The Great Privilege of Those That Are Born of God · §3 · John Wesley

Justification and the new birth

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It has often been supposed that being born of God was the same thing as being justified, and that the new birth and justification were only different expressions for the same thing. It is certain, on the one hand, that whoever is justified is also born of God, and on the other, that whoever is born of God is also justified. Yes, both these gifts of God are given to every believer in one and the same moment. In one point of time his sins are blotted out (Acts 3:19), and he is born again of God.

1771 text

1. IT has been frequently supposed, that the being born of God was all one with the being justified; that the new birth and justification were only different expressions, denoting the same thing: it being certain on the one hand, that whoever is justified, is also born of God; and on the other, that whoever is born of God, is also justified: yea, that both these gifts of God are given to every believer in one and the same moment. In one point of time his sins are blotted out, and he is born again of God.

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About this text

On 1 John 3:9: what it means to be born of God, how it differs from being justified, and why whoever is born of God does not commit sin.

EditionPrinted in Wesley's 1771 Works, which do not say when he preached it

Wesley's own sermon in updated English wording. The 1771 panel is the text of the Works Wesley himself had printed in 1771. It is public domain.

Reference

Sermon 19 in the 1771 Works. First John 3:9.

We have not yet re-checked this work against its source. We put this English text into updated wording with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open the 1771 text under any part to compare.

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