Life begets life!October 8 at 3:53pm
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." This is a popular passage hijacked by the gospel regenerationists, by both the neo calvinists and the arminians. They both insist that the 'word of God' is the gospel message as the instrument in th...e divine work of regeneration. They can't be more mistaken.
Sing F Lau
Concerning this passage, there are several fundamental things an student of God's word must bear in mind.
1. Birth or begetting always requires a PERSON, a life giving PERSON as the active agent. Spiritual birth requires a life giving spirit...ual Being. A thing cannot begets in the sense of bringing about a new life.
2. The Scriptures attribute the new birth from ABOVE to all the three Persons of the God-head, and no one and nothing else
- To God the Father:
"John 1: 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even tothem that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
- To God the Son:
John 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
- To God the Spirit:
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is EVERY ONE that is born of the Spirit.
Sing F Lau
In many places in the Scriptures, the second PERSON of the Godhead is often designated as the Word of God.
- John 1:1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God....
- Ro 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
[ability to hear comes by the life-giving power of Jesus Christ].
- Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in HIS sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of HIM with whom we have to do.
[It is beyond any shadow of doubt that in this passage the Word of God refers to a PERSON... Look at the personal pronouns that follow in verse 13.]
- 2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water. [compare this with John 1:2 'All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
- Re 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Sing F Lau
It is obvious that the Word of God found in 1Pet 1:23 refers to a PERSON, and not the written word or the preached word of God from preachers. Because in the whole of the Scriptures begetting is never attributed to a thing, e.g. the preache...d word, or the written Scriptures.
Look at the passage carefully now:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 ¶ For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
The "word of God" under consideration is said to be incorruptible, which lives and abides forever. It is living and abiding forever.
Please note also the subjects being compared. The comparison is between personal beings, between persons: all flesh and men on the one hand, and the person known as "the word of God." One is transient and dying, the other lives and abides!
Please note verse 25: three separate and distinct entities are spoken of: "the word", "the gospel" and the "preaching."
"And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you" - THAT IS, by the gospel, the PERSON, who is titled, the Word of God, is preached unto you. 'The Word' refers to the central subject of the gospel, even Christ, the eternal Word made flesh.
The gospel is about the person designated as the "word of God" - the preaching of the gospel is about a PERSON, who is the "word of God" made flesh. John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
Sing F Lau
In addition, the Scriptures itself testifies that the written word of God, the Holy Scriptures has been corrupted by many.
2Co 2:17 "For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of G...od speak we in Christ."
The incorruptible word of God spoken of in 1Pet passage must refer to the second Person of the Trinity - he is pure and impeccable and incorruptible.
The written and preached word of God is the means appointed by God for the conversion of His children, the elect that were already born or begotten directly and immediately by the Triune God.
Gospel regeneration is a lie.
Gospel conversion is a truth.
Hodg
Good words bro Sing. Too many mistake the LIVING word (Logos) for the WRITTEN OR SPOKEN WORD (Rhema). They also confuse the voice of the Son of God with the voice of the preacher. When these dear but errant Calvinists can go to a graveyard, preach the gospel, and the dead start rising up, then I'll believe that the gospel has the power to regenerate.
Patro
Sing the written Bible have errors? or on 2Co 2:17 refers to the Old testament which was the Apostles and Jesus Bible? or refers that some were corrupting the message of the Christ (word of God) ?
In the letter to the Roman's Paul writes to save believers with notorious faith and writes them the Gospel for their empowerment, Christ-likeness growth, encouragement, and also to correct some errors from the roman believers .... what you think? I'm not debating I just want to learn what is right. thanks
Sing F Lau
Yoel, I didn't say the Scriptures have errors. All Scriptures is given by the inspiration of God.
I did say the Scriptures have been corrupted by men - that is the self-attestation of Scriptures itself. Many, like the religious leaders in ev...ery generation, corrupt the Scriptures through their preaching false things... many in the previous and present century pervert and twist Scriptures through all those perVERSIONS coming out in the market all the time... because of MAMMON!
Sing F Lau
1Co 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
Phm 10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:
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...God begets His children by bringing an elect who is dead in trespasses and sins to eternal life - without the help of any human mid-wives (read sincere, but deluded and self-conceited, preachers.)
Preachers beget children when they CONVERT God's children to Christ through their ministry of the gospel. They are like midwives who delivers the children already exist by the power from on high!
Patro
just like Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch on Acts 8:26-
Patro
I'm getting there, ... I feel with a light yoke when sharing
Christ now
Lloy
Oh so being born again is a supernatural work of the tri-une Godhead made in eternity past!
Sing F Lau
Alan, where did you learn that idea - that regeneration took place in eternity past?
Lloy
oh no I got that mixed up with election obviously disregard that comment. thanks
