St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-11-26

1 - ~A~S
OF her startled and perplexed expires
sion. What do you mean by lovin!
Jesus!" she asked. And he explaine,
mat 1t was loving the good and doinl
good and living in harmony with tn,
teachings Of Christ. He told her she wa.
q Christian without knowing it. An,
this cultured and benevolent younl
woman eventually accepted his view O
the case and united with his church
COO grant that the work of Gods grace
mad been wrought In her heart and tina,
she was really born into the Kingdom o.
God, but such views and methods q.
were held and pursued by this pastor
are pernicious and dangerous, and arr
the means of getting into the churche.
an unregenerate element which event.
ua.ly may destroy the spiritual life and
eVangelizing force of the church. It Is
'lsurpation of the Divine prerogative!
1t is destructive Of the true mission OF
Christ to the world! It is direct and
positive ignoring of the plain teachings
OF the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
is not a new Gospel which this age
OF culture and refinement has discov-
cred, nor is this twentieth century to
see new door opened into the Kingdom
OF Jesus Christ. The modern liberal
preacher of the day may arrogate to him
sell great wisdom and learning and may
evolve doctrine and method which will
appeal to the unregenerate but cultured
and poltshed-that is the renovated
lives Of men, and bring them within the
pale OF the church, but he can never gain
the keys Of Heaven which will unlock
unknown and unheard of doors and ad-
nit the multitudes who are living like
Christians, but who have never felt the
convicting and converting power of
Gods Spirit. It may prove a source of
qualification to enroll the names Of such
upon the books Of the church, but it can
not prove pleasing and acceptable to
God. Until God writes across the blue
sky Of tho heavens q revocation of the
conditions laid down in His Word by
which man IL to be admitted to the King
dom Of Heaven, cannot believe or &C.
cept anything but the doctrine Of the new
birth. It Is not renovated race which
fs' to walk the streets Of Heaven and en-
Joy delightful fellowship and commun-
ion with God and His dear Son.. There is
no place for "made-over" man in Heav-
en- He must be new creature He must
be born again. He must know Christ as
the Saviour from sin. and the One In
Whom he becomes acceptable to God.
Jesus Christ said that Except
" man be born again, he cannot see
the Kingdom of Cod" l believe He
meant just exactly what He said. And
when He goes on to define the new birth
as an operation Of the Spirit of God. and |
distinct and apart from the
operation OF the flesh. or the natural
man. know that Salvation Is not some
thing which man can get himself into by !
his own effort. but something which God
Toes for him, for BY grace are ye saved |
through faith: and that NOT OF YOUR |
SELVES; 1t is the GIFT OF GOD" And
I the new birth IL an operation Of the
Holy Spirit. and hear Jesus say thar
he Spirit "shall convince Of sin and
righteousness and judgment to come"
know that the test of membership In
he Kingdom Of God is not what man Is
a his external life. that It Is not what he
|oes for himself. even though he pro-
luce q character that bears likeness to
christian principles. but that 1t is tes:
I what the Holy Spirit has done with
a the heart do not believe that it Is
'ossible for one to experience the re-
enerative work Of Gods Spirit and live
d utter ignorance Of the blessed trans
for God plainly declares that
the Spirit beareth witness with our
pirit that We are the sons Of God"
here Is q witness within which is better
nd more reliable than all the external
vidences Of church membership or ex-
ellences Of character The solemn
barge to Nicodemus is one which cones
, every soul: Eye must be born again"
!. Il not: Ye must be made over. ye
lust be renovated. for at the very best
hen you get through you have the
lme old man. for "that which is born Of
,e flesh Is tiesh." But It is: Eye must
Q born again." Yemust be regenerated.
e must be made anew.
+ AID Jesus been talking to the sinful
] woman who had come In repent
lce to anoint His head and feet with
|. or with Zaccheus. the despised and ,
tied publican, 1t would not be strange
at confusion should arise as to the
,ed Of and meaning Of regeneration. +.
can be readily understood how the .
oman of the town and the extortionats
x-gatherer needed to be made new :
eatures. but when 1t was Nicodemus. :
at splendid. God-fearing and God =
q man, who was being plainly and :
told that except he was :
Gated anew by the Spirit Of God. no =
alter what his standing in the syna. =
que and the community. he could -
yer see the Kingdom of God. 1t puts
different light upon the matter And.
. men and women Of to-day. who are
striving to live accord a
|, to the precepts Of Gods Word. who r
} giving of their time and their effort ;,
make the lives Of others brighter a.
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