Things That Differ: New Birth, Eternal Life, Quickening, Sealing, Salvation, The Old
Arthur Copeland Brown
Table of Contents
Addendum
The Old Man and the Old Nature
Although intimately related, the Scriptures distinguish a real difference between the old man and the old nature. “Our old man” is referred to just three times and in the past tense, as having been dealt with once for all on the cross when Christ was made sin for us, who by nature were the children of wrath even as others. Quoting from the most faithful translation of J.N.D.: “Our old man has been crucified with Him” (Rom. 6:6); “Your having put off ... the old man” (Eph. 4:22); “Having put off the old man” (Col. 3:9). There are other passages which also refer to it, such as Col. 2:11, “Ye have been circumcised with circumcision not done by hand ... in the circumcision of the Christ”; He was “made sin for us” (2 Cor. 5:21). The Israelites were circumcised but once after they crossed the river Jordan, at Gilgal. What about our old nature? It remains in us unchanged as long as we are here. Therefore we need constantly to return to Gilgal, as it were, to be in the very presence of God in earnest self-searching prayer and deep self-judgment, realizing our absolute need of strength in the Lord and the power of His might (Eph. 6:10) and that we might have “no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3 and Col. 3:5), as “the flesh profiteth nothing” (John 6:63). Thus the Christian has two distinct natures, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). So they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:8). The allowance of either nature disallows the other (Gal. 5:16-17). Notice, the new nature is entirely dependent upon the power of the Holy Spirit.
New Birth, Eternal Life, Quickening, Sealing, Salvation, the Old Man and the Old Nature
Introduction
The church at large has lost the ability to distinguish between these things that differ. Furthermore, the most privileged remnant has well-nigh slipped into a state of unconcern.
Due to cloudiness, some say: “It is error,” or “hairsplitting,” or “non-essential,” or “that there are things more profitable,” or “it had better be avoided as it can only cause strife,” and thus they lay it aside. For them it sounds strange and too deep (see 1 Cor. 2:10).
For those who are concerned, this paper is written for help and not for strife.
For over fifty years (1830-1880) the ablest teachers amongst the remnant taught the distinction clearly. Their writings continue with us and are unexcelled.
The first to deviate in the early eighties was F. W. G. who has misled the multitude of evangelicals by his popular system of equivalence. One writes of his teaching: “the delicate distinctions of scripture disappear. We find ‘born again,’ ‘quickening,’ ‘eternal life,’ used by the author interchangeably in an undefined way ... as if they were synonymous terms.” “The distinctions between ‘eternal life’ as used in the synoptic Gospels, and as used in the Gospel of John are ignored” (W. J. Lowe, London, 1885).
That which peculiarly characterizes the Gospel of John is its anticipation of the special truths of Christianity—such as the finished work of Christ on the cross, His glorification on high, the Holy Spirit given by the Father and the believer having eternal life.
New Birth
What has one to do with his own natural birth? Surely nothing. What can he do about spiritual birth? The answer is the same. It is of God exclusively. “Of His own will begat He us with the word of Truth (James 1:18). “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 born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). “Born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God” (1 John 5:1), “As many as received Him ... were born of God” (John 1:12-13).
Thus the Holy Spirit is the power that uses the seed, the word, to impart an entirely new and distinct life to dead souls. Such is the positive side of this truth.
But there is the negative side also: that the need of new birth spells the worthlessness of the natural life—including the most cultivated religious flesh. “Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity” (Psa. 39:5). “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:8). “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit” (John 3:6).
Nicodemus, the teacher of Israel, overlooked this truth in Ezekiel 36:24-26. The Lord calls it “earthly things” as it pertains to Israel’s future kingdom blessings on earth.
It is new birth that gives divine life to every one of the household of faith in every dispensation.
But “that which is born of the Spirit” is not the same as the Spirit Himself indwelling the Christian. The one is the new life imparted by the Spirit; but the other is the Spirit personally making His abode in the one to whom He has imparted life. And this was not true of the saints of old before redemption was accomplished and the Lord was glorified.
It will be helpful to see that what the Lord spoke about in John 3:1-11, which He calls “earthly things,” is in contrast to what follows which He calls “heavenly things.” Based upon the finished work of redemption, v. 14, He introduced for the first time the glorious truth of heavenly love and the eternal life of the Christian.
