I believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again. This work of God is not by coercion, but by a person's voluntary obedience to the gospel upon conviction of the Holy Ghost. This event is called the new birth and begets a new creature in Christ Jesus. Moreover, that it is instantaneous and not a process and that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God. This new creature is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Ghost in connection with divine truth. Proper evidence of the new birth appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.
(John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17; I John 5:1; I John 3:6-7; Acts 2:41; 16:30-33; II Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; II Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13; John 3:8; 1:12-13; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9).
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot
see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are
become new. (II Corinthians 5:17)
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and
every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is
begotten of him. (I John 5:1)
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not
seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive
you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is
righteous. (I John 3:6-7)
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the
same day there were added unto them about three thousand
souls. (Acts 2:41)
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt
be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the
Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the
same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and
was baptized, he and all his, straightway. (Acts
16:30-33)
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:
that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (II
Peter 1:4)
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God
is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Romans 6:23)
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses
and sins; (Ephesians 2:1)
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath
committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (II Corinthians
5:19)
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your
flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you
all trespasses; (Colossians 2:13)
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound
thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it
goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John
3:8)
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the
sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which 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)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, (Galatians 5:22)
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and
righteousness and truth;) (Ephesians 5:9)