ke to him from the
Glory. He relates that by this commission he was sent "to open their
eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of
Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and
inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me"
(Acts 26:18). This is the exact order of the Divine movements in
redemption; the illumination of the Spirit is placed before everything
else. There is probably no more neglected truth in modern evangelism
than this preliminary work of the Spirit: yet it is the Divine
preparation for the intelligent action of the human will; and if the
right choice is made, it unveils the eyes for all the coming ages.

This important illuminating work of the Spirit is completely described
in Jno. 16:8-11 as being a revelation of the judgment, by the Cross, of
all sin and condemnation; the vision of the glorious righteous Christ,
now in heaven; and the realization of the sin of rejecting Him. The
passage is here given: "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is
expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter
will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And
when he is come, he will convince the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me;
of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of
judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." The true child of
God is, then, one in whom the Spirit has wrought in lifting the blinding
by Satan and revealing to some extent, even now, the surpassing glory of
Christ. Sin, too, has become a terrible reality, and the Cross and the
precious blood have become the basis of his confidence toward his God.

Another revelation of the present position of the believer is that he
has partaken of the Divine nature through regeneration by the Spirit.
This truth is stated in many passages, a few of which are here given:
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God"
(Jno. I:12, 13). "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee,
Ye must be