rocess of conversion; but this does
not prove him to be unconverted. By an agency as unseen as the wind,
Christ is constantly working upon the heart. Little by little, perhaps
unconsciously to the receiver, impressions are made that tend to draw
the soul to Christ. These may be received through meditating upon
Him, through reading the Scriptures, or through hearing the word from
the living preacher. Suddenly, as the Spirit comes with more direct
appeal, the soul gladly surrenders itself to Jesus. By many this is called
sudden conversion; but it is the result of long wooing by the Spirit of
[173] God,—a patient, protracted process.
While the wind is itself invisible, it produces effects that are seen
and felt. So the work of the Spirit upon the soul will reveal itself in
every act of him who has felt its saving power. When the Spirit of God
takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are
put away, evil deeds are renounced; love, humility, and peace take the
place of anger, envy, and strife. Joy takes the place of sadness, and the
Nicodemus 135
countenance reflects the light of heaven. No one sees the hand that
lifts the burden, or beholds the light descend from the courts above.
The blessing comes when by faith the soul surrenders itself to God.
Then that power which no human eye can see creates a new being in
the image of God.
It is impossible for finite minds to comprehend the work of redemption.
Its mystery exceeds human knowledge; yet he who passes
from death to life realizes that it is a divine reality. The beginning
of redemption we may know here through a personal experience. Its
results reach through the eternal ages.
While Jesus was speaking, some gleams of truth penetrated the
ruler’s mind. The softening, subduing influence of the Holy Spirit
impressed his heart. Yet he did not fully understand the Saviour’s
words. He was not so much impressed by the necessity of the new
birth as by the manner of its accomplishment. He said wonderingly,
“How can these things be?”
“Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?” Jesus
asked. Surely one entrusted with the religious instruction of the people
should not be ignorant of truths so important. His words conveyed the
lesson that instead of feeling irritated over the plain words of truth,
Nicodemus should have had a very humble opinion of himself, because
of his spiritual ignorance. Yet Christ spoke with such solemn dignity,
and both look and tone expressed such earnest love, that Nicodemus
was not offended as he realized his humiliating condition.
But as Jesus explained that His mission on earth was to establish
a spiritual instead of a temporal kingdom, His hearer was troubled.
Seeing this, Jesus added, “If I have told you earthly things, and ye
believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” If
Nicodemus could not receive Christ’s teaching, illustrating the work
of grace upon the heart, how could he comprehend the nature of His
glorious heavenly kingdom? Not discerning the nature of Christ’s
work on earth, he could not understand His work in heaven.
The Jews whom Jesus had driven from the temple claimed to be
children of Abraham, but they fled from the Saviour’s presence because [174]
they could not endure the glory of God which was manifested in Him.
Thus they gave evidence that they were not fitted by the grace of God
to participate in the sacred services of the temple. They were zealous
to maintain an appearance of holiness, but they neglected holiness of
136 The Desire of Ages
heart. While they were sticklers for the letter of the law, they were
constantly violating its spirit. Their great need was that very change
which Christ had been explaining to Nicodemus,—a new moral birth,
a cleansing from sin, and a renewing of knowledge and holiness.
There was no excuse for the blindness of Israel in regard to the
work of regeneration. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Isaiah
had written, “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags.” David had prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O
God; and renew a right spirit within me.” And through Ezekiel the
promise had been given, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new
spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out
of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My
Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes.” Isaiah 64:6;
Psalm 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26, 27.
Nicodemus had read these scriptures with a clouded mind; but he
now began to comprehend their meaning. He saw that the most rigid
obedience to the mere letter of the law as applied to the outward life
could entitle no man to enter the kingdom of heaven. In the estimation
of men, his life had been just and honorable; but in the presence of
Christ he felt that his heart was unclean, and his life unholy.
Nicodemus was being drawn to Christ. As the Saviour explained to
him concerning the new birth, he longed to have this change wrought in
himself. By what means could it be accomplished? Jesus answered the
unspoken question: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in
Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
Here was ground with which Nicodemus was familiar. The symbol
of the uplifted serpent made plain to him the Saviour’s mission. When
the people of Israel were dying from the sting of the fiery serpents,
God directed Moses to make a serpent of brass, and place it on high in
the midst of the congregation. Then the word was sounded throughout
the encampment that all who would look upon the serpent should live.
The people well knew that in itself the serpent had no power to help
them. It was a symbol of Christ. As the image made in the likeness of
[175] the destroying serpents was lifted up for their healing, so One made
“in the likeness of sinful flesh” was to be their Redeemer. Romans
8:3. Many of the Israelites regarded the sacrificial service as having
in itself virtue to set them free from sin. God desired to teach them
Nicodemus 137
that it had no more value than that serpent of brass. It was to lead their
minds to the Saviour. Whether for the healing of their wounds or the
pardon of their sins, they could do nothing for themselves but show
their faith in the Gift of God. They were to look and live.
Those who had been bitten by the serpents might have delayed to
look. They might have questioned how there could be efficacy in that
brazen symbol. They might have demanded a scientific explanation.
But no explanation was given. They must accept the word of God to
them through Moses. To refuse to look was to perish.
Not through controversy and discussion is the soul enlightened.
We must look and live. Nicodemus received the lesson, and carried
it with him. He searched the Scriptures in a new way, not for the
discussion of a theory, but in order to receive life for the soul. He
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began to see the kingdom of heaven as he submitted himself to the
leading of the Holy Spirit.
There are thousands today who need to learn the same truth that
was taught to Nicodemus by the uplifted serpent. They depend on their
obedience to the law of God to commend them to His favor. When
they are bidden to look to Jesus, and believe that He saves them solely
through His grace, they exclaim, “How can these things be?”
Like Nicodemus, we must be willing to enter into life in the same
way as the chief of sinners. Than Christ, “there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts
4:12. Through faith we receive the grace of God; but faith is not our
Saviour. It earns nothing. It is the hand by whi