“YE must be born again.” This word MUST leaves no loophole for escape. It insists upon a great moral necessity. The Lord was addressing a learned, religious leader when He used it. The great question as to how a man could see or enter the kingdom of God was His theme. He does not say “ye should” or “ye ought,” but ye must be born again if you would either see or enter the kingdom. If necessary for such a man as Nicodemus, it must be so for you. The life you have is forfeited. It is absolutely unmendable. To enter God’s kingdom you must have a new beginning. New birth is not baptism. Many religious leaders teach that it is because water is mentioned; but water refers to the Word of God, as you may see by looking at Ephesians 5:2626That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:26). Baptism is a symbol of death, not life (Rom. 6:33Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (Romans 6:3)). New birth is the beginning of a new spiritual existence originated by the Holy Ghost. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:66That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)). Have you ever seriously faced the question, “Am I born again?” If not, may God graciously awaken you now.
An officer’s daughter had been aroused to the necessity of the new birth in a most unexpected way. Some friends on the Continent had invited her to stay with them, and had arranged a private ball on Sunday evening in honor of her arrival. It is no unusual thing in some countries to attend a religious service in the forenoon and spend the rest of the day in pleasure. It so happened that Miss M—‘s dress did not quite fit, and one of the maids was desired to make the necessary alteration. Her mistress observed to Miss M—: “This silly girl thinks it wrong to have balls on Sundays, and looks upon us as very great sinners. Is it not so, Maria?”
Maria modestly replied, “Yes, I think it strange that persons professing to be Christians should go to balls and theaters at all.”
This remark led to a lengthy conversation, in the course of which Maria pressed upon the ladies the claims of God and the necessity of regeneration, adding, “Except a man be BORN AGAIN he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
“What do you mean,” asked Miss M—, “by being born again?”
(We will reply for her. It is to have a sense of the need of Christ begotten in the soul by the Spirit of God, a need which nothing but His death can satisfy.)
At the appointed hour friends assembled and dancing began. Outwardly all was gaiety and pleasure, but one, at least, was sad at heart. The arrow of conviction had pierced the conscience of the guest for whom the ball had been arranged.
Some continental clergymen indulge in these Sunday amusements, and on this occasion three were present. As soon as Miss M—saw them she resolved to seek an answer to a question which greatly troubled her. Presently a favorable opportunity occurred, and approaching a venerable man with silvery hair, she said:—“Will you allow me to ask you a question?”
“Certainly, my child. I will answer it for you, too, if I can.”
“Pray, sir, what is it to be born again?”
Astonished he replied, “This is not the place to speak on that subject. I will answer your question another time.”
“Sir,” she said, “you must tell me now!”
“Well,” said he, “if I must tell you I must. To be born again is to be reformed in life. When a person who has been very wicked amends his ways and forsakes the vices he formerly followed, then he may be said to be born again.”
She thanked her teacher, but found this was no satisfactory reply to her question; it increased rather than eased her sorrow.
Later in the evening Miss M—embraced an opportunity of speaking to another minister, hoping her question would meet with a reply suited to her need. She again inquired: “What is it to be born again?”
For some time he tried to evade the question, but being pressed for a definite answer replied: “All who are baptized are born again, and have the life of God in their soul.”
This explanation she knew to be false. She had been baptized, and was convinced that it had not made her a true Christian, or begotten divine life in her soul. She knew it was vain for her to look back to the baptismal font for relief from the burden now weighing so heavily on her spirit.
Neither reformation nor baptism is new birth. It is the sovereign actin of God, like the wind blowing where it listeth, and is accompanied by a loathing of self never before known (Ezek. 36:3131Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. (Ezekiel 36:31)). Its effect is like that of a brilliant ray of sunshine streaming through a crack into a long-closed room. It discovers defilement hitherto unsuspected. Are you miserable, wretched, dejected because of your sinful state? Thank God, there is blessing in store for you. Soul misery and soul happiness are twin sisters.
