192 The Fundamentals Here the truth of likeness with the Son of God is broadly stated. Other passages declare specific features included in this general likeness. Thus 1 John 3 :9 states that “whosoever is born of God doth not commit [or practice] sin; for His [God’s] seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin because he is born [begotten] of God. In this the children of God are manifest.” The new nature which characterizes the new creature is one that cannot sin; and hence, when this hew nature begins to manifest itself in the quickened soul, there is a struggle between its desires and those of the old nature ( “the flesh” ) ; for the flesh has/desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires against the flesh, and these are directly opposed, the one to the-other (Gal. 5 :17). Every one who has been begotten from above knows from experience what this struggle means. Again, in 1 John 3 :2, 3, it is stated that now, even at the present time, are we (believers) the sons of God, though we appear so little like it. What we shall be does not yet appear, but w:e know, upon the clear testimony of Scripture, that “when He shall appear we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.” These statements are so clear that it is not necessary to cite to those who believe the Word of God other passages which declare that spiritual procreation is according to the law re peated nine times in Genesis 1, “after his kind.’ In closing this important section of our subject (which might be greatly amplified if our purpose were to treat ex haustively the great truth of spiritual generation) it will be profitable to notice briefly the close relation between the Written Word and the Incarnate Word in the matter of the impartation of spiritual life. • This truth brings before us the Son of God in His wonder ful and unique character of the Source of Life to a world and to human beings, which had fallen under the power and dominion of death.
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