Results 1 - 3 of 3
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Theological Term: Predestination | Eph 1:5 | DocTrinsograce | 204766 | ||
Dear Val, Yes, man is fully responsible for his spiritual condition. Scripture teaches that man is accountable to God (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, Romans 14:12). Adam and Eve -- the parents of humanity -- were created as morally responsible people. They were created without sin (Ecclesiastes 7:29), but they fell from this state by disobeying God (Genesis 3). Since Adam is the father of mankind, his sin effected the whole human race (Romans 5:12-19). Ever since man has been flawed by sin. Every human being (except Jesus Christ because He was born of a virgin) has inherited original sin (Psalms 51:5, Romans 3). Man is born in sin with an evil and wicked nature (Matthew 7:11, Ephesians 2:3). Men even shares the same evil nature as Satan (John 8:44). Man sins by choice and by the motivation of his very nature. Sin fills every aspect of his being from head to toe (Isaiah 1:5-6). His heart and mind is filled with it (Ecclesiastes 9:3, Ephesians 4:17-19, Titus 1:15, 1 Timothy 3:8, 6:5). "The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9). There remains no good in man (Romans 7:18). Man is basically evil, not good. His heart is as hard as stone (Ezekiel 11:19, Jeremiah 23:29). Man imagines that he is only sick, but the Bible says he is dead (Ephesians 2:1, Colossians 2:13). Man feels he is, at worst, near-sighted, but Scripture says he is blind (2 Corinthians 3:14). Man shrugs off his vices as minor, but the Word says he is a slave (John 8:44, Ephesians 2:2, 2 Timothy 2:26). In Baptist theology, although affirming the doctrine of the free offer of the gospel, we deem that regeneration is entirely a work of God, not based in or on any human action or merit (see the 1644 London Baptist Confession, article XIX; the 1689 London Baptist Confession, article IX; the 1833 New Hampshire Baptist Confession, article IV; the 1858 Abstract of Principles, article VIII; the 1925 Baptist Faith and Message, article VII; the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message, article IIC; the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, article IV). The doctrines of semi-pelagianism, synergistic soteriolgy, or prevenient (as opposed to definite) grace may be held by General Baptists, but I've not spent much time researching the matter. In Him, Doc |
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2 | Theological Term: Predestination | Eph 1:5 | Val | 204767 | ||
Could you define regeneration? Thanks Val | ||||||
3 | Theological Term: Predestination | Eph 1:5 | DocTrinsograce | 204768 | ||
Dear Val, Good question! Regeneration literally means "rebirth." We do not know how it is done, but we know that it is a work of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-8). It is an instantaneous act, done objectively; that is, it is done to a man, without his participation. It is one of the blessings of salvation. A great picture of regeneration is the story of Lazarus (see John 11). Lazarus was dead. Lazarus couldn't pray. Lazarus couldn't speak or act. (Dead people can't do much of anything.) Therefore, when Christ called, Lazarus would not be able to respond. So, *before* the call of Christ, the Spirit of God entered into the tomb and did two things: (1) healed Lazarus from that which killed him and (2) brought him back to life. Thus, Lazarus could hear the command and willingly respond to it. The hardest part of the job was something God did. Here are some quotes that define regeneration much better than I might do: "Regeneration is a secret act of God in which He imparts new spiritual life to us. This is sometimes called 'being born again' (using language from John 3:3-8)." --Wayne Grudem "Regeneration is the spiritual change wrought in the heart of man by the Holy Spirit in which his/her inherently sinful nature is changed so that he/she can respond to God in Faith, and live in accordance with His Will (Matt. 19:28; John 3:3,5,7; Titus 3:5). It is an inner re-creating of fallen human nature by the gracious sovereign action of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-8). This change is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. It originates not with man but with God (John 1:12, 13; 1 John 2:29; 5:1, 4). It extends to the whole nature of man, altering his governing disposition, illuminating his mind, freeing his will, and renewing his nature. "Infants do not induce, or cooperate in, their own procreation and birth; no more can those who are 'dead in trespasses and sins' prompt the quickening operation of God's Spirit within them." --J. I. Packer "When a man is converted to God, it is done in a moment. Regeneration is an instantaneous work. Conversion to God, the fruit of regeneration, occupies all our life, but regeneration itself is effected in an instant. A man hates God -- the Holy Spirit makes him love God. A man is opposed to Christ, he hates his gospel, does not understand it and will not receive it -- the Holy Spirit comes, puts light into his darkened understanding, takes the chain from his bondaged will, gives liberty to his conscience, gives life to his dead soul, so that the voice of conscience is heard, and the man becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus.And all this is done, mark you, by the instantaneous supernatural influence of God the Holy Spirit working as He wills among the sons of men." --Charles H. Spurgeon "But the moment of regeneration is never visible to us. Lack of regeneration, however, is visible over time because the works of the flesh, Paul tells us, are manifest. And the fruit of the Spirit manifest themselves publicly as well, and Jesus tells us to make our judgments on the basis of fruit. But it must be noted that biblical judgments of this sort are mature, and are based on the mature outcome of a person's way of life. All this to say that genuine discernment is based on the video, not on the snapshot." --Douglas Wilson In Him, Doc |
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