THE NEW BIRTH
By David K. Bernard
Series in Pentecostal Theology, Volume 2
Copyright © 1984 by David K. Bernard
2nd Printing, 1986. 3rd Printing, 1987. 4th Printing, 1989. 5th Printing, 1990. 6th Printing, 1991. 7th Printing, 1993. 8th Printing, 1995.
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in an electronic system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Word Aflame Press. Brief quotations may be used in literary reviews.
The Universal Need for Salvation; Salvation Comes Only
Through Faith in Jesus Christ; What Is Salvation?; The Relation Between
Past, Present, and Future Salvation; The Lord's Statement to Nicodemus;
The Kingdom of God; Peter's Answer on the Day of Pentecost; Paul's
Answer to the Philippian Jailer; Comparison of the Three Answers;
Understanding and Obeying the Gospel Chapter
2. GRACE AND
FAITH Grace Defined; Man's Salvation Stems from God's Grace; Grace
and Works; Grace and Faith; Justification by Faith; The Source of
Faith; Faith Defined; Three Components of Saving Faith; Examples of
Insufficient Belief; Faith and Obedience; Faith and Works; Continuing
Faith; The Object of Faith; Faith and Repentance; Faith and Water
Baptism; Faith and the Holy Spirit; Repentance, Water Baptism, and
Works; Confession, Belief, and Salvation; Calling on the Name of the
Lord; One Plan of Salvation; Saving Faith; An Analogy of Grace and
Faith; Grace, Faith, and the New Birth Chapter
3. THE GOSPEL OF
JESUS CHRIST What Is the Gospel?; Death; Burial; Resurrection; John the
Baptist's Message; Christ's Message; Peter's Message; Philip the
Evangelist's Message; Ananias' Message; Paul's Message; The Message of
Hebrews; The Apostle John's Message; The Gospel of New Testament
Preachers; The Gospel in Typology; Saving Faith and the Gospel Chapter
4. BIRTH OF WATER
AND SPIRIT The New Birth Doctrine; Birth of Water; Natural Birth?;
Identical to Birth of Spirit?; Cleansing by the Word?; Water Baptism;
Birth of the Spirit; The New Birth as a Whole; Comparison of First and
Second Births; When Is the Blood Applied?; Characteristics of
Born-Again Believers; Old Testament Saints Were Not Born Again As We
Are; Conclusion Chapter
5. REPENTANCE
Repentance Defined; Recognition of Sin; Confession of Sin;
Contrition for Sin; Decision to Forsake Sin; Restitution; Repentance
and Emotion; Examples of Repentance; The Source of Repentance; The
Command to Repent; What Happens at Repentance?; Relationship to Water
and Spirit Baptism; Guidelines for Altar Work; Repentance and the
Christian; The Need to Emphasize Repentance; Conclusion Chapter
6. WATER BAPTISM
Water Baptism Defined; John's Baptism; The Baptism of
Christ; Early Baptism by the Disciples; Christ's Command; Early
Christian Baptism; Baptismal Mode: Immersion; Does the Baptismal Mode
Matter?; Remission of Sins at Baptism; Baptismal Regeneration?; Baptism
- Part of the New Birth; Belief and Baptism Bring Salvation; Washing of
Sins; Part of Salvation; Burial with Christ; Baptism into Christ;
Spiritual Circumcision; Baptism in Typology; More than a Public
Confession; "Christ Sent Me Not to Baptize"; The Human Element in
Baptism; Forgiveness and Remission; Faith Is Necessary at Baptism;
Repentance and Baptism Are Both Necessary; Baptism without Prior
Repentance; Infant Baptism; Baptism for the Dead; Sins after Baptism;
Why Did God Choose Baptism?; Distinction Between Water and Spirit
Baptism; Is Baptism Necessary?; The Significance of Water Baptism Chapter
7. BAPTISMAL
FORMULA: IN THE NAME OF JESUS The Biblical Record; Burial with Christ; Identification with
Christ; Taking on the Family Name; Remission of Sins in the Name; Power
and Authority in the Name; Do All in the Name; Jesus Is the Highest
Name; Acceptance of Jesus as Savior; Acceptance of Jesus as the Fulness
of the Godhead; Not a Magic Formula; Further Research; For All People;
Oral Invocation of the Name; Matthew 28:19; Comparison of the Great
Commission Accounts; The Singular Name; The Name of the Son; The Name
of the Father; The Name of the Holy Ghost; The Context of Matthew
28:19; Jesus Is the New Testament Name of God; Conclusion About the
Baptismal Formula; The Doctrine of the Trinity; Matthew 28:19 Teaches
Baptism in the Name of Jesus; The Witness in Church History; Does the
Baptismal Formula Really Matter?; Conclusion Chapter
8. THE BAPTISM OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT The Holy Spirit; The Baptism of the Spirit; Biblical
Terminology; Filled with the Spirit; Part of Salvation; The Founding of
