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Every mother knows that life precedes the activities of that life! She nurses only the living! No mother suckles the dead. However, many preachers seriously think their preaching is feeding the dead in order to bring life to them. Feeding has to do with the living. |
"Except a man be born again, he cannot
see... he cannot enter..."
The Lord Himself REPEATED it because men are
so slow to hear: "EXCEPT a man be born again, he CANNOT... "
That's not too hard to understand, is it?
Life must precede all the activities of that
life; this is so basic. In the new birth, eternal life is bestowed. The new
birth must precede any activity of that eternal life. Regeneration is the
bestowal of eternal salvation, fitting a man perfectly for eternal glory.
It is the bestowal of eternal life that
enables a man to perform spiritual activities... ability to discern and
understand the things of the Spirit of God, to believe the truth of the gospel
of Jesus Christ, to repent towards God, etc.
- "But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1Cor 2:14
But so many embrace a SYNERGISTIC view of the
doctrine of salvation that they remain hopelessly inconsistent.
1. God purposed eternal salvation for His
people.
- He did this without man's help! It is
solely and wholly by grace.
2. Christ accomplished that salvation for the
same people.
- He did this without man's help! It is
solely and wholly by grace.
3. God, by His eternal Word and His Spirit
(all the three Persons of the divine Godhead) applies that eternal salvation to
each elect in the effectual calling, calling each elect out of his native state
of sin and death to that of grace and salvation in Jesus Christ.
- The effectual call of an elect out of the
state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation requires, in this logical
order and number: justification,
regeneration, and adoption, with the bestowal of the Spirit of adoption to
dwell in the regenerated.
The effectually called is completely and
perfectly fitted for eternal glory. Nothing else is needed.
God does this effectual call without man's
help! It is solely and wholly by grace.
So, man is COMPLETELY passive in this. In
fact in his native state of sin and
death, he is completely hostile towards, and in enmity against God. It has to be completely by the free, and
effectual grace of God.
The
gospel ministry is intended for those whom God Himself has effectually
called to grace and salvation - calling them to believe the glorious truth of their salvation by God's free grace.
Only such are capable of being called to
believe the truth, because it is ALREADY true of them!!! The gospel is
for the conversion of God's children to the truth. But so many are deceived and
misguided in believing that their gospel preaching is the necessary and
indispensable instrument or means for the regeneration of those dead in sin and
trespasses by the Holy Spirit.
------
picture:
Every mother knows that life precedes the activities
of that life! She nurses only the living! No mother suckles the dead. However,
many preachers seriously think their preaching is feeding the dead in order to
bring life to them.
Feed My lambs... feed My sheep... feed my
sheep..." John 21:15-17.
Feeding has to do with the living.
