Page:Heaven Revealed.djvu/103

 at self-denial sometimes severe and painful, proves that our hereditary life is the opposite of heavenly life.

And the teaching of the Bible, too, agrees with our private experience and the experience and history of our race. The Scripture throughout recognizes man's hereditary state as a perverted, disorderly, fallen state. It represents Him as alienated from God, opposed to his laws, averse to doing his commandments; as spiritually corrupt, defiled, diseased throughout; as dead in trespasses and sins, and utterly unfit for the kingdom of heaven. Therefore the natural love of self must be denied, resisted and overcome. This old hereditary life must be forsaken or lost for the Lord's sake, that is, for the sake of that new and higher life which is his own—his very Self. Agreeable to his own words: "He that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it." (Matt, x. 39.) The natural heart must be re-created in the Divine image and likeness, or rather a new heart (or will) must be formed within and above the old one, before we can reach the heavenly state, or enter into the kingdom of heaven. Therefore the Lord says: "Except a man be born again [literally, born from above], he cannot see the kingdom of God." To be born from above, is to be born of Him who is above all, even the Most High. It is to be spiritually created anew in the image of our Divine Lord and Master. It is to receive from Him those sweet affections, and holy desires, and humble feelings, and noble purposes which belong to all heavenly states of mind, and which come down to us from God out of heaven. All who are thus "born from above," are, as a new creation. Old things are passed away; Paul says, "a new creation. Old things are passed away;