IX. OF GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION
We believe (a) that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; (b) that the
new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; (c) that it is instantaneous and not
a process; (d) that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made
a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God;
(e) that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension not
by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man but wholly and solely by the
power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary
obedience to the gospel; (f) that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits
of repentance and faith and newness of life.
*** (a) John 3:3. "Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God"
*** (b) II Cor. 5:17. "Therefore if any man
be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things
are become new."
*** (c) Luke 5:27,28. "He said unto him, Follow
me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him."
I John 5:1. "Whosoever believeth that Jesus
is the Christ is born of God."
John 3:6-7. "That which is born of the flesh
is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said
unto thee, Ye must be born again."
Acts 2:41. "Then they that gladly received his
word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand
souls."
Acts 16:30-33. "And brought them out, and said,
Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him, the word of the
Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he. . . was baptized, he and all his,
straightway."
*** (d) II Pet. 1:4. "Whereby are given unto
us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of
the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
Rom. 6:23. "For the wages of sin is death; but
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord"
Eph. 2:1. "You hath he quickened, who were dead
in trespasses and sins."
II Cor. 5:19. "God was in Christ, reconciling
the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and bath committed
unto us the word of reconciliation. "
Col. 2:13. "And you, being dead in your sins
and the uncircumcision of your flesh, bath he quickened together with him, having
forgiven you all trespasses."
*** (e) John 3:8. "The wind bloweth where it
listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh,
and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit."
John 1:12-13. "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."
*** (f) Gal. 5:22. "But the fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance."
Eph. 5:9. "The fruit of the Spirit is in all
goodness and righteousness and truth."
Next: X. OF THE FREENESS OF SALVATION