Chapter 14—Entrance Requirement
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John
3:3
.
In the interview with Nicodemus, Jesus unfolded the plan of salvation
and His mission to the world.
He came directly to the point, saying solemnly, yet kindly, “Verily, verily,
I say unto thee, Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom
of God” (
John 3:3
, margin).... Raising His hand with solemn, quiet dignity,
He pressed the truth home with greater assurance, “Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God.”...
By nature the heart is evil.... The fountain of the heart must be purified
before the streams can become pure. He who is trying to reach heaven by
his own works in keeping the law is attempting an impossibility. There
is no safety for one who has merely a legal religion, a form of godliness.
The Christian’s life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a
transformation of nature. There is a death to self and sin, and a new life
altogether. This change can be brought about only by the effectual working
of the Holy Spirit.... It can no more be explained than can the movements of
the wind....
While the wind is itself invisible, it produces effects that are seen and
felt. So the work of the Spirit upon the soul will reveal itself in every act of
him who has felt its saving power. When the Spirit of God takes possession
of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds
are renounced; love, humility, and peace take the place of anger, envy, and
strife. Joy takes the place of sadness, and the countenance reflects the light
of heaven.... The blessing comes when by faith the soul surrenders itself to
God. Then that power which no human eye can see creates a new being in
the image of God....
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