Correspondence: New Birth and Possession of the Holy Spirit

 •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 7
Question 112:
(A) Please make clear what it means: “Ye must be born again.” What is the new birth?
(B) Does the Holy Spirit come when one has just received the new birth, or does He come later?
(C) How can one be sure he has the Holy Spirit?
(D) Will the Holy Spirit keep evil thoughts away? G. R.
Answer: (A) John 1:12, 13; 3:3-712But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12‑13)
3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5Jesus 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 God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:3‑7); James 1:1818Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18); 1 Peter 1:2323Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:23). These scriptures teach us that “new birth” is a new life and nature, communicated by the Holy Spirit working in the soul by the Word of God, whereby the soul is able to see and enter into the things of God. Without this operation of the Spirit we could not participate in the things of God (1 Cor. 2:1414But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)). Without it we are spiritually dead (John 5:2525Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (John 5:25)). One that is born again begins to feel his need of a better life, has desires after better things, and is ready to own that he is a sinner against God. Here is where we see the new life begun in the soul.
But the “new birth” does not give peace with God. We do not look within to get this; we must look at the finished work of Christ and believe that He died for our sins. John 3:14-1614And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:14‑16) shows that, as the bitten Israelites looked to the brazen serpent on the pole and lived, so the sinner must look to the Son of Man lifted up on the cross, a sacrifice for sin, and in that work of atonement see the love of God, giving eternal life to whosoever believeth on Christ. God raised Christ from the dead to prove His acceptance of that work, and by believing it “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 4:23; 5:123Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; (Romans 4:23)
1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)).
The Holy Spirit is not given to us because we are born again, but because we believe the gospel of our salvation (Eph. 1:1313In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13)). Cornelius and his house were pious Gentiles, their prayers and alms were accepted of God (Acts 10:1-31There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. 3He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. (Acts 10:1‑3)); this is proof that they were born again; but it was when they believed the gospel that the Holy Spirit fell upon them (Acts 10:43-4443To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 44While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. (Acts 10:43‑44); John 7:3939(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:39)). The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in the believer, witnessing that he is washed in the blood of Christ (Heb. 10:14-1514For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, (Hebrews 10:14‑15)). The reason, therefore, that some who are born of God are not sealed by the Spirit, must be, that they have not believed the gospel of their salvation (Eph. 1:1313In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13)).
If we believe God’s Word, we must believe that we have received the Holy Spirit. We know that our sins are forgiven and that we are children of God, and that we have eternal life, because the Word of God says so and in the same way we know the Holy Spirit dwells in us. His love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us (Rom. 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)). The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, and we say “Abba, Father,” by the Spirit (Rom. 8:15-1715For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:15‑17)).
The Holy Spirit is the power of the new life (Rom. 8:22For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)), our power for living for Christ. But He does not direct us to look at ourselves. We are to look off to Jesus. We know the flesh is in us and always will be while we are in this world (John 3:66That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)). So we are taught that the old man is crucified with Christ, and we are to reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom. 6:6,116Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6)
11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:11)). The Holy Spirit dwelling in us desires to occupy us with Christ, and in this way we are to overcome evil in our thoughts and ways. The moment we get the Lord Jesus before our minds, our evil thoughts and Satan also flee away. Walking in the Spirit is occupation with Christ, and the fruit of the Spirit grows from this. (Gal. 5:16,22-23,2516This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22‑23)
25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)).
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