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Born Again, February 1
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
.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”
(
Matthew 6:10
). The whole life of Christ upon earth was lived for the purpose
of manifesting the will of God on earth as it is in heaven. Said Christ, “Except
a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.... Except a man
be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit” (
John 3:3-6
).
Christ does not acknowledge any caste, color, or grade as necessary to
become a subject of His kingdom. Admittance to His kingdom does not
depend upon wealth or a superior heredity. But those who are born of the
Spirit are the subjects of His kingdom. Spiritual character is that which will
be recognized by Christ. His kingdom is not of this world. His subjects are
those who are partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption
that is in the world through lust. And this grace is given them of God.
Christ does not find His subjects fitted for His kingdom, but He qualifies
them by His divine power. Those who have been dead in trespasses and sins
are quickened to spiritual life. The faculties which God has given them for
holy purposes are refined, purified, and exalted, and they are led to form
characters after the divine similitude. Though they have misapplied their
talents and made them serve sin; though Christ has been to them a stone of
stumbling and a rock of offense, because they stumbled at the Word, being
disobedient, yet by the drawing of His love they are led at last into the path of
duty. Christ said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might
have it more abundantly” (
John 10:10
).
Christ draws them to Himself by an unseen power. He is the light of
life, and He imbues them with His own Spirit. As they are drawn into the
spiritual atmosphere, they see that they have been made the sport of Satan’s
temptations, and that they have been under his dominion; but they break the
yoke of fleshly lusts, and refuse to be the servants of sin. Satan strives to hold
them. He assails them with various temptations; but the Spirit works to renew
them after the image of Him who created them.—
The Review and Herald,
March 26, 1895
.
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