Evening journal., 1916-01-14
john iIi:i. Ye must be born agaIn.


die OF a German river the emperors OF
France and Russia for conference.
the result Of which was TO change the
map of Europe But centuries before
there was far greater conference.
II was between Nicodemus. a ruler
of the Jews. and Jesus Christ the
Son OF God. The result Of this confer
ence was TO change the fate OF count-
less thousands.
II was no mere accident that the
kind OF a man that he was. came to
Jesus hv night: it was no mere acci-
dent that 10 Nicodemus Jesus should
speak that significant sentence: 'Ne
must be born again. Nicodemus was
a member OF the Jewish national con
gress. he was a man of wealth and
rank. Of influence and culture He
was moreover a man of undoubied up
riehtness and purity of character.
He was perhaps the equal or super
ior OF any Of as.
II a man ignorant and obscure had
come 20 Jesus. and il The Master had
said. "Ye must he born again then
a man OF culture and influence might
have had some reason in saying, L
can understand what kind Of man
would need n new life I'm order 10
bc saved. but 7 do not belong to that
class or. II il had been 20 one
wicked aud vicious that Jesus had
spoken these words. then the man
conscious Of honesty and uprightness
mighi have had an excuse for saying,
1T is evident that man who rs wick
cd and impure would need something
additional in order 10 be saved. But
that does not include me- But n
10 a man like Nicodemus Jesus should
saw. aye must be born again " such
man needed regeneration In order
to obtain everlasting life, SO do you
and I need q.
Now. before We 60 on 90 consider
what regeneration is. let MS stop for
a moment 60 discuss what Il is not
IN the first place. regeneration rs not
mcrol, reformaiion Reformation u.s.,
AS evidenced 10y HE word itself, re-
forming or remoulding Of what YOU
ilroadv have but regeneration rs the
bringing in of now power and life
which you did not before possess.
Supposing q man starts TO reform. he
has tried that before. All he has TO
helm him are his own powers, which
be like trolley car trying To run
without contact with a live wire.
Merely turning over a new leaf is not
salvation Right here mark the All
cronce between true and-false theo-
logy The world says a man rs good
enough as ne is All he needs Is to
bring out what is within him. But
the teaching of Christ declares that
man needs new power, q new lie
from above.
IN the next place. regeneration is
not simply culture Some seem To
think that an man needs to do Is
to keep getting little better and bet
tor. until finally he gets good enough
10 be saved. This idea has no war
rant in the scripture. Supposing q
farmer should start out in the spring
and plow his field and then cr9ss
plow a. harrow u and then cross-har
row "a. keeping up this process al
summer. You come TO him and say
"What are You doing thore2' lie re
niles. "I have advanced ideas o
agriculture" Sc he keeps on cult
waiting all summer but in the fall hi
field is as bare as this platform
There has been plenty Of cultivation
but there was nothing To cultivate
Here is the marked difference be
tween the religions of the world anC
tho gospel of Christ The world says
man Is good enough as ne Is; al
that is needed is TO educate. TO draw
ont what is ALREADY within him Th'
gospel of Christ. on the other hand
declares the necessity OF obtaining I
new life. a new power. from above
which nc did not before possess. Noi
can grow IN grace. but You canno
GROW into grace II you have but m
embryo apple tree. you may hope 4
develop a FUN grown tree IN time
But by no process of cultivation cal
vou change the willow into an appl
rec. or an eucalyptus into an orang
tree. Spiritual birth must preced
spiritual growth, spiritual fruitag
and maturity.
Moreover. regeneration Is not sim
ply being religious. A man might b
as religious as Satan, and yet g
where Satan goes Religion neve
saved anybody. The world has man
religions, all of which are absOlutel
impotent 10 bring salvation There
but one gospel Of Jesus Christ.
Becoming Christian being Dor
again. Is not merely joining th
church Many people have joiped th
church as they would have joined
literary society or lodge. If here wa
an electric light bulb that gave n
light il would do no good 10 conne'
Il TO tho pulpit or the platform. or
tho piano. il must IN some way b
puf into touch with the central dy
namo. Many young people have com
into the church from the Sunda
school. They have passed the eccl'
siastical examination. answering th
questions just as they would pas
from the eighth grade into the hig
school They have been ground or
like cobs ont OF a corn shelter. The
have had no change Of heart. no spii
itual experience Many have gon
through the forms the rites. the cer'
monies. they have attended churc
and given OF their money. yet az IN
has not brought salvation Belongin
10 church does not make a Christia
Of You any more than going TO a stab
makes horse Of you. OF going into
garage makes an automobile of yo
Net. on the other hand, when YOU Z
? become a Christian, you will take
the church as naturally as Il,
takes to water
There are many things that arc IA
nortant for a persons welfare an
development that are not essenti;