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THE
NEW LIFE by
John Marshall
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Chapter
2 • BEING BORN AGAIN
The Only Way
Baptism then is a must of scripture: it is a figurative rite
that we dare not evade if we seek life; it is one of the seven
pillars of doctrinal wisdom and the guarantee of the inheritance
of what God has promised to the faithful: "For as many
of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. There
can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor
free, there can be no male and female; for ye are all one
man in Christ Jesus. And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's
seed, heirs according to promise."
Once we have been "resurrected" to the new life
we accept its obligations and responsibilities as well as
its glories; we begin a regime of self-discipline and transformation
of character that will, in time, make us servants more obedient
to the will of our Father. Even Jesus "learned obedience
by the things which he suffered". Woe betide us if we
become neglectful in meeting our responsibilities, for through
baptism we become "the temple of God" in whom dwells
the spirit of God and "If any man defile the temple of
God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy,
which temple ye are".
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References
Eph 4v5, Gal 3v27-29 RV, Heb 5v8, 1 Cor 3v16-17
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Chapter
3 • BECOMING PART
OF THE BODY OF Christ
WHEN one repents of sin, "believes on the Lord Jesus Christ"
and is reborn through water and spirit "there is joy in the
presence of the angels of God". Such a process is no mere local
affair on earth and cause for satisfaction, but brings a community
of rejoicing among the mortal and immortal hosts who witness the
conversion of another sinner who, with a contrite heart, has turned
to God to wait on Him in faithful service.
The reason for this joy is not only the repentance of the sinner,
but the adoption of one more child of God to increase His glory,
to magnify His name and to bring nearer the day when "the full
number of the Gentiles are come in, and so all Israel will be saved"
-the natural and the spiritual. Thus repentance and rebirth are
great events in the life of the sinner and of the whole family of
God.
What should particularly humble the one who is reborn is that this
comes about "according to the good pleasure of God's will"
and if the believer is faithful to the divine call he is destined
to the honour of joint inheritance of the kingdom with Jesus and
to the ultimate and inexpressible glory of becoming part of the
"all in all" of God.
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References
Acts 16v31, Luke 15,10, Gal 3v26 RV, Gal 4v5, Rom 11v25 RSV, Eph
1v5,9
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