0909. The Master's Answer–Born of the Spirit

The Master's Answer–Born of the Spirit

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (Joh_3:6).

Christ told Nicodemus that the new birth was through the Holy Spirit. We may not understand the workings of the Spirit, but we know that He works.

Illustration: A colored man was taking a drummer across a Southern lake. The drummer, seeing how successfully the boatman was managing the sails, said: "Mose, do you understand the philosophy of the wind?" The negro is said to have replied: "No, sir, boss, I didn't know the wind had any philosophy." Then he added: "Boss, you don't need to know the philosophy of the wind, all you need to know is how to hold the sails."

Thus, we do not understand the philosophy of the new birth. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit." We may not know the philosophy of the new birth, but we may know how to throw up the sails of faith and catch the breath of the Spirit.

Gabriel said unto Mary, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that Holy Thing, which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luk_1:35).

This is just what happens to us when the new birth takes place. The Holy Spirit comes unto us, and the power of the Highest overshadows us, and we are born of God.

In Galatians 3 we read of how we began in the Spirit. In Hebrews 12 we read that God is the "Father of spirits"–our spirits. The one who eliminates the work of God, the Holy Spirit, from regeneration, certainly overlooks a most important part of the testimony of Christ to Nicodemus.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR