Regeneration, Spiritual Life, Eternal Life, etc

Here is an exchange with a brother who was a member of this church.
He moved because of work and were being taught 'strange doctrines' by his new church.
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Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 14:37:18 +0800

Dear Chacigo,

Thanks for writing. It is always good to hear from you.

Concerning eternal life, I appreciate your explanation.
I do understand but I can't agree.

Whatever and however we understand eternal life, I believe the testimony of Scriptures is indisputable in that the believers in Jesus Christ POSSESS eternal life as a PRESENT REALITY, not some future possession. We may not agree at the moment whether believing is the CAUSE or the EFFECT of eternal life. There are also a few passages that speak of eternal life is to be inherited - but this speaks of the glorified state of eternal life.

Below are some verses from John's Gospel that contains believing (or some other equivalence) and 'eternal/everlasting life.'

How are the two related?
Which is the cause and which is the effect?
How DID [past tense] this eternal life come about?

John 3:15 "that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:36 "He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

John 5:24 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word and believeth on Him that sent Me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 6:40 "And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

John 6:47 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life."

John 6:54 "Whoso eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

There are ONLY two ways to understand the passages above:

1. The popular position:

- One must believe in order to have eternal life, i.e. 'whoever will believe shall have eternal life.'
'Whoever will believe shall have eternal life' is a conditional statement of an offer, i.e. you must do something in order to receive something, you will receive eternal life on the condition that you believe.
- This is clearly twisting what is said.
- The Scriptures say, 'have eternal life' - that is, a PRESENT REALITY. It is like making a statement, 'whosoever breathes has life.' Whoever would understand that statement as saying that breathing is a necessary condition that a dead man must meet in order to obtain life??? Any common sense person would understand that to mean, "a person breathes because he possesses life."
- But people twist it and make Scriptures to say, 'shall/will have eternal life' - a FUTURE POTENTIALITY.

2. The biblical position:

- One believes because he has eternal life, i.e. 'whoso ever believeth have eternal life.'
'Whosoever believeth hath everlasting life' is a declarative statement of fact, the believing ones have eternal life; you do something because of the state you are already in, you believe because of the eternal life you already possess (as a result of regeneration).

Do those verses say one must believe in order to get eternal life?

Or do they say that the believing ones already possess eternal life? What is the order?

Is it regeneration > eternal life > believes?
Or is it regeneration > believes > eternal life?

Since there are only two alternatives, life is easy. Chose a position and remain consistent.
Blessed is the man who chooses not to live with inconsistency!

your brother in Christ,
sing
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on 26/7/04 1:34 AM, Chacigo wrote:

Dear sing,

I read the emails forwarded by you. Below is my understanding of 'born again', 'eternal life' and various aspects of salvation. Let me know what you think about them.

All souls are already everlasting or eternal life in the sense that they never get annihilated. A soul which is saved by God will spend eternity with God in the new heaven and new earth. A soul which is not saved will spend eternity away from God in hell. I understand 'eternal life' in the Bible to refer to the 'future state' of a soul spending eternity with God.

An elect, before been born again, is physically alive but spiritually dead (no spiritual life) in the sense that the soul is not able to see or understand things of God (spiritual things) because they are spiritually discerned which a natural man is not able to (1 Cor 2:14). If the elect were to die in that state (which God will not allow), he will spend eternity in hell (no eternal life). As indicated in the brackets above, one who is spiritually dead is said to have no spiritual life. One who will spend eternity in hell is said to have no eternal life.

Regeneration is the first event of salvation which God works in the soul of the elect. At regeneration, a soul which is spiritually dead is 'made alive' (Eph 2:1,5) spiritually. The soul is 'born again' (John 3:3) by the Spirit of God. God 'brought forth' the soul by the word of truth according to His own will (James 1:18).

Regeneration is not the only event of salvation. In the salvation of His elect, not only does God make alive the soul, God also gives faith, God also justifies (declare the person righteous) and God also adopts the person to be his son or daughter. The point of contention is which one comes first: faith or justification. In Romans 3:21-26, even though there was contention on the meaning of 'by faith of Jesus Christ (KJV)' and 'through faith in Jesus Christ (NKJV)' in verse 22, the meaning of verse 26 is clear: God is the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Because of this and other verses, I believe that God justifies (declare righteous) the person after He gives faith and the person believes.

"Regeneration-Faith-Justification-Adoption" are parts of salvation where each item cannot stand individually in the sense you can't just have regeneration but no faith. The logical order of events can be deduced from the various Bible verses. However, there is no scriptural support that events can be far apart chronologically in the sense that a person can be regenerated today but only has faith a few years later.

Therefore, what I understand about 'born again' and 'made alive' at regeneration is that the soul is made spiritually alive with a new nature and spiritual ability to see (e.g. his sinfulness and the kingdom of God), to understand (e.g. the Word of God), to believe (e.g. salvation through Jesus Christ) and etc. I understand 'eternal life' to be a 'result' of salvation where the 'future state' or 'destiny' of the soul is changed from hell to heaven. Because of this understanding, I don't see 'made alive' to be the same as 'eternal life'.

Chacigo
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Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 15:27:11 +0800

Dear Chacigo,

Concerning justification, I do understand well your present understanding. I was there and wrestled to be consistent but could not. If you cannot see any inconsistencies with it, continue believing it. I don't think you should or could do otherwise.

Consider the passage below. Think outside the box for a while.

Romans 8:290-30 says, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."

