How is this
birth accomplished? Let us see what the Word says. "But as many as
received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even
to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, _but of God"_ (John 1:12,
13).
God gives all things--sometimes directly, sometimes through an agent.
The Holy Spirit is the agent. "Born of water and the Spirit." But an
agent often works through an instrument. What is the instrument? The
word of God. "Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to
the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the
heart fervently; having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible, _through the word of God_, which liveth and
abideth" (1 Pet. 1:22, 23).
How can the word of God accomplish the new birth? By the only way that
words can accomplish any change--by being heard, understood, and
influencing the life. The Holy Spirit puts himself into the words that
contain his motives, actions and promises. How can this be done! Just as
man does it. Years ago the prophet Mohammed put his spirit into the
words, "There is one God, and Mohammed is his prophet.
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