The tendency of mortals to hold tenaciously to preconceived opinions and traditional beliefs, to resist new and more constructive ideas, has always been a serious deterrent to human progress. To be truly progressive, the individual must be able to discriminate intelligently between the differing sides of any question. If the advantage be on the side of the new concept, he should at once be ready to surrender willingly and joyfully the old concept for the more advanced idea.
A complete reversal of false mortal concepts is essential to human regeneration. The Revelator "saw a new heaven and a new earth," for former beliefs had passed away. Christ Jesus, the greatest of all prophets and teachers, indicated in his emphatic declaration to Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again," that a radical change in human thought is essential to progress. Yet men have continued to echo the incredulous reply of the ruler of the Jews, "How can these things be?"
Out of an enlarged understanding of the words of the great Teacher the Apostle Paul wrote, "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Obviously, this spiritual renewal constitutes the new birth; and the method by which it may be accomplished becomes of vital importance to every one of us, for only thus can the regeneration of the individual and the salvation of the world be assured.
