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| I fathered him myself... please nurse and cherish him tenderly! |
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How does one become a child of God?
How does one become a Christian?
Do you know the difference? Please tell us.
The question: how does one become a child of God presuppose a new birth from above or brought into being or existence as a child of God.
And what did you do in the divine act of being brought into being as a child of God by God?
Dis any man aid God in His act of bringing you into being as a child of God?
What did you do in the process of being brought into being by your parents?
The question 'How does one become a Christian' presupposes the activities of hearing and understanding and believing the truths concerning the person and works of Jesus Christ, and the desire to follow and obey Him by identifying with him publicly through water baptism.
And who can perform and desire such SPIRITUAL activities? Is it those who are still in their native state of sins and death, or those whom God has made His children?
I firmly believe that you would agree that only a person with SPIRITUAL LIFE can perform those spiritual activities. I take it as a fundamental axiom that life must precede the activities of that life. Christ declared this fundamental truth in John 3:3,5... 'Except a man be born again he CANNOT see... CANNOT enter the kingdom of God.'
Any parent will tell you that they bring their children into BEING without them doing anything.... and it is a long while later that their children consciously know and acknowledge their parents.
Birth precedes conscious recognition of parents in the natural realm.
Regeneration precedes (logically and chronologically) conversion to Christ in the spiritual realm. Regeneration does not guarantee conversion because not every child of God has the opportunity or the ability to hear and believe the gospel of their salvation by God's free grace. Conversion to the truth of the gospel of Christ requires the gospel ministry.
May our Lord bless our study together. Good night.
Any questions are welcome.
Charles
all this appeals to reason...it makes sense it lacks the deeper spiritual, mystical elements - LOL
Sing F Lau
'Come now, and let us REASON together,' saith the LORD.Ac 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days REASONed with them out of the scriptures.
Ac 18:4 And he REASONed in the synagogue every sabbath, and ...persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
Ac 18:19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and REASONed with the Jews.
Ac 24:25 And as he REASONed of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
The Lord made man rational creatures, and treats and deals with His people as rational creatures, not mindless and brainless idiots, and some preachers would!
Carl Jon Garanzo Joven
question brother sing, is the gospel effects only to the regenerated person? or spiritual man? is it useless if we preach the gospel to a person who is not spiritual?
Sing F Lau
Brother Carl Jon Garanzo Joven, thank you very much for your question. Understanding this issue is crucial to your understanding of the purpose of the gospel ministry.
The gospel ministry is appointed by God for the NOURISHMENT of His children, those that are born OF God, regenerated by His Spirit and given eternal life by Christ Jesus.
In all practical reality, we DO NOT know whether the person to whom we are preaching the gospel is a regenerated person or a person still dead in trespasses and sins. So, whenever God gives us the opportunity, we are to preach the gospel to whosoever will hear. If there are God's children (regenerated elect) among our hearers, they may hear and believe the gospel, the good news of their salvation by God's free grace in Jesus Christ.
But we don't need to know whether the person to whom we are preaching the gospel in order to conclude that the preaching of the gospel is of no use to one who is dead in trespasses and sins. The Scriptures already tell us in the plainest manner that the gospel is foolishness to such, that such cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God, that such cannot discern spiritual things.
We know that food is useful to the living ONLY. We know that food is USELESS to the dead.
Do you remember Jesus' command to the apostle Peter?
"FEED my sheep... FEED lambs... FEED my sheep."
The gospel ministry is FEEDING God's children.
The gospel - the good news of God's work of salvation in Jesus Christ, and applied to individual sinners by the Spirit - is ONLY true of the regenerate, and they are called to believe the truth.
I hope you understand what I have said above.
Please feel free to ask. I'm very delighted that you are asking.
Preaching is never meant to regenerate those dead in trespasses and sins. That a doctrine of the devil that undermines the gospel of grace.
Jerry Chapin
Great Biblical answer, Bro. Sing...
Carl Jon Garanzo Joven
thanks, brother, another question....Jesus commanded the disciples not to go into the way of the Gentiles but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel(Matt. 10:5) and in Matthew 15:24 Jesus said I am not sent but unto the LOST SHEEP of the house of Israel... and He said it is not meet to take the children"s bread and to cast it to dogs. and the Canaanite woman(gentile) said Truth Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master"s table. we are not Jews, can we be called SHEEP or DOGS?
Sing F Lau
Carl Jon Garanzo Joven, that's another good question.
In the outworking of God's redemptive purpose, the gospel ministry was restricted to the lost sheep of Israel initially.
But after the Lord Jesus was glorified, the gospel was also sent to the Gentiles, especially after the appointment of Apostle Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles.
Apostle Paul said, "... to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile" in Rom 1:16, 2:9,10. Joh 4:22 "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews."
Jesus said, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." Joh 10:16.
Christ has other sheep that are OUTSIDE of the Jewish fold, he has His sheep among the Gentiles too.
Re 5:9 "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." NOT JUST THE JEWS!!! But also gentiles of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation!!! The Lord's sheep are found in every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation!!!
All the elect of God given to Jesus Christ are His sheep.
Though the Gentiles were looked upon as dogs, yet the same Master showed mercy.
Ga 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."
Carl Jon Garanzo Joven
wow...thank you, brother, good answer with proof text.
Sing F Lau
Brother Carl Jon Garanzo Joven, how is your study with Brother Arnie. He said he is going through some material with you and Mark Ian. I hope you will learn well and be grounded firmly in the gospel of grace.
A lot of things that go on in the churches today are not of God. They are of the world. They have departed from the faith once delivered to the saints.
Apostle Paul warned Timothy:
1Tim 4:1 ¶ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron...
Again in 2Tim
4:1 ¶ I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Takes these words to heart. Don't go down the same way.
Be firmly grounded in the truth of the gospel of grace.
May our Lord bless you. Feel free to ask any further questions!
Thanks.