Sadly, this glorious passage is so often understood as though it says this - note all the additions that involve human actions and responses.

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called by the preaching of the word: and whom he called with the preaching of the word, them he also regenerate; and whom he regenerated, them he also brought to faith; and whom he brought to faith he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also sanctified; and them he sanctified, them he also gloried.

I feel that many have conveniently and UNCONSCIOUSLY added and demanded more things as necessary for the ETERNAL SALVATION [sic] of God's elect that God Himself DOES NOT require.
[As I demonstrated before, the justification spoken of here CANNOT be the justification by personal faith in Christ. It is the application of justification at effectual call... because this aspect of justification is absolutely true of every elect. There are elect who are never justified by faith, simply because they are incapable of exercising faith.]

A massive problem/error is introduced when we unconsciously CONFUSE or MIX divine acts in eternal salvation and human agency in bringing the temporal benefits of salvation to those who HAVE BEEN SAVED solely by the divine acts. Romans 8:29-30 declares the sole DIVINE ACTS in the eternal salvation of His elect... WITHOUT ANY MIXTURE of human acts of any sort.

- The triune God purposed eternal life for His all the elect.
- God the Son secured the right to eternal life for all the elect at the cross.
- God the Father imputed that right to eternal life to all the elect.
- The Spirit bestows/applies that actual eternal life to each elect personally at God's appointed and approved time.
- Personal faith that follows EVIDENCE/MANIFESTS all the former actions of the Triune God, NOT to SECURE them.
Can you agree with any of the above 5 statements?

IS IT CONCEIVABLE TO YOU that the Holy Spirit will regenerate and bestow eternal life to those WHOM the Father has not imputed the right to eternal life, I.E. those whom the Father HAS NOT FORENSICALLY JUSTIFIED?

IT IS MOST UNFORTUNATE, almost TRAGIC, that the word 'justify' is not rightly understood in its various and different contexts. In light of what God has done, faith in Christ justifies only in the sense that it VINDICATES and PROVES and DEMONSTRATES that the believing person is indeed an elect, redeemed, justified and regenerated by the divine grace. Faith is the sole instrument to demonstrate, prove, and to vindicate that.

- By one's faith in Jesus Christ, his faith justifies (evidentially, simple present tense) himself before the church and the world that he is indeed an elect child of God, redeemed by Christ, justified (legally and forensically) by God on Christ righteousness imputed to him, regenerated by the Holy Spirit of God... born with eternal life... which enabled him to repent and believe when the gospel is communicated to him. What the gospel message declares to him is ALREADY true of him because of the work of grace ALREADY begun in him, therefore he believes the gospel.

Tell me where I have gone wrong or been inconsistent in my above understanding. I would be most grateful.

seeking and learning with you,
sing
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Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 15:27:12 +0800


Dear Chacigo

Here is a little exercise for you. I would be pleased if you can give candid answers to the questions.

I am not interested in persuading anyone. I just want others to understand that there is a more consistent and harmonious manner of seeing the matter. You must feel free to disagree, and state the reasons. But I am interested that you do understand what I do presently believe.

The truthfulness of a doctrine must be carefully and peacefully pursued and embraced regardless of what opposition and disunity men of other opinions are determined to cause. My conscience is bound and submitted to the Scriptures ALONE. I want to rightly divide the Scriptures. May the Lord judge each one accordingly.

Concerning the doctrine of justification, it is best to give yourself time to study this subject. I took three years to wrestle with it (and other related issues)... and learn to be more consistent with the Scriptures. I may still be wrong... but I am always prepared to learn when shown teaching consistent with the Scriptures.

I will offer just a few brief points for your consideration. It may go a long way to help you rightly divide and understand the word. Please take all the time you need to carefully answer these questions to the satisfaction of your own mind and conscience. I believe you are capable of clear and consistent thoughts.

1. We need to determine from the Scriptures when exactly did the /legal forensic justification took place?
- Did it take place at the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
- Does it take place at effectual calling to life and salvation?
- Does it take place at the point of personal faith in Christ?
- Will the Holy Spirit give eternal life to one whom God has not imputed, and applied the righteousness of Christ, forensically justified?
- Is regeneration (the actual bestowal of eternal life) possible without the prior personal application of justification unto life (bestowal of the right to eternal life)?

[Remember these:
The triune God purposed eternal life for His elect.
God the Son secured the right to eternal life for all the elect.
God the Father legally imputed that right to eternal life to all the elect.
The Spirit applies that actual eternal life to each elect personally at God's appointed and approved time.]

2. We need to determine from the Scriptures how often forensic justification take place?
- Did it take place once for all, and for all the elect, at the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
- Does it take place repeatedly, at the point when each individual regenerated elect exercise his faith in Christ?
- If that is so, how will those elect who are incapable of exercising faith be forensically justified? Or there is no elect who is incapable of exercising faith in Christ?
Or is there another way of salvation?

3. We need to determine from the Scriptures the relationship between justification by the righteousness of Christ and the justification by the faith in Christ.
- How does the righteousness of Christ justify an elect sinner? Is this justification legal or evidential?
- How does faith in Christ justify a believing sinner? Is this justification legal or evidential?
- Does the righteousness of Christ justify the same way as your faith in Christ justify?

4. How is personal faith in Christ the alone instrument of justification? (a popular theological term, but what does it mean? See 1689.11.2)
- What is meant by the 'instrument'?
- What does an instrument do?
- Why is faith the alone means/instrument of justification?
- Why are other things not an instrument of justification?

