Nevada County picayune., 1889-07-17
RELIGIOUS COLUMN.
si,ed by GEO. A. GARDNER.
REGENERATION.

spiritual world. lhe natural man Is brought into contact with things i seen and temporal; the spiritual man has communion with things unseen and eternal. As the natural man has organs and senses by means of which he communicates with the visible and perishable objects of time and sense; so the spiritual man IS furnished with spiritual powers by which he pierces the veil of material environment, and enjoys correspond- ence with the hidden mysteries of the spiritual world. Our Savior em- phasizes the necessity of the second birth in his memorable interview with Nicodemus; and at the same time shows that the process by which it is effected lies beyond the reach of our finite understandings; "Ihe wind bloweth where 1t listeth, and thou nearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth 80 is every one that is born of the spirit In fact, the second or spiritual birth is just as necessary to life in the spiritual world, as the first or natural birth IS to life in the natural or material world. This is a point of vital i'm portance and it is to be feared that too little emphasis is given to it in our current theology.
 The natural or carnal man is totally destitute of spiritual life; and he is utterly incapable of appreciating or understa anding the mystery of godliness, or the deep things that pertain to the spirit realm: 'the natural man discerneth not the things of the spirit, for they are spiritually discerned.
 The change wrought by the new birth is radical and thorough; in fact, it is a new creation, q transition from death to life. The Apostle Paul designates the unregenerate as being "dead in trespasses and in sins - while he describes all true Christians as new creatures in Christ Jesus," as having passed from death unto life. The Spirit of God is the mighty agent in perform ing this great work, so that 1t may truly be said that all believers are born of the Spirit of God, Hence it is a Divine and supernatural work, in contradistinction to the puny and uncertain works of man. Repent ance and faith are mans work, put ting him in receptive posture; but the grand work of the new birth, or the new creation, is from the mystc- riOus forces above, the wonder working power of Almighty God.
 Again. when a soul is born of God, he becomes a child of God, mem Der of the heavenly family, citizen of heaven and as such he is entitled to all the rights, privileges and i'm munities growing out of that sacred relation. ''Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
 Surely the greatest gift and the most unspeakablc blessing winch God Himself can bestow on frail, mortal man is the gift of sonship and eternal life; gift, in comparison with which, the pleasures and honors and wealth of earth sink into perfect insigniGcance for they soon pass away, with everything of an earthly nature, but ths is ''incorruptible, undeilled, and fadcth not away"
 How important then that we secure this priceless treasure, that we labor for the meat which endureth i unto everlasting life.
 This unspeakablc gift is offered to all the sons and daughters of Adam $ | race whosoever will may come and partake of the water of life freely. l Reader, have you been born again? | Have you passed from death unto ! life: Have you imbibed precious draughts from the fountain of the ! water of life? If not, let me admon- ish you to neglect this important i work no longer, but give all diligence ! to make your calling and election | sure. Repentance towards God, and | faith in our Lord Jesus Christ are | the conditions required and unless [ you comply with these reasonable . conditions, you will never he admit ! ted into the heavenly family, amt you l. ,tl