.Lt 12, 1894, par. 14–15

The word of God is the truth and the divinely appointed instrument of salvation that encourages each person individually to look to Christ in faith for pardon and acceptance.Ms 32, 1900, par. 30–32 Christ's word is spirit and life.14MR 192.3–193.1 As truth it sanctifies those begotten with the word of truth, and God's law as truth is the standard that tests every doctrine, theory, and profession, so that one born of God does not willfully transgress God's law in thought, word, or action but respects the principles of divine government.Ms 32, 1900, par. 30–32+1 As living truth it abides forever, beyond what science and philosophy apart from it can compare with or offer.14MR 192.3–193.1+1

The new birth comes when divine truth becomes an abiding principle in the life through receiving Christ, the living and enduring Word of God.AA 519.3–520.2+2 The Holy Spirit impresses supernatural, divine truth upon the heart, awakens new understanding, and stirs dormant powers to cooperate with God.AA 519.3–520.2+2 That same Spirit convinces of sin and of righteousness and of judgment, working its transforming, soul-saving effect only through the channel of truth.Lt 12, 1894, par. 14–15 God alone imparts the Spirit and opens the heart to receive the Word, and faith itself is His gift.Lt 12, 1894, par. 14–15

The Word must be received individually by faith and made part of the life, taken in as food is eaten and absorbed, planted in the heart, cherished, and practiced in daily actions and character.ST May 20, 1897+4 Obeying every word that proceeds from the mouth of God proves the Word has been savingly received into the heart and abides within.Ms 32, 1900, par. 30–32 When it is thus taken in and made part of actions and character, it strengthens and guides, giving strength from God, lasting vigor, enduring joy, and a firm Christian experience.Lt 62, 1902, par. 9–12+1

Obedience to revealed truth through the Spirit belongs together with the new birth and with sincere, fervent love for fellow believers.Lt 51, 1902, par. 20–21+2 Receiving that imperishable seed brings conviction of sin, and through the Spirit obedience purifies the soul.Ms 17, 1891, par. 14–16+2 In bringing repentance the Spirit presents to the mind and urges upon the conscience the lessons Christ gave in the Old and New Testaments, and sanctification comes by truth planted in the heart as sin is recognized, abhorred, and overcome through grace, which a mixture of truth and error cannot give.Ms 32, 1900, par. 30–32+1

This birth is decisive, a genuine conversion and awakening to spiritual life by God's life-giving breath and heaven-born principles.Ms 63, 1900, par. 8–10+2 Mere profession of truth or attempting salvation by one's own ideas is not this birth, and without the Spirit there is only spiritual deadness and a torpid conscience.HSP 5.8+1 A corrupted experience mixed with human influence cannot produce it, and those who turn back and counsel from such mixed experience give unreliable counsel that leads to harmful decisions and misleads others.STMW10 7.4–8.1+1 Those who receive the truth need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to be transformed in character, sanctified and made pure and holy as fit vessels for the Master's use.21MR 235.4+1

Purifying the soul by obeying the truth through the Spirit is itself the new birth, and it belongs to earnest sanctification of soul, body, and spirit.19MR 237.1+4 In that sanctification Christ as the great Healer purifies, sanctifies, heals, and redeems the whole physical and spiritual nature.Ms 235, 1902, par. 12+1 Those who receive the truth are given the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and transformed in character, sanctified and made pure and holy as vessels fit for the Master's use.Lt 130, 1898, par. 32–34 Those who become doers of the convincing word are cleansed and kept from sin and pollution by the influence of the Holy Spirit, the word having been studied, received, and obeyed.21MR 216.2–4

The word thus received produces faith that works through love and purifies the soul by cutting away inherited evil tendencies and cultivated faults of character.ST May 20, 1897+2 That removal must go forward however painful the work may be, with sin recognized, abhorred, and overcome through Christ's grace.ST Mar 5, 1912+1 Malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander are to be laid aside, with desire for the sincere milk of the word in order to grow.RH Sep 18, 1900 Wicked passions, evil habits and practices, and wrong traits strengthened by habit must likewise be put away, and removing them protects the whole character from corruption and preserves a good influence on others.Lt 12, 1890, par. 64–68+2 Such sanctification cannot come from a mixture of truth and error.Lt 12, 1890, par. 64–68

The fruit of this purification is unfeigned brotherly love and fervent love for one another with a pure heart.RH Jul 25, 1907+4 It is shown in kindness, courtesy, compassion, tenderness, meekness, humility of mind, and forgiveness as Christ forgave, following His example in all things.19MR 237.1+1 Faith and hope in this life rest not in feeling but in God and His enduring word.Lt 12, 1894, par. 14–15 This love is Christian unity to be striven for, with life hid with Christ in God.19MR 237.1