Ask further questions... I am sure there may be many more. May the Lord give us the wisdom to search the Scriptures for biblical answers. If the traditional answers are found wanting and deficient in the light of Scriptures, may the Lord give us humility and courage to embrace what is consistent and harmonious with the Scriptures... regardless of what men may think or react. Please adopt a Berean spirit, be in the STUDY MODE - unless you also believe that you have ARRIVED!!!

As an aside, Peter Master in his commentary in the 1689.11.2 said this [I don't like to quote men to prove a point... but sometimes this can assist some who think highly of 'great' men.]
"2. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification;(6) yet it is not alone in the person justified [it is not the only evidence of salvation] but ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.(7).

[The words in italic bold red is Dr Masters' commentary. Joel Beeke says the same thing... that personal faith is evidential in nature.]

If faith is not the only evidence in the person justified, then it is indeed an evidence in the person justified. Faith is a grace found in a JUSTIFIED (simple past tense) person.
If faith is not the only evidence in the person justified, then how can faith be the means to secure justification? One might as well claim that breathing is the means to secure life!
If faith is indeed an evidence of justification (salvation), then how can faith be the necessary means to obtain legal justification? And without prior justification, is there be salvation at all.

Blessings of salvation CANNOT be at the same time the means to secure salvation! Do you appreciate that such an idea is just illogical and moronic? It is like saying that a hand is necessary to obtain the whole body, while the reality is that the hand is a part of the body!

An evidence of legal justification - and that's what faith, etc. etc. etc are - are only evidences of justification, and NOT the means to secure justification.

Faith that receives and rests on Christ and His righteousness is the alone instrument that SHOWS, DEMONSTRATES, EVIDENCES, MANIFESTS the forensic justification that has ALREADY taken place by the righteousness of Christ at the cross. An instrument is to show, to register, to demonstrate something... an instrument of justification is to show, to register, to demonstrate the presence of justification, not to secure justification.

A very serious error has been made by people along the way - seeing an instrument as a tool to secure something, instead of a tool to SHOWS, DEMONSTRATES, EVIDENCES, MANIFESTS to presence of something! It is like people thinking a test-pen as an electricity-securing tool, instead of its original and real and factual design of showing, demonstrating, evidencing and manifesting the PRESENCE of electricity.

I can't make anything simpler. If you still don't understand, I am probably a very poor communicator that do not deserve to be heard.

seeking and learning with you.
sing
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Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 18:00:25 +0800

Dear Chacigo

Let me make some direct comments upon some specific points in your post.
Please take all your time to understand what has been written. I am not interested in your agreement. I leave that to the Holy Spirit. I am interested in your understanding of what I believe.
I will write no more, else I become a pest to you. I have ceased discussing with anyone locally.
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CC: "All souls are already everlasting or eternal in the sense that they never get annihilated. A soul which is saved by God will spend eternity with God in the new heaven and new earth. A soul which is not saved will spend eternity away from God in hell. I understand 'eternal life' in the Bible to refer to the 'future state' of a soul spending eternity with God."

## The phrases eternal life/everlasting life occur 45 times in the whole of the Bible (NKJ) - once in the OT (Dan 12:2) and the rest in the NT. In every occurrence, it is strictly and directly related to the redeemed people of God... mostly in declarative statements that they are presently in the possession of eternal, and a few in the context of final glorification (eg. Dan 12:2).

Don't confuse immortality of the soul by divine creation with the eternity of life birthed by the divine regeneration through eternal Holy Spirit. It would be a very SERIOUS ERROR to do so.
In light of this, you have to decide whether your understanding is biblical or not.

CC: "An elect, before been born again, is physically alive but spiritually dead (no spiritual life) in the sense that the soul is not able to see or understand things of God (spiritual things) because they are spiritually discerned which a natural man is not able to (1 Cor 2:14). If the elect were to die in the that state (which God will not allow), he will spend eternity in hell (no eternal life). As indicated in the brackets above, one who is spiritually dead is said to have no spiritual life. One who will spend eternity in hell is said to have no eternal life."

## Adam had NO eternal life... he had an immortal soul. It was not as if Adam had eternal life, and lost that eternal life in the fall. Adam was spiritually alive - he had fellowship with God - before the fall but became spiritually dead after the fall; spiritually dead in the sense that he is actively bent towards sins leading to eternal condemnation, spiritually dead in the sense that it is utterly incapable of positive movement towards God. The whole person is totally depraved, actively inclined towards sins, and in enmity and rebellion against God.

Eternal life is the product of the supernatural work of regeneration in the redeemed elect by the eternal Spirit of God. It is this eternal life birthed in the redeemed elect that ANIMATES all the God-ward spiritual activities.

John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."
Here is a very grand, yet simple and direct statement from the very mouth of Jesus Christ.
Is eternal life the PREREQUISITE / CAUSE to know the one true living God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, OR is eternal life a PRODUCT / EFFECT of knowing the one true living God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent?

Does anyone NOT in possession of eternal life ever able to know the one true living God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent? Please answer these questions.

CC: "Regeneration is the first event of salvation which God works in the soul of the elect. At regeneration, a soul which is spiritually dead is 'made alive' (Eph 2:1,5) spiritually. The soul is 'born again' (John 3:3) by the Spirit of God. God 'brought forth' the soul by the word of truth according to His own will (James 1:18)."

## It is "unless one is born again..." and not "unless one's soul is born again" (John 3:3).
It is "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins" and not, " And your souls He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins," It is "we were dead' and not just "our soul were dead." It is "made us alive" and not just "made our soul alive." (Eph 2:1,5)

The new birth is not just the making alive of the spiritually dead soul. The new birth is the making alive of the whole person BY the bestowal of eternal life to the person. The person is made alive by the bestowal of eternal life... the eternal life bestowed ANIMATES the person, the new person. Eternal life enables the new person to put to death the old man.

Please make a clear distinction the 'bringing forth' as in regeneration, and 'bringing forth' as in conversion. [Which do you think James 1:18 is speaking of - is it regeneration by the Life-giving Word (Christ) and the Holy Spirit, or is it conversion through the preaching of the word?]
This is because the agent for the 'bringing forth' in regeneration and the agent for the 'bringing forth' in conversion ARE WORLDS APART. I fear that when one has not learned to make a clear distinction here, he IS NOT rightly dividing the word of God. Don't be misled by the SOUND of the words. Endeavour to secure the sense of the word.

CC: "Regeneration is not the only event of salvation. In the salvation of His elect, not only does God make alive the soul, God also gives faith, God also justifies (declare the person righteous) and God also adopts the person to be his son or daughter. The point of contention is which one comes first: faith or justification. In Romans 3:21-26, even though there was contention on the meaning of 'by faith of Jesus Christ (KJV)' and 'through faith in Jesus Christ (NKJV)' in verse 22, the meaning of verse 26 is clear: God is the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Because of this and other verses, I believe that God justifies (declare righteous) the person after He gives faith and the person believes."

## The contention is not limited to the order of faith and justification. It is the whole system of truth involving so many facets that need to be harmonized and held consistently.

Regeneration may not be the only event of salvation, but with regeneration and the bestowal of eternal life (forget about the disagreement whether eternal life is procured through believing, or eternal life is manifested in believing... ) one fact CANNOT be disputed, whoever believe HAVE eternal life, eternal salvation has been applied... and the person is ready and fit for eternal glory. See my previous note on Rom 8:29-30. As far as God's acts to secure the eternal salvation of His elect are concerned, anyone He has regenerated, He shall also glorified... no ifs and no buts.

Everything between divine regeneration unto eternal life and final glorification is NOT necessary for the ETERNAL salvation of an elect. Everything in between regeneration unto eternal life and final glorification secured through the ministry of the word is to nourish the elect with the blessings God has ordained for His people in this life as they journey through this world to their eternal inheritance and glory.

There is an eternal aspect of our salvation which is wholly and solely by the divine acts of God alone, as in Romans 8:29-30. There is a temporal aspect of our salvation which is wholly and solely by the responses of God's regenerate elect to the various means of grace, the chief of which is the ministry of the word.

However, the gospel blessings and benefits that a regenerated elect may enjoy in this brief life is dependent upon many human factors. Quantitatively and qualitatively, some enjoy none of these benefits... others who do enjoy, enjoy to a greatly varying measure, depending on such diverse factors as the purity of the gospel communicated to them, the availability of the various means of grace, the quality of the ministry of the word, the quality of pastoral oversight and care, etc, etc.

Only those who have been eternally saved - regenerated with eternal life and ready for glory - IS CAPABLE OF BEING SAVED in the temporal sense... of experiencing and enjoying the blessings of salvation here and now... before entering into glory.

CC: "Regeneration-Faith-Justification-Adoption" are parts of salvation where each item cannot stand individually in the sense you can't just have regeneration but no faith. The logical order of events can be deduced from the various Bible verses. However, there is no scriptural support that events can be far apart chronologically in the sense that a person can be regenerated today but only has faith a few years later."

## Look carefully at Romans 8:29-30 again, please. Just don't read into it, please.
May I suggest that you read the short article on 'The Five Phases of Salvation.' This article will widen your understanding of the many phases of salvation. This is something very important for us to rightly divide the word.

Take adoption for example. The Scriptures speaks of these phases:
- God the Father predestinated some to be sons... Eph 1:5. Is this the adoption you are speaking about?
- God the Christ paid the price to redeem the elect to be sons... Gal 4:4-5, Heb 2:14-17. Is this the adoption you are speaking about?
- God the Spirit regenerates the redeemed elect to be sons... John 1:12-13, 3:3-6. Is this the adoption you are speaking about?
- The gospel informs and comforts SUCH elect(adopted in the senses above) that God has predestined them to adoption, Christ has paid the price for their adoption, and the Spirit has applied the adoption by birthing in them eternal life and brought them into the family of God... and brought him to a CONSCIOUS and EXPERIMENTAL knowledge of his adoption by God into His household. Is this the adoption you are speaking about? (Rom 8:14-16)
-The Scriptures tell us that our full and complete adoption will take place at glorification... Rom 8:23, Lk 20:35-36. Is this the adoption you are talking about?

Brother Chacigo, may I suggest that there are more riches about our multifaceted salvation yet to be discovered... beyond the deficient view that we were so used to and familiar with. Similarly, which phase of justification are you talking about - are you talking about the decretal phase, the legal forensic phase, the vital personal phase, the evidential experiential phase or the final phase? The evidential phase of justification by personal faith in Christ IN ENTIRELY different from the legal/forensic phase of justification by the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Brother Chacigo, you need to move on... don't stay where you are. There is more riches to be mined from the Scriptures. I am quite honest to tell you that I have taught you INADEQUATELY when you were with me. I wouldn't say I taught you error - I did teach you justification by faith alone... BUT I have never elaborated... because that was the extent of my understanding then. I am happy where I am now... not because I have discovered something new... but because it is more comprehensive and more consistent. It was an old doctrine lost along the way. The old Particular Baptists did believe...