There is another must in John 3. The Son of Man must be lifted up, that “whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Miss M—retired to her room that night, but not to rest. Sleep departed from her eyes. The mighty wind of the Spirit had blown on her dead heart and conscience and awakened the grand question, What must I do to be saved? Next morning she opened her Bible, not now as a duty, but to find a solution to the question which had raised such a storm in her soul. She read as she had never read before. She prayed and agonized for the answer to her question, “What is it to be born again?” After a week she left for home. There she again sought help from God’s Word. The more she read the more guilty, and polluted, and sinful she saw herself to be. Distracted and wretched she turned to Christ Jesus as her only and all-sufficient Saviour. Like the stricken Israelites of old she found that in order to live she must look. The eye of her faith rested upon the uplifted Saviour. She looked and lived. Herein she found the great answer to her question.
New birth, the Spirit’s work in her, had produced a deep, deep need. Christ’s work for her on the cross had met that need!
Life, life eternal, she discovered, was a gift from God. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” She turned in simple faith to an uplifted Saviour. The load was gone, the burden removed; her conscience was at rest, her heart filled with peace and joy. In Christ Jesus she had found all she sought, “wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:3030But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1 Corinthians 1:30)).
And you also will find these blessed things if you turn simply, wholly, and only to Christ.
Having got her heart filled and her conscience relieved, she determined to live for the One Who had died for her. But she was soon to be tested. A ball was arranged by the officers of the regiment to which her father belonged. The aristocracy of the capital were invited. “Of course you will be there,” Colonel M—said to his daughter. The words fell on her heart like a thunderbolt. Throwing herself into her father’s arms, with tears she besought him to allow her to absent herself. “I will obey you in everything that is not sinful, like a dutiful, loving daughter; but, papa, my Bible and my conscience tell me it is not right to attend balls.” With military sternness the old soldier replied, “You must go; I command you. You talk of the Bible, and by the Bible I order you. It says, ‘Children, obey your parents in all things.’ I read my Bible and am a good Lutheran. How is it that I am not troubled about these things?” “Papa,” she answered, “the Bible says that a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. We are corrupt by nature, and until we are born again we cannot have right thoughts and feelings.”
All her reasoning and appeals were unavailing. Her father insisted on her going to the ball, and with a sorrowful heart she went. Once it had been her greatest delight to mix in such scenes. Now she had found that a Christian’s joys are of such a pure and elevated character that they had completely unfitted her for these so-called pleasures.
You also will find the same thing. A Christian wholly occupied with Christ is the happiest being in the world. He has joys outside this world and pleasures for evermore.
The ball over, Miss M—gladly retired to her room. Not long afterward she heard a knock at the door. On asking, “Who is there?” her father’s voice replied, “I am here; do open the door. I am indeed a corrupt tree, and have never brought forth any good fruit!”
On opening the door the old man fell on her neck and asked her forgiveness for compelling her to go to the ball. He then added that the passage of Scripture she had quoted had so fastened itself on his conscience that he was convinced of his sinfulness and guilt before God, and felt his need of a Saviour, and begged her to pray with him. They knelt down together and earnestly pleaded for mercy.
For three days Colonel M—shut himself up in his house pleading with the most intense earnestness for the salvation of his soul. Like another Saul of Tarsus, it could be said of him, “Behold, he prayeth.” On the third day the scales fell from his eyes. He also looked away from self to Jesus, and found in the uplifted Son of Man a present, living Saviour. On that day he left his house a new man. Determined to show his colors, and seek to win others to that same blessed Saviour, he bought some tracts on his way to the barracks, and with his own hand distributed them among the soldiers of his regiment. Officers and men looked at one another in amazement. They could not make it out.
Again the wind had blown where it listed. The Spirit of God had used the water of the word to affect His mighty work. That same Spirit had directed the newly awakened sinner to a loving Saviour. He would fain do that with you, my reader. Are you awakened, anxious? If so, look straight to Jesus. In Him are life, peace, and joy.
The grace of God had not only brought salvation to Colonel M—, but it transformed his life. His home now was a scene of peace. Prayer and praise ascended to God. The Bible supplanted the novel. Worldly acquaintances were given up for the people of God.
This did not end the story of God’s grace to that family. An only son had been abroad seeking satisfaction in travel. He returned home unsatisfied. The first thing that struck him was the marked change in his father and sister. Once more was the Saviour’s figure exemplified, “The wind bloweth where it listeth.” He also learned that he must be born again. He too was saved through the atoning work of Christ, and henceforth devoted his life to preaching the necessity of the new birth, and the death and resurrection of Christ as the ground of eternal salvation.
Religious reader, you also must be born again. Reformation will not avail; baptism will not accomplish it. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. “YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN.”
H. N.