How Can I Know I Have Experienced the New Birth?
1) Direct Answer
You know you have the new birth when the Holy Ghost (the Token) indwells you and bears witness in your heart, changing your nature to believe, love, and obey every Word of God. It is Christ revealed in you. Not a church membership, not a feeling, but the life of the Word living through you.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Jesus said, “You must be born again… of water and of the Spirit” (John 3:3-8). That’s a birth from above.
- God promised, “A new heart… a new spirit… I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
- “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Romans 8:9). “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16). “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14).
- “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Old things pass away; a new life begins.
- The new birth comes by the Word: “Born again… by the Word of God” (1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18). The Spirit quickens the Seed of the Word in you.
- It produces obedience and victory: “Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:3-5). “Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world” (1 John 5:4).
- It bears fruit: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” (Galatians 5:22-25).
- It confesses Christ rightly: “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God” (1 John 4:2), and witnesses in the heart (1 John 5:10).
- The promise is for you: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost… the promise is unto you” (Acts 2:38-39). “By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13). “After ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13).
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- New birth is not turning over a new leaf, joining a church, or a momentary emotion. Life proves itself by what it produces. The Seed brings forth after its kind. If the incorruptible Seed of the Word is in you, it will live out Christ’s life in you.
- Signs that follow the new birth:
- A clear witness of the Spirit within: assurance toward God (Romans 8:16).
- A new nature with new desires: you hate sin you once loved, and love righteousness you once avoided (2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 3:9).
- Obedience to the Word, not picking and choosing. You don’t argue against Scripture; you yield to it (1 John 2:3-5; John 14:23).
- Love for God and the brethren (1 John 3:14; 4:7).
- Victory over the world’s pull and a separated walk (1 John 5:4; Galatians 5:24).
- Ongoing leading and correction from the Spirit; you can’t live in willful sin without chastening (Hebrews 12:6-8).
- A hunger for the Word and prayer, and a confession that Jesus Christ is Lord come in the flesh (1 Peter 2:2; 1 John 4:2; Romans 10:9-10).
- If these fruits are absent and sin still rules you, don’t settle for a profession. Come God’s provided way: repent, be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, and ask in faith for the Holy Ghost. He promised to fill the hungry heart (Acts 2:38-39; Luke 11:13; John 7:37-39).
4) Reinforcing statement
Now notice, the Bible makes it simple: the new birth is Christ in you by the Holy Ghost, producing a life that matches the Word. If the Life is there, the signs follow. If you’re unsure, don’t argue—come to Him sincerely, believe His promise, and stay before God until the Token is applied and the witness of the Spirit settles it in your heart.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Hearing, recognizing, acting on the Word of God
60-0221 §64
The Holy Ghost is the new birth, we know that. It's being born again of the Spirit of God. That's how you're born, by the Spirit. Born by the Spirit, that's the new birth. All right. You're begotten of the Spirit; then when you're born of the Spirit, you're filled with the Holy Ghost. All right. Then when these two are in the earth, the natural and the spiritual, sometimes the ... I've seen this. Now in closing, I want to come to a close now, by saying this, for a few minutes. In the natural or in the spiritual, ei...
Birth Pains
65-0124 §30
We are told by God's prophets that we are to have a new earth, a new heaven and a new earth. If you want scripture for that, it's Revelation 21. I could quote it for you. I have it here. John said: I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and ... first earth were passed away." (It was gone.) Now, if we're to have a new earth, the old earth and the new earth cannot exist at the same time---or, the new world and the old world cannot exist at the same time. There can't be two world orders together at t...
You must be born again
61-1231M §101
Say, "I know, I joined church last week. I'd sure like to take that drink with you, but, huh!" "Umm, that cigar smells so good!" "Oh, sister, I know I'm an old model, I have to let my hair grow out now. Ain't it awful?" "You know them pretty little dresses I used to wear, and everybody go, "Whew-whew,' I have to take it off now. You know, I joined church last week." You miserable wretch! All the holy water in the world couldn't clean you. But, brother, when you got something inside of you, it just washes it away al...
The eagle in her nest
57-0705 §46
Businessmen, what about you? One of these days you're going to leave your business. No matter how prosperous you are, you're going to leave that business. Every penny you've made will be scattered among your relatives, and it'll be fussing, fighting, carry on. Then how much treasures have you got up yonder in heaven? What do you know about Christ? Do you just know Him as a blesser that blesses your soul? Remember, the rain falls on the just and the unjust alike. But I mean, do you know Christ? You say, "Well, I kno...
Why?
61-0413 §80
Now how does a doctor ever find what kind of medicine he has to work on a person with? Yes, they're afraid of the new birth. You know what? The reason they're afraid of the new birth because... Listen, excuse me, my sisters, will you? It's a mixed audience, but you listen to your doctor. I'm your brother. Any birth is a mess, I don't care where it's at. If it's in the pigpen in a barnyard, or if it's in a pink-decorated hospital room, it's a mess. And the new birth is, too. It will make you squall, and bawl, and wa...