Things New and Old: The wind blows independently, always!

Things New and Old

Ancient truths revealed in the Scriptures are often forgotten, disbelieved or distorted, and therefore lost in the passage of time. Such ancient truths when rediscovered and relearned are 'new' additions to the treasury of ancient truths.

Christ showed many new things to the disciples, things prophesied by the prophets of old but hijacked and perverted by the elders and their traditions, but which Christ reclaimed and returned to His people.

Many things taught by the Apostles of Christ have been perverted or substituted over the centuries. Such fundamental doctrines like salvation by grace and justification have been hijacked and perverted and repudiated by sincere Christians. These doctrines need to be reclaimed and restored to God's people.

There are things both new and old here. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things" 2Ti 2:7.

Friday, November 13, 2020

The wind blows independently, always!

The wind DOES NOT have to wait
for you to be around in order to start blowing!
"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."

https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/10212695782404934
November 13, 2018

A rhetorical but misguided question posed by a sincere gospel-regenerationist (one who believes that the preaching of the gospel is necessary for the work of regeneration by the Spirit of God; their mantra is "no preaching, no regeneration"; this makes their activities indispensable in the Holy Spirit's work of regeneration.

Nipps
@ Sing...In reference to John 3:1-8, Do you think that the wind blows and then days or months later the leaves or grass move??? The grass and leaves (elect) immediately are moved by the wind (spirit).

Sing F Lau
@Nipps... a valid rhetorical question, but quite misguided! Such a question misses the whole point of the illustration, besides taking the illustration in the wrong literal sense! The moment the Spirit blows, the spiritually dead are quickened.

The point of the illustration is that the wind blows INDEPENDENT of the preacher's presence and activity, i.e. the Spirit's work of regeneration is FREE, SOVEREIGN and INDEPENDENT of human means and activities. The wind DOES NOT wait until someone is there to observe the effects of its activity. (According to some, unless there are men standing under the tree, the wind can't and won't blow!)

In spiritual term, the way appointed to discern or make manifest the regenerating activity of the Spirit is to preach the gospel. If there are faith and repentance, then it is evidenced that the Holy Spirit HAS worked... then you are seeing 'the leaves or grass move' expected in your rhetorical question - a point which the illustration DOES NOT deal with.

The effects of the Spirit's work of regeneration can ONLY BE OBSERVED or BROUGHT TO light through the gospel ministry.

"But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."

The passage states plainly, that life and immortality - the effects of the regeneration work of the Spirit based on the finished work of Christ - are brought to light through the gospel.

The gospel ministry is the means to bring to light life and immortality that ARE ALREADY there. The gospel ministry CANNOT bring to light what is NOT ALREADY there! It is not the means to bring life and immortality. That's a devil's lie!

Imagine, you turning on the light in a dark room; your turning on the light makes manifest the furniture that is already there; your turning on the light DID NOTHING to bring the furniture into the room!

Is that simple enough?
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Take a look here:

https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/2010/07/conversion-regeneration-and.html