The Believer's Two Natures: The New Nature

Posted 1/12/15 by Donald Barnhouse
LESSON X
THE BELIEVERS TWO NATURES: The New Nature
 
The fable of the pig with the deers beart.
  1. The need for the new nature (review of last lesson).
  2. How the new nature is received - 1 Peter 1:23; John 1:12-13.
  3. What the new nature is - 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3-4; Philippians 1:21; Colossians 1:27; 1 John 5:11-12.

There is an old story of a princess who had a little pig for a pet. She kept it in her room with her, and every day it was washed and had a fresh ribbon tied around its neck. She trained it very carefully, trying to teach it to be clean. One day when she had trained it for a long time, she took it out for a walk with her. All went well until they came to a mud hole, when, in spite of his pink ribbon, the little pig jumped right in and began to wallow around, happier than he ever had been before in his life. The princess was very sad, but a good fairy appeared, and told her she would make the little pig love to be clean. She would take away his pigs heart and give him the heart of a deer. A deer is a very clean animal, and so the pig, with his new heart would love to be clean, and would never wallow in the mud again.

Of course, this is only a fable, but it is a picture of what God has to do with us. Like the little pig, we have a heart that loves sin. God says that this old nature cannot please Him. No matter how carefully we train it, when it sees sin, it breaks loose and goes and wallows in it. God does not try to fix over this old nature, but tells us we must have a new one.
 
We cannot make this new nature ourselves. Try as we may, all we can do is to polish up the old nature, but we cannot touch the sin part of it. It is like painting a pump which is over a well of bad water. Painting the pump makes the pump look better, but it does not make the impure water pure. This is why God cannot accept those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, no matter how hard they try to do right. They cannot please Him. They need the new nature, and only God can give them this new nature.
 
God says first that we are born again by His Word (1 Peter 1:23). The Bible is not like other booksit is alive, for it can give life. It tells about the Lord Jesus, and as we believe it, we are born again, and receive this new nature. In John 1:12-13 God tells us how we can become His children. We are born again of Him. It is He who gives us this new life. When you were born again the Lord Jesus Himself gave you your new life, just as when you were born the first time, it was your father and mother who gave you life. That is why God is the Father of those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
This new nature is not just patching our old nature. God only wants it to die, not to be fixed up. But the new nature is His lifethe Lord Jesus Himself coming to live in our hearts. This is why we are called new creatures” when we are born again (2 Corinthians 5:17). Over and over we read that Christ is our life. Paul said, For me to live is Christ.” When we realize that our new nature is the life of the Lord Jesus in us, we shall want more and more to let others see Him.

STUDY QUESTIONS

  • Why do our hearts love sin?
  • Why can't an unbeliever please God?
  • What does it mean to be born again by the word?

Making God’s Word Plain is a devotional of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It is supported only by its readers and gracious Christians like you. Please prayerfully consider supporting Making God’s Word Plain and the mission of the Alliance.