Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-16
Sunday School Lesson

baptize with the holy spirit Although
the Baptist called for a religious i'm
provement as a proof that one had
repented, Jesus demanded more than
radical reformation for "A new birth.
for that which is born Of flesh is
flesh. and that which is born of the
spirit is spirit" Until there is given
unto man from above new creation
i'm the likeness of the living Christ to
he developed in him. the GIope Of
glory. he can't understand The king
dom of God.
The Master taught Nicodemus that
in Gods gift of His only begott"n Son
there had been given to the world
not merely another in succession of
human teachers and prophets, hut one
uniquely endowed with the very life
Of God. set apart to convey that life
10 those who. aba ndoninC self-depend-
ence and it's fatal issues, place them
selves unreservedly in His saving
hands" The new birth which men
call regeneration. is more than A
mental attitude or an external prac-
tice. Through the unmerited favor of
God there Is implant in the soul a
controlling principle that fills il with
a new disposition and spiritual taste
along the lines Of David's PRAYER
| Create in me . God clean heart"
In being horn anew no new faculties
are brought into being. but the life
! less faculties are acted upon until the
| mind is Illuminated the ewes IF the
understanding are opened the con
| science is awakened tho will is re-
newed and set free from the honda re
If lust and passion.
The Way Of Salvation.
Nicodemus was puzzled by tho idea
n he nl,.
has pointed out that h was familiar
with the fact that the Gentle who
wished TO become Jew had to he
symbollcally born again. He had 10
be baptized, going down under the
cleansing waters washing away his
old and defied life being buried by
baptism, disappearing from mems
sight as Gentle and rising from
the water new man. He was thus
| born of water. and this time born NOT
a Gentle. bur a lew" Nicodemus had
difficulties In understa ndnC Christ's
teachings of the new birth. that made
| the Master marvel concerning the
| failure of the scholar to understand
| His failure to understand was due to
lack Of spiritual life Spiritual reali-
ties cannot he mastered by reason
alone. IF we do not understand IL iS
no reason for our denying It's reality
| cause they cannot understand the
process by which life is renewed. The
natural world. according TO the Master
was fun Of mysteries like he SpiTitua /
ones. The transformations seen in
both We're due to the working ont Of
unseen forces that were regulated and
controlled by the law Of God. Life
from above is constantly reaching
down and lifting up the lower life 70
b In II 1
serbs the mineral: the mineral is taken
up by the animal: then the animal is
eaten by some huma n being. No TWO
experience religion alike The trans
formation differs widely in men like
Jerry McCauiey and one trained in a
consecrated Christian home
Although regeneration is of God il
Is easily obtainahle for God So low
ed The world that lie gave Ills only
begotten Son, that whatsoever he
iieveth on Him should not perish. hut
have eternal life His death upon the
cross proved the Fathers love.
Nothing short Of His coming could
have secured salvation FOR al who put
their trust in Him. Gods love pro
vided the way Of salvation for who
soeVer' will accept the gift of Sa
ton. Jesus came to save the world
through freeing individuals from their
sin and filling them with life from
above. The one hope for the perma-
nent settlement of all the modern prob.
lens that We are facing is found in
! the acceptance of Christ as our
Savior. and obedience 10 His com
mands. His way provides for the
solution of every personal social. in
dGstrial. political and commercial ques.
ton that is pressing for solution. II
you have not heen born anew from
above. let your dead spiritual nature
he brought 70 Christ To no born gain
through repentance for your sins nd
q b in Him 1nnIEnnli 81 N.int-