Section 3

The Way to Christ

Chapter 20.

Conversion, or the New Birth

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 God." 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 God." Verse 5.

4. With what comparison did He illustrate 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 passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." 1 John 3:14.

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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 multitude 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 God; 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 associated 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 God 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 chastisement 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 passed 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 circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, 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.

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16. Through what instrumentality is conversion wrought?
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, 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 glass 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 God? 
"If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that everyone that doeth righteousness is born of Him."   "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." 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 God." 1 John 5:1.

20. What do those born of God not do?
"We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." Verse 18.

21. What indwelling power keeps such from sinning?
"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." 1 John 3:9. See I John 5:4; Gen. 39:9.

22. What will be the experience of those born of the Spirit?
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:1.

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