Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-06-10

life called IA new
birth. We enter this life by birth
our entrance upon eternal life must
be preceded also by birth. Sin has
eifaced In man both the moral and
spiritual Image of God. The new birth
restores both. This is the uniform
testimony of Scripture. The best that
can be said of the old nature, declared
to he dead In trespasses and sin (Eph.
2:D, Is that 1t retained, in spite Of the
fall, a capacity 10 receive new lite
from God and respond to His known
will.
The parable of the sOwer APPLY H.
Illustrates this. Therein four kinds OF
soil are represented. In three cases
the soil Is inhospitnblc. In one case
only Is the soil good But even here II
does not terminate the seed nor create
life within II. Ii only receives II. for
which 1t has the capacity and fur
nishes II hosptable environment in
which II may develop and grow. The
Interpretation of the parable MS gen
orally gi"cn treats of the soil as tire
human heart, and of the seed as the
Word of God. Ii is therefore the plant.
Ing of the Living Word in the heart
(Which has the capacity 20 receive it
and furnish Il hospitable environment
Tor its developmenD that results in
the reproduction of the moral and
spiritual Image of God This rccep-
tion of the Living Word into heart
is definite. and more or less clearly
marked In the experience of the indi-
vidual, being accompanied often by as
positive crisis rs when a child il
born into the world
In His talk with Nlcodemus (John
$3.50, Christ gives us the one instru.
ment, the Living Word, and the one
active agent. the Holy Spirit, In effect
ing the wonderful transformation
called the new birth. These divine
elements Of conversion are expressed
In other connections. as for instance.
THAT He might sanctify and cleanse
IL with the washing of water by tho
Word (Eph : 10; Being born not
of corruptible seed. but of incorrupt.
ible. by the Word Of God. which liveth
and abideth forever" q Peter :23)
and According TO His mercy He
saved us. by the washing Of rcgcner-
alton and the renewing of the Holy
Ghost" (Titus 1850.
Whenever, therefore. the Spirit Is
mentioned In connection with water
II signifies the Spirit Of God operating
In, a . sh
therefore. of water and Of Spirit. Is
the New Testament way of saying
that the Divine Spirit is the active
agent. and the Divine Word is the ef-
fective instrument in the new birth Of
of the soul. 1T Is the Spirit that
quickeneth; the flesh prohicth moth.
ing; the words speak unto you they
are spirit, and they are life" (John
6 :63).
Here then from headquarters we
have statement that His Words are
very spirit and life; that His Word
and Spirit are instrument and agent
in the immense work of creating Il
new nature for the believer" In the
new birth, then, the Word of God is
the seed the human heart Is the soil
God by Ills Spirit opens the heart to
receive the seed the nearer believes.
the Spirit quickens the implanted
seed into life In the receptive heart:
tire new divine nature springs up out
of the implanted Word; the believer
Is born again. created anew. made
alive. passed out Of death into life"
4 remarkable brick. taken from the
ancient wall Of Babylon. bears the in.
scription Of one of its mighty kings.
In the center of the inscription is the
footprint of dog. II was the custom
To imprint the royal mark upon bricks
used for public works. While this par
ticular brick was lying in its plastic
or soft state, driving in the sun. Il
vagrant dog evidently trod upon il.
The kings inscription Is entirely IL
leglhle while the footprint of the dog
is perfectly distinct So sin has cf-
faced the image Of God. leaving he
hind its own unmiStakablc mark. The
divine method of recovering what was
lost In sin Is a new creation based on
an act of faith in the finished work 81
Christ. I'll Cor. $40