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III.
The Way to Christ
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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.
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.
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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