the New Testament Church; A New Experience for the New Church; Old
Testament Prophecy; New Testament Promise and Command; Fulfillment in
the Apostolic Church; The Significance of Acts; The Day of Pentecost;
Samaria; Paul's Conversion; The Gentiles in Caesarea; The Disciples of
John at Ephesus; Conclusion About the Spirit Baptism; Those Saved in
the Gospels; Only for the Apostolic Church?; Salvation in Acts Without
the Spirit?; How to Receive the Holy Spirit; The Work of the Spirit;
Conclusion Chapter
9. SPEAKING IN
TONGUES Speaking in Tongues Defined; Isaiah 28:11-12; Mark 16:17;
The Day of Pentecost; Cornelius Spoke in Tongues; The Ephesians Spoke
in Tongues; The Samaritans Spoke in Tongues; Paul Spoke in Tongues;
Comparison of the Accounts in Acts; Other Possible References; Are
Tongues Necessary?; The Reasons for Tongues; Not a Sign of the Spirit's
Abiding Presence; After the Baptism of the Spirit; The Gift of Tongues;
I Corinthians 12; I Corinthians 13; I Corinthians 14; Conclusions about
I Corinthians 12-14; How Does Speaking in Tongues Occur?; Objections;
Miracles Exist Today; Tongues Have Not Ceased; Receiving the Spirit
without Tongues?; Conclusion Chapter
10. THE WITNESS
IN CHURCH HISTORY: BAPTISM Problems in Studying Church History; Repentance and Water
Baptism; Water Baptism by Immersion; Water Baptism as Part of
Salvation; The Earliest Formula; First and Second Centuries; Third
Century; Fourth Century; The Medieval Age; The Reformation Era Forward;
Oneness Believers Throughout History; Twentieth Century; Conclusion Chapter
11. THE WITNESS
IN CHURCH HISTORY: TONGUES First and Second Centuries; Third Century; Fourth and Fifth
Centuries; The Medieval Age; The Reformation Era Forward; Twentieth
Century; Statistics on Pentecostals Today; Conclusion Chapter
12. ARE THERE
EXCEPTIONS? Basic Principles; Are the Heathen Lost?; Moral and Sincere
People; Those Who Profess Christ; Professing Christians in Church
History; Extra-biblical Speculations; A Second Chance after Death?; A
Subnormal New Birth?; Destiny of Infants; Degrees of Punishment;
Conclusion Chapter
13. FOUR ASPECTS
OF SALVATION Justification; Regeneration; Adoption; Sanctification; God's
Eternal Plan of Salvation; Summary In the apostolic movement today there is a great need for
comprehensive books in important doctrinal areas. It is the
author's hope that The New Birth will help to meet
this
need with respect to the doctrine of salvation. This book does
not cover all concepts relative to salvation, but it focuses on
one aspect: the conversion experience or regeneration. This book
is Volume II of the Series in Pentecostal Theology. Volume
I, The
Oneness of God,
was published in 1983, and Volume III, In Search of
Holiness, was published in 1981. The New Birth attempts to present biblical
truth in an
understandable yet scholarly way, not from the viewpoint of
denominational dogma but from the viewpoint of what the Bible
itself says. Numerous biblical references have been included so
that the reader can search these things out and come to his or
her own conclusions. If the reader approaches this subject with a
prayerful, sincere, truth-seeking, studious attitude (rather than
with a prejudiced or even a gullible mind), God will illuminate
the truth of His Word as it relates to salvation. All biblical quotations are from the King James
Version unless
otherwise indicated. Abbreviations used are KJV for
King
James Version, NIV for New International Version, and
TAB
for The Amplified Bible. If not
specified otherwise,
definitions of Greek words are taken from Strong's Exhaustive
Concordance. I would like to express special thanks to my mother, Loretta
A.
Bernard, for offering numerous suggestions, particularly for
Chapters 3,
5,
and 6.
Also, I would
like to express appreciation to my father, Elton D. Bernard, who
gave inspiration and desire to undertake this project, and to my
wife, Connie, who gave much encouragement and support. The purpose of this book is not to condemn anyone who does not
agree with or who has not experienced what is taught, but rather
to encourage all to receive the fulness of salvation that God has
provided in Jesus Christ. David K. Bernard Jackson, Mississippi Since May 10, 2000, Web-Counter reports that you
are visitor number This online version contains chapters 1, 3, and 14 of The New Birth. If you would like to purchase the entire book, either in print or in digital format, you can do so through the Pentecostal Publishing House.
Table of
Contents
AUTHOR'S PREFACE