To an unconverted one, there is no joy in God’s presence. We are often struck with it, those of us who are parents. We take our children to the meeting, the gospel meeting—O, how difficult it is to get them. Why? The atmosphere there is not suited to them. Were we to take them to the places of amusement, we should have no trouble to control them. What is the cause of it? What they are in nature; and what they get in the place of amusement, they can enjoy in their nature. But what they get in the gospel meeting is all contrary to their nature, until the grace of God works.
And many a one passes in this world as a child of God; but unless there is a change, and one is born again, he will find himself at the end a lost soul. He has not been born again; if God were to take him to heaven, if it were possible, he would not be happy; and if He were to put him into hell, it would make him unhappy. What is to be done, then?
The only place that man in his unconverted state can be happy is in this world; what is here suits him in his nature. One is often reminded of it when we go by the theaters on the Lord’s day, where they will be standing in line, sometimes for more than two blocks, waiting for the opening. And we have gone down to the gospel meeting in the evening, after having invited different ones, and there would be no response. Every one in those companies has his money in his hand, and has to pay for admission, while we take the gospel to them free, and they do not care for it. That makes us feel often as to our children.
And let us, dear Christian parents, be faithful. Let us make them know the truth that they must be born again, or they will never see or enter the kingdom of God.
Take home with you, “Except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God.” Young and old, let us give that grand fundamental truth of God a place in our consideration.
How is this new birth brought about— “born of God”? It is brought about by the Word of God.
“Born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Peter 1:2323Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:23)). Can you mentally understand that?
For instance, an unconverted man goes down the street where there is a gospel preacher, who has a few hearers; and he hears that preacher quote the Word of God:
“God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)). One man says, “That is the truth.” What is taking place? He is being “born again by the Word of God” —the water and the Spirit—he receives a new, spiritual life.
There is no such thing in the Word of God as being born again twice. One is brought into a new and everlasting relationship with God, by receiving the Word of God.
How come we to be so bad in nature? Well, it was through the rejection of the Word of God, and the reception of the word of Satan. God said one thing; Satan said another. Here, on one hand, was one; on the other hand, the other—which will you believe? Ah, Satan got the ear. And that is man’s history, if left to himself, down to this day. The truth of God is rejected, save and except where through sovereign grace, it is accepted. And there is no one born again except by the Word of God; and He is bringing this Word in your conversion, that Word in my conversion; that Word in the conversion of another; but each one has been born again by the reception of the Word of God.
There is another thing besides this, born again. Long, long ago there was emphatic attention called to this—these two musts. Why those two musts—the one is to God, and the other is to man. Because of what? Because of these two natures—born of water and of the Spirit. That is just simply the application and reception of the Word of God.
We find this learned man asks this question: How? How? Those hows trouble us so, in the Word of God, sometimes. Where is their origin? In our heads—man’s mind. They are only to be answered by the Word of God. We find them, frequently, in the Gospel of John— “How can a man be born when he is old?” And, thank God, many an old man has been born again. See to it that you are born again, or you will never see the kingdom of God.
(To Be Continued)