Take all the time to understand what I have written. Feel free to ask anything you do not understand.

seeking and learning with you,
sing
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Dry bones and Gospel Regeneration - Ps 19:7 & Ez 37:1-14

Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them,
O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
But who are these dry bones???

Gospel Regeneration - Ps 19:7 and Ez 37:1-14

Dear Brethren,

I received an invitation from a RB church (SC, Singapore) to attend a church leaders' conference (April 2006) - a portion of the Announcement is pasted below at the bottom. Please scroll to the bottom and read it first. The intention of the Conference is highly commendable. However, the contents of the Announcement seems to betray some common and popular errors. I have expressed some thoughts below. I hope you find it instructive. Hit 'delete' if you do not wish to read.

I remain,
your brother and servant in Christ,
sing
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[Here are my thoughts - written probably in Feb 2006].

Dear Pastor W...,

Thank you for the invitation to the Conference. I appreciate your kindness and expression of fellowship.

Reading the Announcement for the Conference provoked a few thoughts in my mind. Please permit me to make some comments about what is stated there.

A passage from Psalm 19 was quoted, "Psalm 19:7 is explicit - The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”

What is thought 'explicit' about the text is elaborated by the next sentence; the text is believed to explicitly teach that “Scripture and Scripture alone, is sufficient and effective to deliver the souls of men from eternal damnation.”

Let me suggest a few things that seems explicit and plain to me from Ps 19:7.
Converting the soul is NOT regenerating the soul.
Making wise the simple is NOT making alive the dead.
The latter, regenerating and making alive, is the free and sovereign and direct work of the Triune God without any human instrumentality. The former, converting and making wise, is the solemn duty of the gospel ministry through the instrumentality of the perfect and sure Scriptures of God. I trust the distinction is plain and obvious.

Converting is NOT regenerating. Preached word converts the living but God alone regenerates the dead.
Making wise is NOT making alive. Preached word makes wise the ignorant but God alone makes alive the dead.
The latter is the free and sovereign and direct work of the Triune God that ALONE delivers His elect from their eternal damnation, by freely giving them eternal salvation through the effectual call. The former is the solemn responsibility of the gospel ministry to bring God's children (already born by His own sovereign work of effectual call to grace and salvation) to 'the obedience of the faith,' (Rom 1:5), thus to deliver from temporal damnation as a result of the ignorance of God's wonderful work of salvation. I trust the distinction is plain and obvious.

Scriptures DOES NOT deliver anyone from eternal damnation. The Triune God alone does. Scriptures and Scriptures alone DO inform and instruct God's children how God by His Son and Spirit has done this wonderful deliverance for them. I doubt that's what you have intended to say. But I may be wrong. This is not just semantics. Scriptures, which principally teach what man is to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man, is most certainly all sufficient to instruct, build up and to equip the children of God, those that have been born of God.

To the spiritually dead, the gospel is utter foolishness, and the God-breathed Scriptures is unprofitable darkness. It is light only to the living. It is only to them that believe (and they believe because eternal life has been given to them when they were dead in their sin), the gospel is indeed the good news of God's power of saving them; they believe what is TRUE of them. To them that are perishing, the same gospel which declares God's power of salvation is foolishness, simply because they can't believe what is not true of them. To them that ARE SAVED, the gospel is indeed the message of the power of God in saving them, 1Cor 1:18.

The perfect and sure word of God (Scriptures) is indeed all sufficient to build up those who are already born with eternal life, delivered from eternal condemnation. The word of God, Scriptures, was never intended to make alive and deliver anyone from eternal condemnation. It is for the instruction and edification of those whom God has made alive, delivered from eternal condemnation, that they may know the truth, be converted and made wise concerning their eternal salvation bestowed upon them by free and sovereign grace. It is NEVER intended to make alive and deliver from eternal condemnation. However, Scripture and Scripture alone, is all sufficient and effective to HERALD to God's children and INSTRUCT them that God has delivered their souls from eternal damnation, and the manner He has done it, i.e. all by free and sovereign grace alone through His Son and Spirit. News has no power to save whatsoever; news announces to the saved the salvation that has taken place. 'For the preaching of the cross is unto them that perish foolishness, BUT unto us which ARE SAVED it is the power of God.'

There is a vast difference between saying that the Bible is sufficient to build up Christians and to equip them for every good work, and that Scripture and Scripture alone, is sufficient and effective to deliver the souls of men from eternal damnation. The former is a biblical truth. The latter is a gross but common misrepresentation. Scriptures does not make alive the dead, it sanctifies the living; it heralds to, and informs the living how God HAS freely given them eternal life in Christ Jesus by His Spirit. Scriptures is able to make one wise (informed and assured) concerning his salvation by the free grace of God. A birth certificate is a wonderful piece of revealed document; it is most certainly sufficient for making a man wise concerning his birth and parentage, and whatever information is revealed therein. However, it is certain that it plays no role whatsoever in the birth of the person.

Only a soul that God has effectually called to grace and salvation can be converted, and be made a disciple. Only a soul that the Holy Spirit has made alive with eternal life can be instructed, converted and made wise. Many believe the subtle lie that one without eternal life can believe in order to receive eternal life, believing that the activity of life is possible without life. They believe that preaching to the dead is the means God use to bring them to life. This is a grave misunderstanding of the ministry of the gospel. The gospel ministry was not instituted as a means to assist God to produce His children. Many love to think like that! However, the gospel ministry was instituted to make disciples, out of those whom God Himself has freely and effectually called to grace and salvation while spiritually dead, and to gather them into NT churches. The gospel ministry is NOT for gathering souls into heaven! It is for gathering into NT churches those whom God has born and made fit for heaven. The gospel ministry is NOT “Lazarus, come forth.” IT IS “loose him, and let him go.”

'Feed my sheep' is not the same as 'preach that sheep may be produced, preach that the dead may come to life by the Spirit'! Yes, we feed sheep by preaching, but we do not change dead into living by preaching! We don't turn children of wrath into children of God through the instrumentality of the gospel ministry. God's sovereign work of grace does that.'

It was asked, "Do we honestly still believe that sinners dead in sin can be made alive by the Holy Spirit when the Word is preached?' and Ezekiel 37:1-14 was quoted as a proof text for the idea expressed in the rhetorical question. Many always have and still do believe that sinners dead in sin are made alive by the Holy Spirit when the word is preached, i.e. regeneration is through the instrumentality of the preaching of the word. 'Gospel regeneration' is a doctrine embraced and advocated by many. Others believe in baptismal regeneration. Still others believe in decisional regeneration. All these are in the same category - divine regeneration is conditioned upon some human acts or assistance.

The Spirit of God makes alive His elect at His own appointed and approved time... NOT - NOT - NOT when the word is preached by a man. Let us be careful of conditioning the sovereign work of the Spirit of God to the feeble and fickle activity of men! It is true that a soul is converted through the preaching of the word that is owned and blessed by the Spirit - 1689.14.1. But the Heavenly Wind blows at God's appointed and accepted time in His work of regeneration, i.e. when, where and how He pleases. That's the truth, and it is wonderfully comforting. Making alive is solely and entirely the direct and sovereign work of God, without any assistance or co-operation from man. Even when regeneration does take place in the very midst of preaching, it is NOT because the Holy Spirit is dependent upon preaching to do His sovereign work of regeneration.

Quoting Ezekiel 37:1-14 to support the humanistic 'gospel regeneration' is as out of place as it can get, and eisegesis at its worst. On the one hand it ignores the plain purpose of the vision and its historical application to the Jews that were in captivity at the time. And then, the statement imposes a foreign and unbiblical doctrinal idea UPON the passage that fails in several ways to harmonize with the context and the literal lesson. This was a "vision" of a future work of God Himself in restoring the captive Jews back into the land of Israel. The "bones" were the WHOLE house of Israel, NOT the spiritually dead sinners. The house of Israel was NOT dead unregenerate sinners - for they are 'alive' and mourn, "Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our part;" but while in captivity, they were 'dead' like dry bones. The actual "bones" coming together with flesh and spirit DID NOT occur when Ezekiel prophesied. It was years later when this vision was actually fulfilled by God Himself. The bringing to life in the vision was God's sole act of restoring the Jews in captivity back 'into the land of Israel' (v12). No regeneration is spoken of in this passage, much less gospel regeneration.

Slaying a popular LIE-zard!

Suppose the usage of the passage by the gospel regenerationist is valid, I fear that he ends up CLAIMING FAR TOO MUCH from this glorious vision shown to Ezekiel. If his claim be true, then it really takes only the instrumentality of ONE preacher and 'these bones of the WHOLE house of Israel' would be brought to life by his instrumentality alone since the vision explicitly said, through the prophesying activity of one man, the whole house of Israel came to life. How marvelous if there is truth in this claim!

As we rightly battled against those in the churches who degrade and despise the perfect and sure word of God, let us not exaggerate the role and function of the ministry of the word than is warranted by the sure and perfect Scriptures. Falling into the right ditch is no less worse than falling into the left ditch of the narrow road of truth. Preachers do not play any instrumental role in the spiritual birth of any elect. By divine appointment, they play a vital role in the instruction and nourishment of a child of God, i.e. in making and nurturing disciples of those already born of God. Midwives play NO ROLE whatsoever in the formation of lives in the wombs of mothers. Preachers play no role whatsoever in the regeneration of God's elect. It is a great delusion to claim otherwise.

The ministry of the word is very important... but only for the specific purpose it was divinely appointed for, i.e. to convert soul and to make wise, but never to regenerate dead soul or to make alive the dead in any instrumental sense. Thomas Brooks' quote does rightly glory in the manifold blessings of the Scriptures to the living children of God, but not a trace about it being an instrument to make the dead alive.

We bring "life and immortality to light through the gospel," but we do NOT bring life and immortality through the gospel (2 Tim 1:9-10). The preaching of the gospel brings to light, makes manifest, reveals 'life and immortality' that are ALREADY PRESENT in the effectually called elect. Only what is already present can be brought to light through the instrumentality of the gospel. The 1689.20.1 states simply that the gospel is the only outward means or instrument of revealing, NOT producing, Christ and saving grace. The gospel brings to light, it reveals and makes manifest Christ and saving grace in those effectually called to grace and salvation, 1689.10.1. It is an instrument to reveal, it was never an instrument to produce, Christ and saving grace. The preaching of the gospel DOES NOT bring 'life and immortality' to the spiritually dead. It is not an instrument to produce Christ and saving grace. That's a humanistic idea of naturalistic religions, an idea foreign to the biblical gospel of God.

The preaching of the gospel is a sweet savour of Christ to them that are SAVED; it is the savour of life unto those that possess life. It is NOT the savour of life unto the dead, unto those that are perishing, those that are spiritually dead. The righteousness of God is revealed from faith unto FAITH in the preaching of the gospel, from the preacher who is not ashamed of the gospel unto them that have faith worked in them by the Spirit of God; to them that are SAVED, to them that are LIVING and not to them that are DEAD. The righteousness of God is revealed not from faith unto UNBELIEF (spiritually dead) in the preaching of the gospel. It is the justified living ones, i.e. them that are SAVED, that shall believe, for it is written, 'The just shall live by faith.'

Apostle Paul writes to those in Rome who are 'the beloved of God,' 'the called of Jesus Christ,' and 'called saints.' He even thanked God for their great faith. Yet, apostle Paul is so resolved, urgent and obligated to preach to them the gospel of God, the gospel of His Son, and earnestly desiring some fruit of conversion among them also, even as among other Gentiles. He felt the great and urgent need for these SAME Romans to hear and believe the gospel. These Romans are to be brought to the obedience of the faith. Are we missing some explicit truths concerning the role and function of the gospel so clearly implied in all these clear statements of Apostle Paul? Did Apostle Paul believe that regeneration takes place when he preaches?

Thomas Brooks rightly rejoices in the manifold and wonderful benefits of the word of God; all of them with respect to those who possess spiritual life. To give life is NOT named among the manifold blessings of the word of God. It is a point worth noting.

"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful... a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 1Co 4:2, 2Ti 2:15.

Thank you for your patient listening. Please take no offence at my comments because none is intended. They are offered as from a fellow student of God's word, and a servant of Christ.

May the Scriptures and the ministry of the word begins to occupy their rightful place and biblical role in some churches as a result of the planned Conference.

I remain,

a servant in Christ,
sing

[p/s after this letter, the SC has quietly ceased fellowship with us!!! No further correspondence since!]
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[Here is a portion of the Announcement in the invitation]

Dear servants of Christ,

Perfect in Converting, Sure in Making Wise

Psalm 19:7 is explicit. “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” Scripture and Scripture alone, is sufficient and effective to deliver the souls of men from eternal damnation. Ancient but never obsolete, the Bible is equally sufficient to build up Christians and to equip them for every good work (2 Timothy 3:15-17). As one preacher succinctly puts it, ‘All of God’s work is done by God’s Word.’

But does this still hold true for the church of the 21st century? Do we honestly still believe that sinners dead in sin can be made alive by the Holy Spirit when the Word is preached? (Ezekiel 37: 1-14) Or do we now prop the preaching of the Word by gimmicks, side shows and seeker-sensitive preaching in order to win souls for Christ? Has narcissism and relativism so infiltrated the church that we let pop psychology and political correctness usurp the pulpit? Is the Bible too archaic to deal with (post)modern living problems? Where is the Word of God in our pulpit, evangelism and the pastoral ministry these days?

C.S. Lewis aptly remarked: “The charge to Peter was ‘Feed my sheep’; not ‘Try experiments on my rats’, or even ‘Teach my performing dogs new tricks.’” A cursory look at church practice today sadly reveals that many churches no longer hold to the Gospel as prescribed by the Good Physician. Instead we concoct our own remedies, palatable to the senses at the cost of the soul. We simply no longer serve it neat!

The conference theme this year will examine the place of Scripture in winning souls and pastoral care under Evangelistic Preaching & Sufficiency of Scripture in the Christian Ministry. Through these addresses we hope that the rightful place of Scripture in our church life will be reclaimed, and that as servants of Christ, we will rightly handle God’s Word – with reverence, care and to His glory. Come! Be challenged by the grandeur and glory of God’s Word in April 2006. We do look forward to fellowship with you.

The Word of the Lord is

a light to guide you, a counselor to counsel you,

a comforter to comfort you, a staff to support you,

a sword to defend you, and a physician to cure you.

The Word is a mine to enrich you, a robe to clothe you, and

a crown to crown you.
Thomas Brooks

A Hard Fact Avoided by RBs

Genesis 15:1-6 & Romans 4:3-5

Some while ago, I ask the RBs of various continents a simple question about two passages of the Holy Scriptures in light of the 1689 CoF... but no one is willing to reply yet. Read it and pass it on to your RB friends and their pastors and teachers.

sing
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subject: Gen 15:1-6, Romans 4:3-5 and 1689.11.1

Genesis 15:
1 ¶ After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
2 ¶ And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6 And he believed in the LORD; and he [the LORD] counted it [Abraham's act of believing] to him [Abraham] for righteousness.

Comments:
This passage speaks of the LORD imputing/accounting Abraham's faith to Abraham.
This passage speaks of the IMPUTATION OF FAITH, the act of believing.
This passage DOES NOT speak of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness.
This is quite obvious. But would you agree?

Romans 4:
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith [act of believing] is counted for righteousness.

Comments:
This passage speaks of the LORD - that justifies the ungodly - imputing/accounting the believer's faith to the believer. This passage speaks of the IMPUTATION OF FAITH, the act of believing.
This passage DOES NOT speak of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to the ungodly
This is quite obvious. But would you agree?

1689 Chapter 11 on Justification says,
Those whom God effectually calleth, He also freely justifieth,(1) not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous;(2) not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone;(3) NOT BY imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in His death for their whole and sole righteousness,(4) they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God.(5)

The Framers emphatically state that the Justification at effectual calling DOES NOT INVOLVE the imputation of faith, the act of believing.

IMPUTATION OF BELIEVER'S FAITH to a believer is very remotely justification.
IMPUTATION OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS to a condemned guilty ungodly man - by virtue of Christ's active and passive obedience - IS JUSTIFICATION.

The essence of Justification is declaring a guilty condemned criminal not guilty but righteous by the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Genesis 15 and Romans 4 passages speak of the imputation of the believer's faith to the believer. They say nothing of the imputation of Christ's righteousness to the ungodly.

My questions:
Why do the Reformed folks (and the Arminian as well!) ALWAYS read those two passages as speaking of the justification of guilty condemned sinner before God?

If Gen 15 is speaking of Abraham's justification before God, then Abraham would necessarily be an UN-justified UNGODLY man in Gen 12-14. But was Abraham an unjustified ungodly man in Gen 12-14?

Is Gen 15 speaking of Abraham's justification by God?

God justifies the UNGODLY. How does God justify the UNGODLY?
Faith justifies the BELIEVER. How does faith justify the BELIEVER?

Tell me your consider judgment. No reformed shibboleth please ;-))

desiring to learn,
sing
singpenang@gmail.com

John 6:37 - the two comings

He reasoned with them OUT OF the Scriptures, opening and alleging 

On Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:30 am Mark wrote:
Subject: John 6:37

Hello. My name is Mark C and I am a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Vancouver, WA. I am just learning calvinism and am a work in progress. I am wrestling around with a verse in the bible that several pastors I know can answer for me. Maybe one of you can help me.

John 6:37
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Several pastors, including J. V M state that this verse shows election AND free will. Is that true? Every commentary I have is not reformed tradition. I'm new at this reformed thing. I'm trying to get a Reformation Study Bible with the reformed notes, but haven't got the money for it yet. Even pointing me in the right direction would be helpful.

God Bless
Mark

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On Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:35 am, sing wrote:

Hello Brother Mark,

John 6:37
"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

Since none has responded so far, let me suggest that there are two distinct comings spoken of here. Let me explain.

a. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;"
Here is the coming that involves ALL that the Father gives to Jesus, each and every one of the elect. All the elect were given to Christ in the eternal covenant of redemption. And each of them is given to Christ in time when God, at His appointed and approved time, draws each to His Son Jesus Christ. “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day… And he said, therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father” John 6:44, 65.

The drawing here speaks of the effectual call to grace and salvation out of the state of sin and death. And each elect shall be effectually called at God’s appointed and approved time.

Therefore, the first coming involves ALL THE ELECT in their effectual call to eternal salvation by the free and sovereign grace of God - "Those whom God hath predestined unto life, He is pleased in His appointed and accepted time, effectually to call, by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ..."

This coming into vital union with Christ in REGENERATION is solely by the free and divine grace; each elect is absolutely and completely passive, being dead in trespasses and sins. This coming is by the divine effectual call, issued to individual elect DEAD in trespasses and sins. This coming is solely by the effectual and irresistible power of God in drawing out an elect from the state of condemnation, death, and alienation. It embraces every single elect God gave to His Son Jesus Christ.

b. "and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out..."
The coming involves the effectually called individual elect who does hear and believe the gospel, and by faith, receives and rests in Christ and His righteousness for eternal salvation. This coming to Christ in CONVERSION is through the gospel call administered by preachers sent forth by Christ, issued to children of God, calling them to believe what is already true of them. Those already effectually called to grace and salvation, i.e. justified, regenerated and adopted – will hear and believe the gospel, the good news of their salvation. The hearing of the gospel is blessed and made effectual to conversion by the Spirit of God.

Only one that has been VITALLY UNITED TO CHRIST by the effectual call is able to come to Christ experientially by faith through the gospel call. ‘Him that cometh’ speaks of the active response of receiving and resting in Christ and His righteousness in the gospel call.

This does not speak of the free will of sinner dead in their trespasses and sins. This speaks of free agency of those that God has made alive. This speaks of human responsibility of God's children. Those effectually called to grace and salvation are responsible to believe, therefore called to believe, the gospel truth concerning their salvation by God’s free grace.

So, let every sinner be encouraged, and come to the Savior. Him that comes to Christ He will in no wise cast out! Why? Because him that comes to Christ does so BECAUSE the Father has given him to Christ in the eternal covenant, and is effectually called by the Father, and is now summoned to come by the gospel call issued through the God-sent ambassador of Christ. So, let even the chief of sinner come boldly, with reverence. Christ stands ready to receive all such repentant sinners.

It is a common and popular error even among reformed people that ALL the elect will hear the gospel and believe in the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation. However, there are effectually called elect who will never hear the gospel during their life time on earth.

It is also a common and popular error even among reformed people that the gospel call is the necessary means to effectual call, i.e. no preaching, no effectual call to eternal life.

I would avoid a study bible... it takes great discipline to distinguish the divinely inspired word from human ideas that are put side by side with it! The danger of elevating man's opinion to the level of God's word is very real and subtle...

What's calvinism?

just my simple understanding,
sing.
(a chinese lad in the far east)

A coward's castle

A coward's castle

A pastor has no right to turn the pulpit into a coward's castle,
And from there attack those in the congregation,
Whom he is afraid to meet face to face privately.

It is cruelly unfair to attack an individual who cannot defend himself—
To hold him up, as if on the horns of the pulpit, before the congregation, (who generally know pretty well who is meant),
And to condemn him without hearing his side, with the pastor being the only judge and jury.

(J. C. Philpot, "Inquiries and Answers")