Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1947-01-17

LESSON TExT-John Sill, l6, II,
MEMORY SELECT1ON--Exeept a man
be born again. he cannot see the king.
dom Of God.-John 3:3.
How does one become a Chris
tian? This was the question Of Nico-
demus. and It is the question In the
hearts and minds OF thousands in
every generation. The answer is
clear and definite.
The only entrance into the Chris
tian life Is by the door Of the new
birth. Regeneration is the act of
God whereby the divine nature is
impaired to the believing sinner and
he becomes the child of God He
who has not entered by this way
has not entered at ALL He is still
dead in trespasses and sins. with
out God and without hope (Eph,
IL. 1O.
The Pharisees who looked for
the coming Of the Messiah as Sec
ular conqueror wondered at this
new spiritual leader. II was prob
ably as much on their behalf as his
own that Nicodemus came to in
Quire of Jesus. In answering his
questions Jesus reveals the neces.
sity. the nature, and the method Of
regeneration.
!. The New Birth--a Necessity
(vv. Id.
Our Lords visitor was man of
distinction and standing in the COM
munity. but Jesus was not unduly
impressed by the dignity and high
station Of his visitor, nor by the WIS.,
itor's courteous acknowledgement Of
his own position as a great teacher.
With decisive boldness Jesus de-
clares that this man. a cultured
and distinguished ruler of the Jews,
must be born again, II he Is to see
the kingdom Of God.
God Is no respecter Of persons.
The doctor Of divinity must be born
again Just as much as the illiterate
fisherman. d. L. Moody once said
that he was thankful it was to such
. man as Nicodemus that Jesus
Drsssn&ed the necessity Of the new
birth. men would hdg We said that
caly ~ down-and-outef needed to
~ saved.
Two reasons are given by our
Lord for the must" Of verse 7:
"a The kingdom of God is spir-
itual kingdom and cannot be en-
tered by way Of our human nature;
and co that which Is born of the
flesh is flesh and is radically and
essentially bad, To learn why that
Is true read jeremiah 1928 and
Galatians 5:19-2l.
Scripture on this point is almost
Numerically opposed to much OF
the teachings in our schools and
colleges. But Gods Word Is right;
let us follow it.
II. The New Birth--a Mystery
wv. Gid.
God has graciously revealed to
US "all things that pertain unto life
and goodness. through the knowl-
edge" of Christ III Pet l:3) But
II Is true-and we say quite appro-
priately true that he has some
things hidden in his own blessed
counsels. We know the experience
of the new birth. We see the blessed
results Of regeneration. But what
actually takes place is a divine
mystery, not fathomable by human
reason. Those who insist that all
spiritual truth be put through the
little norm OF their intelligence will
never understand It or receive its
blessing Il Cor 2:l4.
The striking illustration OF the
life-giving and energizing wind
used by our Lord is most iIluminat-
ing. Wind is unseen. but the re.
suits of its movement are evident.
Even so the spiritual rebirth Of men
Is an enigma to the worldly man,
but even he can see It's results in
godly living.
We know that regeneration is not
only a possibility, but an actually,
fact; In truth, the greatest Of all
facts.
III. The New Birth--a Reality
wv. 10, ~.
Just as there was healing and
life in a look a, the upllfted serpent
in the Wilderness Mum. 2l8, SO
there Is life for a look at the Cruel.
fed One. Faith receives Gods per.
feet provision for sin.
Verse ie may well be regarded
as the greatest sentence in the
gre6test Book In the world. II
prevents the whole plan OF saliva
tion-i,s source, its ground. its re.
cipients, It's condition, and It's re.
SUIT. ~
This glorious salvation Is for all
n,on . w1osoever" 49, but some re.
jec1 a. Notice that God does not
connemn them. Their own evil
wnflEs and desires condemn them
(vx H-2o). God in his grace Is
r6o6y and willing to save. but men
loVo sA1ox4ness rather than light"
e. tIGlk weFks are evil.
~ ton6es, loving heavenly Faith.
e&shas ~ desire to condemn any.
GO 1he man or fwoman who falls
uhdef fis concentration Of sin does
70 by choice, Gods desire Is that