Eternal Life
Prior to this, “life for evermore” (Psa. 133:3), “everlasting life” (Dan. 12:2), and “everlasting life” or “eternal life” (in the first three Gospels) invariably looks on to the future earthly kingdom.
In the Gospel of John, we get the Christian revelation of the term “eternal life” in connection with the work of redemption completed, the Lord glorified, the holy Spirit indwelling the Christian, in relationship with the Father.
“This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent” (John 17:3). This does not merely mean that we that we have life that lasts forever. Nor does it particularly refer to our first meeting of the Savior, as stressed by some evangelists. It embraces not only this but far more. It is the life of God enjoyed in communion with the Father and the Son by the indwelling Holy Spirit. “We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal Life.” “His Son Jesus Christ” is “That eternal life” and “God has given to us eternal life and this life is in His Son.” We have it not separate from Him (1 John 1:2; 5:11,13,20). We will enter into it fully in the glory (Titus 1:2; 3:7; Jude 21). It is the abundant life and liberty of the Christian (John 10:9-10) and enlarged upon in Romans 8. We are also members of Christ’s body espoused to be His heavenly bride. All this is distinctive of Christianity.
Quickening
This term is used in several different ways. In the O.T. it is used 14 times (11 Times in Psa. 119) with the sense of reviving (energizing by God’s word and Spirit) the godly saint. In the N. T. it is also used 14 times, but as the act of imparting life out of death. It is ever God’s prerogative. “God who quickeneth the dead” (Rom. 4:17), “The Father quickeneth,” “The Son quickeneth” (John 5:21), ‘It is the Spirit that quickeneth” (John 6:36). It is used as to resurrection (Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 15:45; 1 Pet. 3:18).
It is in a special way used as associating us with Christ in resurrection “quickened together with Him” (Col. 2:13; see John 20:22), and as identifying us with Christ in the heavenlies, “Quickened together with Christ ... raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ” (Eph. 2:5-6).
The Holy Spirit quickens dead souls but He seals living believers.
Sealing
At the river Jordan the Holy Spirit descended like a dove upon God’s beloved Son, sealing Him (John 6:27) and anointing Him (Acts 10:38). There was no redemption needed in His case.
“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). “Therefore having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear” (Acts 2:33).
With us it is “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, which is the earnest of our inheritance” (Eph. 1:13-14). “Sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). “Hath anointed us ... Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Cor. 1:21-22). The seal marks us as His. The anointing gives us understanding, Christ’s character, guidance and power. The earnest assures us as to our future inheritance.
“If any one have not the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Him” (Rom. 8:9 J.N.D. transl.). “Not of Him” means that such has not Christ’s character.
Salvation
“Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9) exclusively, entirely by the Savior alone. The “eternal salvation” of the soul is deliverance from God’s righteous judgment of the sinner and his sins. “the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11). “The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom. 1:16).
“Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). “For by grace are ye saved through faith” (Eph. 2:8). “Who hath saved us” (2 Tim. 1:9).
Cornelius, the Gentile, like Job, the Gentile, had divine life just the same as had all the O.T. saints (Acts 10:1-2,34-35). But not until he believed the gospel delivered by Peter as recorded in the verses that follow was he “saved” (Acts 11:14).
Conclusion
To sum up briefly these five truths:
Quickening is the imparting of life to dead souls according to God’s sovereign prerogative.
New Birth commences by the act of quickening and has to do with the new nature in contrast to the Adamic fallen nature.
Salvation. My soul is saved when I believe the gospel that Christ took my guilty place, died for my sins and was raised for my justification.
Sealing by the Holy Spirit’s indwelling takes place as soon as the soul believes the gospel of its salvation.
Eternal Life is divine life in enjoyed relationship by the power of the Holy Spirit, as based upon the accomplished redemption and glorification of God’s beloved Son.
In closing, an illustration of some of these truths may help. Let us suppose a dead man lying on a couch. Several large bags of sand are placed across his chest. Does he feel it? So one dead in sins does not feel the burden of his sins. But if life returned he would immediately feel wretched and powerless in his vain struggle to get rid of the great weight and perhaps cry for help. Such is the one in Romans 7. He has life but not deliverance or the Holy Spirit. Not until a strong man comes and removes the weight does he give a sigh of relief and thanksgiving to the one who delivered him. He now can arise and walk as a newly freed man. So with the Christian; Christ hath made us free.