It is a work of the Holy Spirit, and it is essential for seeing and entering the Kingdom of God. I don’t believing this seeing the kingdom is the same as believing the gospel, because some make this argument to place regeneration before faith that brings salvation.
I pointed out a few verses that connect regeneration with believing the word of God. These are 1 Pet 1.22-25 and James 1.18. I believe John 1.12-13 connects being born of God with receiving, believing in Christ.
I understand this new birth not being of the will of the flesh or man meaning that God doe this; he makes this change. But I don’t believe it means he does it apart from believing the word of God concerning salvation through Christ.
“It is not that the human will is ruled aside, nor does it waive the human responsibility to believe. It is rather that regeneration is wholly the work of God in a believing heart.”
Regeneration makes us children of God. 1 John 5.1 identifies who is born of God: those who believe Jesus is the Christ. This is pointed out to inform the readers that though some believers seem undeserving of your love, you should still love them because they are children.
Regeneration is the term for and means of the new creation.
Therefore, if anyone [is] in Christ, [he] [is] a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Cor 5.17)
Regeneration creates a new identity and new capacity. Regeneration disassociates one from his old self and is the beginning of a new eternal being. The new capacity is the ability to emulate the moral attributes of God. The term "new man" signifies this change.
The “new man” is a broader concept than the new nature or "new spirit." New man appears in Eph 4.24 and Col 3.10.
Though the term “new nature” is ok to use, I would think the term “new spirit” is more accurate, since it is the term Scripture uses, and some want to argue that it is illogical to speak of man having two natures, for “nature”—as they say—is all that a person is. So if they want to make that claim, you can respond by saying the saved person has both a new spirit (by new birth) and sin or flesh (by nature) dwelling in him, and they are contrary to one another: That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3.6) and Walk in the spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (Gal 5.16-17) I believe the word "spirit" in Galatians 5 refers to that which is born of the Holy Spirit; it is the impartation of eternal life and by nature contrary to that which is natural in us, being sin or the flesh, the inordinate desires that are contrary to God's character.
The term “heart” as it is used metaphorically is not equivalent to the new spirit or new nature. The heart must be understood in such a way that it can be said to be “hard” even in the life of the believer. The heart can be soft or it can be hardened, and therefore, it can’t be a synonym for the new spirit or the new man. The “new heart” in Israel will be a result of several factors of which regeneration is one. I believe the other factor will be the impact of coming out of great tribulation: severe hardship often changes people’s priorities and values; another factor will be community: there will be the impact of living in a Christian only society such as the Millennial Jerusalem and Israel. The “new heart” of the new covenant will be accomplished and experienced to a greater degree in future Israel than in the Church: Then I will give them one heart , and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. (Ezekiel 11.19-20) This is not perfectly experienced among Christians today.
Regeneration and a look at
First Peter 1.3-5
“Has begotten us again” means the same as "born again" and "regeneration."
“Begotten” and “again” are one word in 1 Peter.
This new birth is “according to His abundant mercy.”
It is of God. It is What we need.
It is “to a living hope”: This hope is not a wish; it is a sure future expectation.
“Living” modifies as a certain and sure thing.
“Through the resurrection” Christ's resurrection manifests this hope and makes it certain.
Life from the dead begins with regeneration and is complete in glorification.
“To an inheritance” This hope is an inheritance, a future “reserved” possession and place. The new birth makes us children and thus rightful heirs.
This inheritance is our future possession of eternal life with a new body and living in the new creation. It is both and nothing less.
“Kept by the power of God” This speaks of God’s ability and our security: salvation is from God and kept by God--nothing in this world can separate us.
“Through faith” "Through" is "during" this faith-life-walk. “Through” is like saying “I kept my sanity through it all.” God is keeping us during this present life in which we must walk by faith during adversity. We were saved by faith, and we must continue in faith. Faith will receive its goal at glorification.
“For salvation ... revealed in the last time” Final salvation is our inheritance, the completion of our faith-life-walk, 1.9
1 Peter 1.22-25: 22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again , not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because "All flesh [is] as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever."
“Having been born again” “Born again” is the Greek “anagennao”: ana = again + gennao = born.
Born again is as “begotten” us “again” as in 1 Peter 1.3; “begotten” and “again” is Greek “anagennao.”
“Born again” in John 3.3,7 are two words: “born” is Greek “gennao” and “again” is “anothen”
“anothen” is translated “above”in John 3.31; 19.11 and James 1.17; 3.15,17.
“Regeneration” in Titus 3.5 and Matthew 19.28 is the Greek “paliggenesia”: palin = again and genesis = generation.
“Of ... seed ...incorruptable” This is a contrast of seeds, the natural verses the Divine; this new seed creates a new man that doesn’t sin, see 1 John 3.9.
This conception is “through” “the word of God.”
God’s “word” is contrasted to “flesh.” This word is forever, our flesh withers and falls away.
“Purified your souls” Purified is reference to being born again.
“Obeying the truth” “Obeying” is believing through the word of God.
“Through” means "by" the Holy Spirit.
“In” means for the purpose of...
“Sincere love of the brethren” Sincere means non-hypocritical with brotherly love.
“Since” is “because” (having been) and therefore “Love one another.” Love is the Greek "agapao."
The Divine purpose and ability through the new birth is love of other believers non-hypocritically and “fervently.” It is this love for oneanother by this new birth that we will impact the world around us: I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, [are] in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17.20-21
No comments:
Post a Comment