QUES. 34.-Are "new birth" and "born of God" identical? Scripture uses the two terms. Is there not some distinction between them, similar though they are?

ANS.-Assuredly there is distinction between them, though they are absolutely identical. One is the fact itself; the other is, the Source from which it comes. One is in contrast with the first birth-from Adam-which constitutes us sinners ; the other says the new birth is from God-which constitutes us saints, ''children of God."

QUES. 35.-Scripture does not say, " He that is born again hath eternal life;" but it says, "He that believeth on the Son hath life." Must we not be born again before we can have eternal life?

ANS.-No, Scripture does not say, "He that is born again hath eternal life," because Scripture knows that to be born again and to have eternal life are one and the same thing. And we all know that for a life to exist it has to be born, whether in the natural or in the divine. He that is born of man has in him the life of man, such as he is ; and he that is born anew-born of God-has in him the life of the eternal God-eternal life therefore. Let any one question that every believer, from the youngest babe to the oldest father, during any dispensation, has eternal life abiding in him, and he questions the very nature of God of whom they were born, besides laying the axe at the root of the grace of
God.

Scripture does say, "He that believeth on the Son hath life;" not because life and new birth are not identical, but because the Son is the object of faith-the One who imparts that life by new birth. Your doctrine would make new birth to be purely an act of God's sovereign grace, and apart from faith; then life after new birth, through faith. Scripture refutes that doctrine, as John 3:5 and 1 Peter 1:23 are witnesses.

So does John 5:25 also show:It is the dead who hear the voice of the Son of God and live; not those who are born again, for they are already alive.

In Scripture, to be "dead" is not at all to be irresponsible, as your doctrine implies. This idea of being born again apart from faith leads to strange things to reconcile the many statements of Scripture that life is through faith. It has to separate things which are one-things which may be distinguished but cannot be separated.

Let us not build a system of our own, then do violence to Scripture to make it stand on its feet. Let us be believers, feeding upon the sincere milk of the word, and growing thereby according to God.