The Best of Portal of Prayer

Read: Titus 3:4–7

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he
cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh,
and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said
to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
John 3:5–7

You Must Be Born Again

Nicodemus could not understand this – nor can we. The new birth is a mystery. Equally so, it is a necessity. With a finality that permits no argumentation, Jesus declares solemnly: “You must be born again.” And “you” means all men without distinction of time or race, station or place. As we read the whole of this report of Christ’s midnight talk with learned Nicodemus, it becomes clear to us that there must be a new birth for each of us, even though we never can fathom the mysterious process of regeneration. For we are all the children of Adam and Eve. From these sin-defiled parents, we all have inherited the taint of sin. Original sin may be an unpopular, and to many an unknown, doctrine of Scripture. But it is a stubborn fact that daily stares each one of us in the face. We see it in our children even as our parents saw it in us. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh.” All nature testifies to the fact that like begets like. “That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Every regenerated and believing child of God knows how true that is. As we thank God for our redemption by the shed blood of Christ, so let us bless His Spirit for the gracious washing of regeneration in Holy Baptism. May our lives testify to the fact that we have been born again.

For the blessings of Holy Baptism we thank Thee, dear Lord. Grant that we who have been baptized into Christ may daily put on Christ. Help us day by day to bear in mind that, as Christ rose from the dead by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life. Amen

January 04, 1939