Those born again become holy as He who called them is holy in all manner of life.19MR 237.1 Being born of the Spirit leads to obeying God and living in holiness, so that holding a position does not itself make anyone righteous or fit for sacred responsibility.ApRGC 24.9–12 The incorruptible seed stays in the one born of God, so that he does not commit sin in the sense of willfully transgressing God's law in thought, word, or action, but respects the principles of the divine government.ST Apr 30, 1896 God's word is truth, and God's law is the standard that tests every doctrine, theory, and profession.ST Apr 30, 1896+1 The life is shaped by perfect obedience to God's word, obeying from the heart and keeping all His commandments, which makes fit as holy and undefiled subjects for heaven and members of His royal family as children of the heavenly King.Ms 235, 1902, par. 12+1

By the word believers partake of the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world through lust.Lt 188, 1906, par. 1–4+2 With elevated minds they behold the character of Jesus to become like Him, meditate on the rich truths of the word, and turn from earth-born amusements, games, and pleasures.Ms 32, 1900, par. 30–32 Obeying every word from God's mouth proves the word has been savingly received into the heart and abides within.Ms 32, 1900, par. 30–32 Christians advance by becoming partakers of the divine nature, as truth received in the heart produces growth like seed through stages to maturity.Ms 14, 1898, par. 15 By Christ's sacrifice every provision has been made to receive all things that pertain to life and godliness, and the perfection of Christ's character makes it possible to gain perfection by knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ and by learning Christ's meekness and lowliness.14MR 351.3–4+1 So God's people can and must be sanctified soul, body, and spirit and reach the highest standard of glory and virtue as a church without spot or wrinkle.14MR 351.3–4

The living seed regenerates the heart, and when the heart is surrendered the word that seemed barren to the unrenewed mind becomes spiritual beauty and life.FE 182.2+1 Received into a mind and heart open to light, heard and carefully taken in, it must be cherished and practiced in daily life and character.RH Jun 11, 1908+2 Prayerfully received in this way it springs up and grows through successive stages, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear, unto maturity.Ms 14, 1898, par. 15+2 It bears fruit that continues to increase, and Christians advance by becoming partakers of the divine nature, with the grace received to be shared with others.Ms 14, 1898, par. 15+1

The word strengthens and guides those who obey it, and when taken in and made part of actions and character it makes them strong in God.Lt 62, 1902, par. 9–12+1 Received personally and absorbed as food is eaten, it gives strength from God, lasting vigor, and enduring joy.ST Jun 25, 1902 So practiced it develops a firm Christian experience.Lt 62, 1902, par. 9–12

Because the word lives and abides forever, its lasting truth stands in contrast to worldly ambitions, plans, and purposes that fade like grass.STMW9 66.3 It is to be practiced and is bound up with eternal well-being.STMW9 66.3 God will surely fulfill the promises given to those who remain faithful to Him, even amid destruction and death.PK 464.1 Those who stand upon it remain firm amid worldly disorder, while human calculations are exposed for what they are.Ms 126, 1899, par. 17–18

The word has regenerating power to give new life and remain enduring, and it is the means by which Christ overcame Satan.DA 257.3–258.2 It gives life through obedience to known truth, so that having known the enduring Word it is surpassingly strange weakness to yield to Satan's ingenuity and schemes.10MR 63.2+1 Rejecting its plain teaching forfeits its power to renew and protect from evil.DA 257.3–258.2 All taught of God recognize Christ as His Son, while all who disbelieve God's plain declarations join the popularity of sin and do not work on the side of life and immortality, which come through complete sanctification by the truth; unless changed in character, words, and spirit they will be lost.Ms 139, 1903, par. 29–32

Even when Satan seeks to destroy the gospel through persecution, the incorruptible word sown in human hearts lives on. The reproaches and suffering of Christ's followers then magnify Christ's name and lead souls to salvation.

The word is living and worthy of trust, giving reason to wait and watch and pray in dependence on God when workers and means are needed and not yet provided.Lt 77, 1898, par. 5–6 Victory for the tempted, tried, and burdened soul comes by firm, continual reliance and trust in God.Ms 4a, 1885, par. 31–33 The truth must regenerate the life by being planted in the heart, placing the person on God's side so that God is his defense.Ms 4a, 1885, par. 31–33 This trust continually and firmly grasps the promises by the hand of faith and stems the torrent of evil influence coming in like a flood.Ms 4a, 1885, par. 31–33

This passage is a most precious picture of what believers may become when they hear and obey, to be read in every place, studied with all powers of intelligence by fathers and mothers, contemplated, prayed over, and practiced with watchfulness and prayer until words and actions express its meaning.Lt 188, 1906, par. 1–4+1 It warns against lifting the soul to vanity and calls for daily obedience to all God's commandments, receiving Christ, partaking of the divine nature, escaping the corruption in the world through lust, and engaging in constant spiritual warfare while in this world of sin.Lt 188, 1906, par. 1–4 It belongs to the exhortation to godliness running through the first two chapters of Peter.Ms 61, 1909, par. 14

The verse stands among rich morsels from the living oracles that comfort and strengthen feeble and afflicted believers, feed poor hungry souls who seldom have preaching, show God's love bestowed in large measure on His chosen, and call those outside the faith to walk in the light shining on their pathway.Ms 2, 1892, par. 23–27 With its context it upholds the Old Testament Scriptures, including the testimony of verses 10 and 11, against the claim that they were done away with the law of God.Ms 2, 1892, par. 23–27 Its chapter gives instruction for one afflicted by the wrong course of those who should have helped, to be read, contemplated, and prayed over in distress.Lt 32, 1894, par. 2–3 It teaches the afflicted not to become exasperated, not to let feelings of the natural heart control, and not to cherish retaliation, but to commit the case wholly to Jesus who died, who knows it all, whose pitying hand reaches every suffering child, and who is sufficient for the present hour of trial.Lt 32, 1894, par. 2–3

Judas shows the need for this new birth, for despite discipleship and valuable qualities he was never converted and never experienced cleansing and change of character.20MR 148.5–7+1 He needed the transforming grace of Christ that brings new birth through incorruptible seed, but he would not yield his will and way to Christ.20MR 148.5–7+1

God's workers are to labor as a people chosen out of the world to remain forever separate from it, living in the world without being of it and kept free from its contaminating influences.Lt 220, 1903, par. 28–30 This means the relation between physicians and their brethren should be exactly as designed, with medical missionary work bound up with gospel ministry and not made the body, with medical workers molded after Christ's likeness, standing on the platform of truth uninfluenced by false theories, and laboring unitedly with church and ministers in disinterested soul-saving work.Lt 220, 1903, par. 28–30 The work of all believers is to sow the world abundantly with incorruptible truth that gives new birth, by talking truth, praying truth, believing truth, and communicating truth everywhere.21MR 392.1 When the heart is under the Holy Spirit's control, that sowing springs up to eternal life.MC 32.2

Ministers are to give hearers the living, enduring word as the bread of life, which is more valuable than personal stories that are as chaff beside wheat.Lt 61, 1896, par. 10 Being born again comes not by corruptible seed but by incorruptible seed through the word of God which lives and abides forever, for Christ's word is spirit and life.14MR 192.3–193.1 All flesh is as grass and all human glory as its flower that withers and falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever, and this enduring word is the word preached by the gospel.14MR 192.3–193.1 Preachers must let that word shape testimony rather than human opinions or ideas.Ms 15, 1888, par. 29–32 It is to be taken individually, walked by carefully without diverting attention elsewhere, and worked as a mine of hidden treasure.14MR 192.3–193.1

This new birth is required of everyone engaged in evangelistic canvassing and in office work.Lt 66, 1901, par. 6–7 Being born again comes by power of the word through obedience to the truth, purifying the soul by the Spirit into genuine brotherly love and deep love from a pure heart.Lt 66, 1901, par. 6–7 Those born again faithfully keep and live the highest, holiest principles of the word and always follow righteousness, knowing by experience what righteousness means and becoming honored sons of God who help one another.Lt 66, 1901, par. 6–7 They keep following on to know the Lord until His coming is certain as the morning, and as they keep searching the Scriptures the Holy Spirit revives the soul to understand truth not as human wisdom but as it is in Jesus.Lt 66, 1901, par. 6–7 Two canvassers are to be sent out together to help each other live it.Lt 66, 1901, par. 6–7

The convincing word must be studied, received, and obeyed, for receiving it brings conviction of sin, and those who become doers of it are cleansed and kept from sin and pollution by the influence of the Holy Spirit.21MR 216.2–4+1 Through the Spirit, obedience to the truth purifies the soul unto unfeigned love of the brethren and fervent love for one another with a pure heart, since new birth comes not from perishable things but from the imperishable seed of God's living and enduring Word.21MR 216.2–4+1 Husbands in particular are urged to receive and obey this word so they may be purified and refined and overcome wicked passions.Ms 17, 1891, par. 14–16 They are to become as a saviour in the family, uplifting wife and children, breathing a pure sweet atmosphere, and cultivating the love of Jesus as an abiding principle in the home rather than merely asserting authority.21MR 216.2–4

Those risen with Christ to walk in newness of life keep their baptismal vow, live the life of Christ in this world, partake of the divine nature, and separate from the world and its spirit and practices.Lt 32, 1907, par. 11–13 They show humility of mind, kindness, courtesy, compassion, tenderness, meekness, and forgiveness as Christ forgave, in Christian unity, so that when Christ who is their life shall appear they also will appear with Him in glory.Lt 32, 1907, par. 11–13 God's people born again through the Spirit of truth are joined to one another by the truth, and cherishing its principles shows unity with the Spirit of truth, which works through love to refine and sanctify the soul.Lt 63, 1902, par. 10 Christianity here is the word of the living God who abides forever, not merely a creed but a living, animating principle that takes possession of mind, heart, motives, and whole person to elevate and ennoble life.STMW9 57.1–2