LESSON XXIII.

NECESSITY OF REGENERATION.

1. What is said Heb. 12: 14?

2. How may we know that men are naturally destitute of holiness? See lesson 1.

3. What then do they need in order to qualify them to see God?

4. What are the feelings of unconverted men towards God?

5. If with these feelings they were to enter into the presence of God, could they be happy? 6. What is the character of those who are in heaven?

7. Will persons of a different character be received there? Matt. 7: 22, 23. 1 Cor. 6: 9, 10. Gal. 5: 19-21.

8. Do the impenitent like or dislike religious duties?

9. What are the employments of heaven? Isa. 6: 3. Rev. 5: 9-13. 7: 9-15.

10. Would the wicked take any pleasure in such employments?

11. How does that show that they need a change of heart?

12. If you do not derive pleasure from religious services here, have you any evidence that you will hereafter?

13. Can you show from the history of Paul that there is such a thing as a change of heart? 14. Does Paul ever speak of himself as a

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changed person? Gal. 1: 15, 16. 1 Cor. 15: ? 10.

15. What was the character of the Corinthians before they heard the gospel? 1 Cor. 6: 9, 10, and first clause of the 11th verse.

16. What was their character after their con version? 1 Cor. 6: 11. 1: 4-7.

17. What is the character of the heathen of the present day?

18. What change of conduct do they exhibit, after they have believed the gospel?

19. Can you mention any instances?

20. How may it be known that their change of conduct results from a change of heart? Matt. 7:16-20. 12: 35.

21. Have you experienced a change of heart? 22. What then are your prospects for eternity?

LESSON XXIV.

AGENCY OF THE SPIRIT IN REGENERATION.

1. What was the subject of the last lesson? 2. Where may we learn who effects that great change?

3. Who does Paul say produces it, in Tit. 3: 5?

4. What verses in John 3 teach the same truth?

5. Repeat John 1: 13.

6. To whom is the change ascribed there? 7. To whom is it attributed in Col. 2: 13?

8. As this change is sometimes ascribed to God and sometimes to the Holy Spirit, what does that teach respecting the divinity of the Spirit?

9. What does God promise in Ezek. 36: 26? 10. What does he mean by "taking away their heart of stone and giving them a heart of flesh?" See v. 27.

11. Why is it appropriate to call the hearts of the impenitent, "hearts of stone?"

12. There are several things with reference to which the impenitent are insensible, i. e., they have no feelings in view of them, they are not influenced by them;-can you mention some of these things?

13. When a person has experienced a change of heart, does he love God?

14. What is it that induces him to love God? Rom. 5: 5?

15. If what you have now learned is true, what is necessary in order to make the preaching of the gospel effectual to conversion?

16. Is the same thing needed in the Sabbath school? Why?

17. How can you account for the fact that the same sermon is the means of the conversion of some who hear it and not of others?

18. What was it that rendered the preaching of Peter on the day of Pentecost so successful? 19. What prophecy was fulfilled on that oc

casion? Acts 2: 16-18, compared with Joel 2. 28, 29.

20. What is meant by "pouring out the Spirit?"

21. Do you need the influences of that Spirit? 22. What means should you employ in order to enjoy them?

23. Suppose that you never enjoy them, what will be the consequence?

24. What feelings should that fact awaken?

LESSON XXV

WHY THE SPIRIT IS NECESSARY IN REGENERATION.

1. What is written 1 Cor. 2: 14?

2. What is meant by "the natural man?" 3. What is meant by "the things of the Spirit of God?"

4. What is meant by those things "being foolishness unto him?" 1 Cor. 1: 18, 21, 23-25. What by his "not knowing" them?

5. Why cannot the natural man know spiritual things?

6. What says the Saviour John 6: 44?

7. What does he mean by "coming" to him? 8. What is said Gen. 37: 4?

9. Why could they not speak peaceably to him?

10. Does it mean that they had no power to speak peaceably to him, or that they cherished such bad feelings that they would not do it?

11. In Heb. 6: 18, it is said to be "impossible for God to lie;"-does that mean that God has no power to speak falsely; or does it mean that he is such a holy being that he has no desire, no inclination to lie?

12. Is the idea similar to 1 Sam. 15: 29 ? 13. What is written Mark 6: 5?

14. Was the Saviour really unable to do mighty works there?

15. What then is meant by saying he could not do them?

16. What do we mean when we say a man loves ardent spirit so well he cannot help drinking it, or that he is such an habitual liar he cannot speak the truth?

17. In John 6: 44. does the Saviour mean that they had no power to come to him, or that they had no inclination-no disposition to come?

18. Does he express the same, or a different idea, in John 5: 40?

19. Men sometimes say, "I can't come to Christ;"-why is not that a sufficient excuse for their not coming? Why can't they come?

20 Suppose their children should say, "Father, we are so wicked we can't obey you;" would they regard that as a sufficient excuse for their children's disobedience?

21. Yet is not their excuse of the same nature as that?