Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1908-01-30

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Passover. John was still preaching In the
wilderness. Early In the first year OF
Jesus ministry. h" having hve or six
followers at that time.
PLACE Some room in Jerusalem at a
house where Jesus was "A guest. Reached
by an outer stairway.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
What is the Kingdom OF Heaven?-
II Is that condition or state where
God reigns as king, where he Is the
supreme object of love and service,
where his will Is the law, and men
obey II as naturally as they breathe.
anG where all his subjects are formed
in his holy image and inspired with
his spiritual life. II Is that for which
We pray in the first petitions Of the
Lords Prayer. He belongs to Gods
kingdom =. d:
Who recognizes God as his Father;
Who hallows his name:
Whose supreme dcsir" and aim Is that
his kingdom shall come:
Who does Gods will on earth as It Is
done in heaven.
And when all men have this SUI
preme choice Of God, then this world
will hav" beer transformed into the
kingdom Of heaven.
Paul expresses the essential mean
ing when he places the fruits OF the
Spirit" whose source and inspiration
are the Holy Spirit, in contrast with
the works Of the flesh
This kingdom naturally required
some form or organization to best ac.
cOmplish It's work. But the two ideas,
however closely allied, are distinct. as
ar" body and soul. One may have the
form without the spirit; and n may
have the spirit without the %organiza-
ton.
What Was Jesus Teaching About
Belonging to th" Kingdom of God?--
V. 3. "Vcrily, verify" Repeated for
the sake Of emphasis. a." the teacher
sen from God. SAY INTO thee" This
is my message. Except n man be born
again" Greek. another. again. or
anew" az In X. V. and Am. r.. from
above" WhOsOever Is born again Is
born anew and born from above. tx
ccrt a man have a new spiritual life
impaired by me Holy Gpirit, in addi.
ton to his natural life received
through his parents, he cannot sec"
understand, know the meaning of, feel
the motives, realize the presence Of.
the kingdom of God"
What IL II to BE Born Anew, from
AbOyc?--Wc have a natural physical
life. We live in a world Of sense. Our
supreme choice may be to enjoy this
life, 10 make It's pleasures and desires
supreme. to possess the things thar
minister TO II, at any cost, at the cx.
pcnsc Of other people. at the expense
Of cOnsci"nc" and duty and love. This
is the lif" Of he flesh, Of this world.
a thousand good, lovely, and charming
things may come into this life. But
the test Of the life Is what Is our
supreme choice"
This life Is impaired by the spirit
Of God. enabling one to choose God,
and gain the victory over the lower
nature. 1t Is by this power, through
this inspiration, under this influence
that We are enabled to bear the fruits
Of the spirit which are the virtues OF
the kingdom Of heaven.
V. 3. Except "A man be born OF
water and of Cthcl Spirit."-cThcre Is
no article In the Greek before
"SpirH,") To understand this. note
several things in the circumstances:
% John was baptizing with water as
a symbol Of repentance. CD Baptism
symbOlized the cleansing OF the soul
from sin. CD Baptism symbolized the
outward profession, the entering into
the visible kingdom. (4) Nicodemus
was familiar with tho rite with this
signifcation.
Water may denote either or both OF
" allied meanings. () The Lord
here declares that there are two Gle
ments or factors In the new birth
putting away the old life and receiving
the new. Water was the natural and
familiar symbol OF cleansing from sin
Of putting away the sinful past. Of
confession OF sin. This act the Phari
sees were not inclined to believe al
applied To themselves. They refused
to be baptized by John, and thus con
fess their need OF forgiveness.
What Was jesus Authority for Thi,
TeachinG?-It was, first, the authorit,
Of tire Scriptures. To Nicodemus' OK
clamation 90 How can these thing
be-" Jesus refers him to the Scrip
lures.
V. 10. art thou q Master"
teacher, "of Israel" your business be
ing to study and explain the Scrip
tur,g "Aul knnwest mt thes
things?" You Will find this truth Il