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"For God
so loved the
world, that He
gave His only
begotten Son,
that whosoever
believeth in
Him should not
perish, but
have eternal
life." --
John 3:16
"For ye
died, and your
life is hid
with Christ in
God. Christ is
our life."
-- Col. 3:3,4
"We
declare unto
you the life,
the eternal
life, which was
with the
Father, and was
manifested unto
us. God gave
unto us eternal
life; and this
life is in His
Son. He that
hath the Son
hath the
life." - 1
John 1:2,11,12
How glorious,
then, is the
blessing which
every one
receives that
believes in the
Lord Jesus. Not
only does there
come a change
in his
disposition and
manner of life;
he also
receives from
God out of
heaven an
entirely new
life. He is
born anew, born
of God: he has
passed from
death into
life. (John
1:12-13; 3:5,7;
5:24; 1 John
3:14; 5:1)
This new life
is nothing less
than Eternal
Life. (John
3:15-16,36;
6:40,51;
6:25-26; Romans
6:11,23; 8:2; 1
John 5:12,13)
This does not
mean, as many
suppose, that
our life shall
now no more
die, but shall
endure into
eternity. No:
eternity life
is nothing else
than the very
life of God,
the life that
He has had in
Himself from
eternity, and
that has been
visibly
revealed in
Christ. This
life is now the
portion of
every child of
God. (1 John
1:3; 3:1, 5:11)
This life is a
life of
inconceivable
power. Whenever
God gives life
to a young
plant or
animal, that
life has in
itself the
power of
growth, whereby
the plant or
animal as of
itself becomes
large. Life is
power. In the
new life, that
is, in your
heart, there is
the power of
eternity. (John
5:10,28; Heb.
7:16,29;
6:25,26; 2 Cor
7:9; 8:4; Col.
3:3-4; Phil.
4:13) More
certain than
the healthful
growth of any
tree or animal
is the growth
and increase of
the child of
God, who in
reality
surrenders
himself to the
working of the
new life.
What hinders
this power and
the reception
of the new
spiritual life
is chiefly two
things. The one
is ignorance of
its nature, its
laws and
workings. Man,
even the
Christian, has
of himself not
the least
conception of
the new life
that comes from
God: it
surpasses all
his thoughts.
His own
perverted
thoughts of the
way to serve
and to please
God, namely, by
what he does
and is, are so
deeply rooted
in him, that,
although he
thinks that he
understands and
receives God's
word, he yet
thinks humanly
and carnally on
Divine things.
(Jos. 3:4; Isa.
4:8,9; Matt.
16:23) Not only
must God give
salvation and
life; He must
also give the
Spirit to make
us know what He
gives. Not only
must He point
out the land of
Canaan, and the
way thither; we
must also, like
the blind, be
led every day
by Himself. The
young Christian
must try to
cherish a deep
conviction of
his ignorance
concerning the
new life, and
of his
inability to
form right
thoughts about
it. This will
bring him to
the meekness
and to the
childlike
spirit of
docility, to
which the Lord
shall make His
secret known.
(Ps. 25:5,8-9;
143:8; Isa.
42:16; 64:4;
Matt. 11:25; 1
Cor. 1:18-19;
2:7,10,12; Heb.
11:8)
There is a
second
hindrance in
the way of
faith. In the
life of every
plant and every
animal and
every child
there lies
sufficient
power by which
it can become
big. In the new
life, God has
made the most
glorious
provision of a
sufficient
power whereby
His child can
grow and become
all that he
must be. Christ
Himself is his
life and his
power of life.
(Ps. 18:2;
27:1; 38:3;
34:8; John
14:19; Gal.
2:20; Col.
3:3,4) Yet,
because this
mighty life is
not visible or
cannot be felt,
but works in
the midst of
human weakness,
the young
Christian often
becomes of
doubtful mind.
He then fails
to believe that
he shall grow
with Divine
power and
certainty. He
does not
understand that
the believing
life is a life
of faith
whereby he
reckons on the
life that is in
Christ for him,
although he
neither sees,
feels, nor
experiences
anything. (Hab.
2:4; Matt.
6:27; Rom.
1:17; Gal.
3:11; Heb.
10:38)
Let every one
then that has
received this
new life,
cultivate this
great
conviction: it
is eternal life
that works in
me: it works
with Divine
power: I can
and shall
become what God
will have me
be: Christ
Himself is my
life: I have to
receive Him
every day as my
life given by
God to me, and
He shall be my
life in full
power.
O
my Father, who
hast given me
Thy Son that I
may have life
in Him, I thank
Thee for the
glorious new
life that is
now in me. I
pray Thee,
teach me to
know aright
this new life.
I will
acknowledge my
ignorance and
the perverted
thoughts which
are in me,
concerning Thy
service. I will
believe in the
heavenly power
of the new life
that is in me:
I will believe
that my Lord
Jesus, who
Himself is my
life, will by
His Spirit
teach me to
know how I can
walk in that
life. Amen.
Try
now to
apprehend and
appropriate the
following
lessons in your
heart; --
Some
Scriptures Referenced
in
the text
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John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John
3:5 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.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
J1 John 3:14 ¶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 5:1 ¶Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For 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 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
John 6:25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord
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Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
1 John 3:1 ¶Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1 John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
John 5:10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed
John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Hebrews 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
Hebrews 7:28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
2 Chronicles 7:9 And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.
2 Chronicles 8:4 And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath.
Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Joshua 3:4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore
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