The words heading this article were addressed to “Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.” From all found in Scripture, we would gather that this man lived a blameless life, very religious, and a reader and expounder of the Old Testament; besides all, a person exercised in spirit, having a sense of need in his soul. How leveling, then, to every kind of human and religious pretension— “Ye must be born again.” To come to the point with you, dear reader; your life may be a blameless one, but God will not have it. God says to you, “Ye must be born again.” You may be a competent scholar, a diligent student of the “Word,” an able expounder of Holy Scripture, but God says to you, “Ye must be born again.” You may be a religious person, a praying one, but “ye must be born again.” You may eat of the “Lord’s Supper,” be a preacher, deacon, priest, or minister, but God says to you, “Ye must be born again.” You may be an “anxious inquirer,” an earnest seeker, a man of an exercised spirit but God says to you, “Ye must be born again.”
Jesus did not say, “ye ought,” or “ye should,” but “ye must.” The new birth is an absolute necessity for the kingdom of God. It is not the old life improved—it is not the old nature sanctified—it is not the Adam-life bettered. It is not anxieties, exercises, or experiences which constitute the new birth, but it is a new life given—a new nature imparted. It is effected, not by the doings or feelings of the sinner or anxious inquirer, but by the “Word” and the “Spirit.”
The Spirit of God implants the “Word” in the soul, and thus a new nature is given, born of the incorruptible seed of the Word; this “seed” produces life in the soul. Bow to the “Word of God” then, accept God’s judgment upon the nature and its fruit executed upon Christ on the cross. Own yourself a sinner in truth and reality.