Conversion, Or The New Birth
[Ill.u.s.tration.]
Christ And Nicodemus. "Ye must be born again." John 3:7.
1. How did Jesus emphasize the necessity of conversion?
"Verily I say unto you, _Except ye be converted_, and become as little children, _ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven_." Matt. 18:3.
2. In what other statement did He teach the same truth?
"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, _Except a man be born again_, he cannot see the kingdom of G.o.d." John 3:3.
3. How did he further explain the new birth?
"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, _Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit_, he cannot enter into the kingdom of G.o.d." Verse 5.
4. With what comparison did He ill.u.s.trate the subject?
"_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 every one that is born of the Spirit_." Verse 8.
5. What change is wrought in conversion, or the new birth?
"Even when we were dead in sins, hath _quickened_ us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)." Eph. 2:5.
6. What is one evidence of this change from death to life?
"We know that we have pa.s.sed from death unto life, because _we love the brethren_. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." 1 John 3:14.
7. From what is a converted sinner saved?
"Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from _death_, and shall hide a mult.i.tude of sins."
James 5:20. See Acts 26:14-18.
8. To whom are sinners brought by conversion?
"Create in me a clean heart, O G.o.d; and renew a right spirit within me....
Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be _converted unto Thee_." Ps. 51:10-13.
9. In what words to Peter did Jesus indicate the kind of service a converted person should render to his brethren?
"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and _when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren_." Luke 22:31, 32.
10. What other experience is a.s.sociated with conversion?
"For this people"s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be _converted_, and I should _heal them_." Matt.
13:15.
11. What gracious promise does G.o.d make to His people?
"_I will heal their backsliding_, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him." Hosea 14:4.
12. By what means is this healing accomplished?
"He [Christ] was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastis.e.m.e.nt of our peace was upon Him; and _with His stripes we are healed_." Isa. 53:5.
13. What takes place when one is converted to Christ?
"Wherefore if any man is in Christ, _he is a new creation_: the old things are pa.s.sed away; behold, they are become new." 2 Cor. 5:17, R. V., margin.
See Acts 9:1-22; 22:1-21; 26:1-23.
14. What is the value of merely outward forms?
"For in Christ Jesus _neither circ.u.mcision availeth anything, nor uncirc.u.mcision_, but a new creature." Gal. 6:15.
15. Through what was the original creation wrought?
"_By the word of the Lord_ were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth." Ps. 33:6.
16. Through what instrumentality is conversion wrought?
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, _by the word of G.o.d_, which liveth and abideth forever." 1 Peter 1:23.
17. What change is wrought by beholding Jesus?
"But we all with open face beholding as in a gla.s.s the glory of the Lord, are _changed into the same image_ from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Cor. 3:18.
NOTE.-A beautiful statue once stood in the market-place of an Italian city. It was the statue of a Greek slave girl. It represented the slave as tidy and well dressed. A ragged, uncombed little street child, coming across the statue in her play one day, stopped and gazed at it in admiration. She was captivated by it.
She gazed long and lovingly. Moved by a sudden impulse, she went home and washed her face and combed her hair. Another day she stopped again before the statue and admired it, and got a new idea. Next day her tattered clothes were washed and mended. Each time she looked at the statue she found something in its beauties to admire and copy, until she was a transformed child. By beholding we become changed.
18. What are the evidences that one has been born of G.o.d?
"If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that _every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him_." "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of G.o.d; and _every one that loveth is born of G.o.d_, and knoweth G.o.d." 1 John 2:29; 4:7.
19. What is true of every one who believes in Jesus?
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is _born of G.o.d_." 1 John 5:1.
20. What do those born of G.o.d not do?
"We know that _whosoever is born of G.o.d sinneth not_; but he that is begotten of G.o.d keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not."
Verse 18.
21. What indwelling power keeps such from sinning?