Explain how the material distinguishes the new birth from a change in outward behavior.

### What a good answer covers - The new birth is presented as God's life entering the human spirit. - Second Corinthians 5:17 is applied to the inward person, not an immediate change to the body. - Improved conduct alone does not prove that someone has received eternal life. - The material says God's life can produce changes in conduct after it is received. ### The concept The author's distinction is between the source of a change and its visible result. A person may learn acceptable habits through upbringing, but the material says this is not the same as receiving God's nature. Conversely, it describes the new birth as an inward event that can later be seen in speech, habits, and relationships. The examples in the text are offered to illustrate this difference, not as a claim that every outward change happens instantly or in exactly the same way. ### Terms - **Eternal life**: In this material, God's life imparted to the believer. - **New creation**: The inward person made new through the new birth. ### Remember Outward conduct may change without the new birth; the material presents the new birth as an inward spiritual change.