p. 6 | A LESSON TO TEACHERS

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 21, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 25.

A LESSON TO TEACHERS.

WHEN Jesus taught Nicodemus the fundamental truth of His kingdom, "Ye must be born again," Nicodemus marveled, doubted, and questioned, "How can these things be?" He followed the method of the schools, which is the method of unbelief, the method of "science falsely so called," the method of unaided human reason.

So Moses, after the wisdom of Egypt, questioned, "Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?" So the unbelieving noble questioned how God could bring plenty in one day where was such sore famine. So the disciples questioned how Jesus could feed a multitude in the wilderness. Men in theological seminaries, set to train young men to bear the Gospel message to a dying world, are questioning God's Word and power by many an insinuating "How?" "How can these things be?" is an old common question. It is not so sad to hear it from the world, but it is sad to hear it from the professed teacher of the Gospel.

Listen to the Saviour's reproof: "Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things?" In other words, the people of Israel were different from other nations only as they were separate from other nations in purpose, in principle, in knowledge of God. Israel was of heavenly origin, prevailer with God. The heavenly birth was a necessity to Israel, to be maintained by feeding on the heavenly manna of the Word. Nicodemus as the teacher, the very leading one in this respect, should above all others have known the fundamental truth of the new birth and its necessity. He felt the necessity of this knowledge. His visit to Christ on that eventful night was evidence of longing for better things. And the secret of his need and the source of supply was revealed in the Saviour's instruction.

There are many honest teachers to-day who are longing to be character-builders. They are following the old treadmill methods of the world. They educate good boys; but the same system and methods educate equally those who are evil. They are longing for something better. And, praise be to God, He has met the longing heart. By the lesson to Nicodemus God would enlighten every teacher.

"Ye must be born again,"—"Ye must be born from above." Only so can you know God or heavenly things. Only by knowing God and heavenly things can you teach heavenly things. Jesus said: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen." Said the beloved disciple: "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is in the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." So if we would testify of the higher things, we must know them; if we would know them, we must be born from above. If we would lead the soul upward, we must have our other hand in that of the Divine. If we would help to build strong characters, our feet must be placed on the Eternal Rock.