The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1900-02-08

ber of the Sanhedrim as impsed by the
word translated ruler" Nicodemus
must have been man of peculiar open
ness of mind to have gone even "by
night" to the despised Teacher of Naza-
reth who was so much hated by the
pharisees as a class. Nicodemus was
also a discerning man, unhampered by
prejudice or false report. He sees that
this new Rabbi was teacher come from
God, for, he says, mo man can do these
miracles that thou doest, except God be
with him."
Nicodemus was open to the light and
truth regardless of the apparent scarce,
and the light and truth were made
known to him.
The New Birth.-"EXcept a man be
born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God" Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter
the kingdom of God. That which is
born of the flesh is flesh; and that which
is born of the Spirit is spirit" This was
the message of Jesus to Nicodemus.
"Ye must be born again." AS there
are three persons in the Godhead, so
has a man a threefold nature. There
is God the Father, God the Son and
God the Holy Spirit-the great mystery
of three in one. So is there the mental
man, the bodily man and the spiritual
man or the soul. That which is born Of
the flesh is flesh. That which is born Of
the mind is mind. That which is born
of the Spirit is spirit. Paul must have
had this in mind when he said (Romans
7:15-lS): For that, which do, allow
not; for what would, that l do not;
but what hate, that do. ;. Now then
it is no more l that do it, but sin that
dwelleth in me. For know that in me,
that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good
thing; for to will is present with me;
but how to perform that which is good
l find not" The mind knew the good,
but was unable TO compel the flesh.
But Paul gives us in Romans 81 the
solution he has found: There is there
fore now no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit"
The Way to Life.-No wonder Nico-
demus failed to understand the new
teaching. The first birth was a marvel
of nature, how much more marvellous to
his mind must have been the second
birth Of which he had never before
heard! But Jesus now opens to him the
way which is just as wondrous in its
simplicity as the truth of the new birth
was in its mysteriousness. Jesus says
TO Nicodemus and so to the world: For
God so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whosoever be-
lieveth in Him should not perish, but
have everlasting life" Luther calls this
verse the little Gospel. or the little
Bible. In this is i,cluded the love oi
God and His plan of salvation.
The Condemnation.-Salv i'm
| plies that there is somewhat to be saved
from as well as somewhat to be saved
to. The world has condemned itself tC
life away from God, and thus to a life
of unhappiness and unrest.
Light VS.. Darkness.--And what is the
condemnation? That light is come
into the world and men loved darkness
rather than light" that in spite Of th'
help of Jesus freely offered men should
prefer to walk in the ways of death.
AFTERTHoUGHTs
"Ye must be born again"
The message of Jesus to Nicodemus 4
the message Of Jesus to every one out
side the kingdom of God to-day.
The basis of success in life 10 faith
the basis of a straightforward Chris
tian character is faith in the Son o
God.
"God so loved the world" therefor
Jesus lived. suffered, died and ros
again.
Some men have been In the dark 8
long that the light hurts their eyes.
: M H. Ilsl