Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1916-09-30
COTTAGE PRAYER
Continued From Page SixD
In part Rev. Stephens said.
We Must Be Born AGAIN


verse. ] know of no theme that needs
to be preached on so much today as
this theme. The chird chapter of John
is the very heart of the Bible. There
is enough in this third chapter OF
John to save the whole world One
OF the greatest texts we have is
found in the third chapter of John.
II is simple text, but mighty
text. If you do not know whether
you are Christian or not / wish you
would go and read the third chapter
OF John before you retire tonight
And this seventh verse-how | love
it. 1t is the starting point of all Chris
tian life. II this thing hasn't happen
ed in your life you can be baptized
and go to church, but you don't know
what it means to be Christian
These are the words of Jesus. and
when get hold of the words of Jesus
| like to preach upon them: Marvel
not that | say unto you ye must be
born again" There is no hope So
or guess So or maybe so" about
it. "Yet must be"
We have law in the United States
that no man can become President
of the United States unless he is
American born. You don't hear any
foreigners kicking about that law
That is one of our nations laws Ey-
cry nation has its laws. Jesus Christ
has his laws. God, the father his his
laws. And here is one of them: You
must be converted-you must be re-
generated-you must be born again
you must become a Christian before
you can enter into the Kingdom of
God.
In Second Corinthians the fifth
chapter and seventeenth verse it says
IF any man be in Christ he is a
new creature Old things have pass,
ed away; all things are becoming
new" We need more preaching on
simple regeneration or what it means
to be born again.
1t means something to be Chris
ton. and vastly more than thousands
of people think it means. Lots of
people think they are united with
Christ and they are just tied to
Christ with a little cotton string.
They have name to live by but
they are dead There is absolutely no
spirituality in their life My Bible
says, you must be born again" But
some one says, Mr.. Stephens, how
can a person be born again?" | don't
know don't know how God saves
a man, but know he does it. don't
know how | am born again but |
know | must be if | ever enter the
Kingdom of God. | don't know how
corn grows or how cotton grows, but
| know ii am to be fed and clothed
corn and cotton must grow | don't
understand the how of it, but | un-
der stand the must be of it | don't
know how fire burns but | know if
| am going TO be warm it must burn
| don't know how | must he born
again. but | know | must be if
ever see inside the pearly gates, be
cause Jesus said, Except a man be
born again he cannot enter into the
Kingdom of God" No matter how cul-
tured. and refined, and educated a
man may be he cannot understand
God. cannot obey God, cannot under
stand the Bible, does not know how
to pray, is absolutely alienated from
God until he receives that power
from the Holy Ghost The how of it
is mysterious. but the must be of it
is plain Here it is: Marvel not
that | say unto you We must be born
again. There is so much sham and
shoddy about things today.
So many things are shams. You
look at nice big head of hair on
a woman and you don't know whether
it grew there or whether it is pinned
on.
But the biggest sham, the biggest
humbug is the people who are calling
themselves Christians and living for
the devil. You take a little bit of
church, little bit 81 cards, and a
little bit of theatre. little but of
this and little bit of that any You
have the biggest humbug in the world
today. If there is anything that makes
me heart sick is this sham and hum
bug among people and hear them
call themselves Christians. They
have not more business in the church
than that old saloon keeper. They
are a downright disgrace to the
church, and no wonder our pastors
hearts are broken today when we
have such sinners in our churches
as we have today. They will put their
big long coat on and put their Bible
under their arm and go off to Sunday
school Sunday morning, and the rest
of the week their life is perfectly
disgraceful and | have more respect
for the saloon keepr that stands out
side and makes no profession than |
have for the fellow that stands in
side and processes to be a follower
of the Lord Jesus Christ and lives