The new South-news., 1909-06-12

r,Nn 3 ~Yo must b. born again
Tnia h. fundamental IN the teaching
~ Jesus. u lies at the root of al
Christian experience. n is as true
as II Is terhc. as philorophic o. q s.
uungcrf. as timely 40 81 is ln1i7tcut.
no man can know the Joy Of the
chrlstlan llfc until be has been born
anew.
This statement Of Jesus 10 Nicode-
mus was startling. Is was both n
challenge and a rebuke. BIZ of sage
counsel and a quiet though terrible
arraiTnment.
Nic0dcmus came In the name o.
the class whose representative his-
toricaiiy he has been and immcdiaic-
by be was. In their own eyes they
held The essence of wisdom unto li,e
eternal. We know that Thou arf q
teacher come from God I'VE
know. IN thoir opinion lt was nee
f8snry for al The world 10 become
reEeueratci in the bonds of J8llesm
before the world could c1ioy q az
ING knowiedse OF the only true Cod.
They were Gods people, Hia chosen.
tho aora az Abraham They were
quito familiar with the Idea of n new
birth. Tor they declared that the
world would have to be- born %
knowledge Of their spiritual poases-
alona before the world could possess
the rift Of the divine favor.
No doubt Nlcodemus thought he
could Instruct Chriet. Ia all nkeii-
hood DC had lltt'c prcscierco OF the
reception he would recel~T ri y
quite probable that hs considered
himself NJ challaug.x OF Christ.
Behold the cfqllcng-1 feffH cfSiien-
ger; the represapta,Ivo 81 tho T'fdsn
OF lsracl q pupil OF a arspised N.sa-
rene. II is not TO be.(wondered That
Nic,odemus was am >tA'd-~sSr----'
Jesus dcclarer strong doctrine.
~ ,Ye must be h.<Sassln'' @ye.- the
W. I'D righteous OF Israel,
. scachers and. priests and pge-
,a,r., learned and Intellectual. who
haye tithed mint and cummin and
nnise and forgotten the weigh,ier
matter - the law. "~-"
born anew >.-zs,11xS. ..i...sis-ss ~
~ ne mad said that the Greeks aad
barbarlaps nnd foroi.nors.
Gentlles. without The pale. hs5 10 be
born again, tLera Would hf.te been
no "How can these things ~" But
"yei" sa--.-'--
And yet II was quito gtrrect teach
/ Ing and most suhllultted thourht.
As truly as Il Is necessary that a man
| must be born 20 cpioy tho exercise OF
physical faculties IN physical world
80 truly rs Il requisite that In the
world OF the Spirit he shall undergo
process OF spiritual horninH. II ~
necessary that a man shall enter thi
world before he can experience th'
varied activities OF physical life. ~
must become alive 10 tho intcllccful
environment of humanity before hl
can have experience therein. No
otherwise is II with the world OF thl
Spirit We must be born Born q
another and larger as q highe
plane OF living; born again.
There Is nothing permisslvc ahou
Il. Ne must, IL "a the law of tA
spiritual kingdom. II Is the law O
all life. II YOU are alive to on
world and dead TO the consciousness
of another you "mustH be born int
n. into a consciousness OF IT'S reality
I before YOU may enjoy its experiences
, its prerogativcs and its cnlargements
. What Jesus said TO Nicodemus II
D summons OF God TO the world. "N
= must he born again" Born to IN
J sense OF a larger life. Born to th
consciousness OF fuller and be'
. ter life Born to the spiritual life 1
n God In Jesus Christ our Lord.
, Upon no other terms Is II possibl
=. for men 20 enter the kingdom of Go
y or to see II. And the wonder is thi
9 they so rebel. II is not an inyitatio
u or command 70 self destruction. bt
to larger self realization. II Is n,
call 20 sin. but promise OF spiri
ual growth. II Ia not irksomo, bl
distinctly profitable Humanity HI
Z nothing 70 lose and everything
'c gnin.
h. Regeneration lis the need OF this
70 Of every time. Men never needed
he born anew more than they do (
day Born to the better things. boz
~ to the larger world. born 10 the e
- joyment of the spiritual kingdom
y. the all-wise God
n Beside the JOY OF the spiritual II
m the pleasures Of the world are val
he The capacities OF men are limited
Il the physical environment in whit
~. they live. Only In the world of I
ny spirit can the faculties Of man be q
ne oQuately exercised and his powers
rs nnitely enlarged. But TO know 4
ey TO enjoy this kingdom and its I
he we must. rs Nicodcmug. be ho
he ancw. Being born into IL We m
ma 1--we therein. n large life. a fun q
=. free and varied and soul-inylgorati
lie The life of God flooding a
nc reiuvenaung the life OF man. C
ply give us the desire for regencrat|
me and the grace TO wilt be born aga
t,f