How to Be a Born-Again Christian
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faith in His merits I am free from the condemnation of the law. He
clothes me with His righteousness, which answers all the demands of
the law. I am complete in Him who brings in everlasting righteousness.
He presents me to God in the spotless garment of which no thread was
woven by any human agent. All is of Christ, and all the glory, honor,
and majesty are to be given to the Lamb of God, which taketh away
the sins of the world.”
Many think that they must wait for a special impulse in order that
they may come to Christ; but it is necessary only to come in sincerity
of purpose, deciding to accept the offers of mercy and grace that have
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been extended to us. We are to say: “Christ died to save me. The
Lord’s desire is that I should be saved, and I will come to Jesus just
as I am without delay. I will venture upon the promise. As Christ
draws me, I will respond.” The apostle says, “With the heart man
believeth unto righteousness” (
Romans 10:10
). No one can believe
with the heart unto righteousness, and obtain justification by faith,
while continuing the practice of those things which the Word of God
forbids, or while neglecting any known duty.
Good Works the Fruit of Faith
Genuine faith will be manifested in good works; for good works
are the fruits of faith. As God works in the heart, and man surrenders
his will to God, and cooperates with God, he works out in the life what
God works in by the Holy Spirit, and there is harmony between the
purpose of the heart and the practice of the life. Every sin must be
renounced as the hateful thing that crucified the Lord of life and glory,
and the believer must have a progressive experience by continually
doing the works of Christ. It is by continual surrender of the will, by
continual obedience, that the blessing of justification is retained.
Those who are justified by faith must have a heart to keep the way
of the Lord. It is an evidence that a man is not justified by faith when
his works do not correspond to his profession. James says, “Seest thou
how faith wrought with his works, and by works was his faith made
perfect?” (
James 2:22
).
The faith that does not produce good works does not justify the
soul. “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by