Counsel #5 — New Birth

Picture: Counsel #5 — New BirthCSL 23.1

When Nicodemus came to Jesus with questions about salvation, Jesus told him, “You must be born again” John 3:7. We may have previously thought we were pretty good but when Christ shines His light into our souls, we see our great sinfulness and need of His righteousness to cover our impurity. As the Holy Spirit shows us that Jesus is the only way to heaven, and we submit ourselves fully to Him, we experience the heart transformation known as the “new birth.”^{[20]https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/what-is-the-new-birth/} The things we once hated—the things of the Spirit —we now love, and the things we once loved—the debasing things of this secular world—we now hate.CSL 23.2

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJVCSL 23.3

“When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life…. The blessing comes when by faith the soul surrenders itself to God. Then that power which no human eye can see creates a new being in the image of God.” Ellen White in The Desire of Ages, p. 173CSL 23.4

Reflect: Are you still considering how to respond to Christ’s invitation to accept salvation or have you already fully surrendered to Him? CSL 23.5