The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-17
Anaconda Ne0s.

ishment of the old Jewish covenant
Isaac. the child of promise. miracu-
lousy brought forth by the delighted
and rejoicing Sarah, represents the
new covenant under the gospel dispen-
sation and which forever supplants the
law of Moses with all its ritualism.
(Heb. vii, 2:9)
with this exposition before us all
difficulty regarding the conversation of
Jesus with Nicodemus is removed.
"Nicodemus was reared Jew under
the first covenant and did not under
stand the nature of the New Birth
To be born again or from above was
not TO be born as a Jew. Nicodemus
could not comprehend this mystery.
"A development of this language in
the text, in harmony with apostolic
teaching, is as follows: Except a man
be begotten of the Word of God. the
seed of the spiritual kingdom and the
life communicating power of God and
born of water, which. being a divine
institution, represents the mother in
spiritual regeneration, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God No birth
without a begetting by the proper
agencies. That which is born of the
flesh is flesh; that which is born of the
spirit is spirit
1.-The great commission as recorded
by Matthew Matt. 2S:1s), seals this
subject and makes ii current in the
kingdom of Gods dear Son, bearing
the divine approval
1.-THE gospel is Gods power unto sal
walton. Not the gospel and something
added to it. or anything less than the
gospel.
"The gospel requires a new birth. re-
auires childhood in Christ. without
which no one can enter the kingdom. Of
God. Children are not named before
birth, but when they are born, the
father records their names in the fam
lily record: so, also. when a babe in
Christ is born into the family of God.
our Father in heaven records the name
of the child in the Lambs Book of Life.
Question? Can you be assured of your
name having been recorded in the book
OF life, and not comply with the re-
uuirements of Gods word? Except a
man be born of water and the spirit he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God
"In the realm of scriptural investiga-
ton we find three kingdoms-Nature.
Grace, and Glory. Entered by a birth
viz: Nature. birth of flesh: Grace,
birth of water; Glory, birth from the
grave.
MANY people say they can not see
how water washes away sins. Liter
ally, baptism does not but, fgurative-
ly, ii does. Example: These are they
who have come up out of great tribula-
ton and washed their robes and made
them white in the blood Of the Lamb
Not literally. but fguratively, the
Apostle Peter says: The like figure
whereunto even baptism doth also now
save us; not the putting away of the
flesh. but the answer of a good con-
science toward God. by the resurrec-
ton of Jesus Christ CFirst Peter,
3:21)
Birth is the condition of life. Would
you live after being begotten by the
Word of God? Then become alive to
God by being born of water and spirit.
THE reason so many persons are
careless and unconcerned lin the
churches). is because they have not
been made alive, born again made
alive to God by the gospel require
ments. and hence their death-lil<e con-
dition regarding the duties incumbent
upon them. Search the Scriptures.
John $500. The Psalmist says regard
ing Gods word: The entrance of Thy
word giveth light psalm. 119:120)
Again. The law of the Lord is perfect,
restoring (converting) the soul
psalm 1851
Would you come into the kingdom
of God? then you must be born again,
Not of blood, not of the will of the
flesh, nor of the will of man. but of the
will of God according to the will of
Cod, water and spirit Will you"