0351. How We Become Children

How We Become Children

"As many as received Him, to them gave He the power to become the children of God, even to as many as believed on His name; who were born * * of God" (Joh_1:12-13).

We are children of God by birth. There is no other way to become real children. We are born of God. We are partakers of the Divine nature.

When Christ was conceived of Mary, the power of the Highest overshadowed her; when we are born of God, the power of the Highest overshadows us. We are begotten of the Holy Spirit. Our life is not the old nature refined, or polished, or changed–we have a new nature, distinct from the nature of the flesh. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

In the strictest sense we are not regenerated, but merely generated. "Re" means again, and while we are born the second time, the old nature is not reborn, but a new nature is born.

The Bible word is "generation." "Who shall declare His generation?" is answered by "Ye are a chosen generation."

We may not understand the new birth, we cannot explain it. We know, however, that when we received Him, we were born again. We know that the new birth was not of the flesh, nor of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God. If man had anything to do with the new birth, we would not be called children of God, nor would we have a nature that is created in "righteousness and true holiness." All of God’s children bear the title of "B. A." They are "born again" ones

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR