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NASB | Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we have done, but because of His own compassion and mercy, by the cleansing of the new birth (spiritual transformation, regeneration) and renewing by the Holy Spirit, |
Subject: Theological Terms: Regeneration |
Bible Note: Dear Brother Tim, Perhaps I have painted Robert Shank with too broad of a brush. I apologize. I'd say that it is likely that his teaching formed the foundation upon which Open Theism. However, that is speculation on my part. Shank's belief in class election sounded to me very much like Open Theism. From a paper by Gannon Murphy I read the following excerpt. I've read the same argument by Open Theists. I've pasted it below -- I'm getting tired of fixing quotation marks, etc. :-) In Him, Doc Arminian theologian, Robert Shank, contends that in this passage "there is nothing about Paul's affirmation which establishes that election is unconditional or that all who experience calling and justification will inevitably persevere." Shank attempts to rework this passage such that a "corporate election in Christ" is what is Paul is really trying to teach us. In other words, whoever is "in Christ" by their own volition, is then "elected" by God. Shank also tows the line of the classical Arminian view of election that sees it as resting in God's prescience. Says Shank, "In Romans 8:28-30, the election is concomitant with God's foreknowledge…" This all might work expect for one big problem: God's calling. Without this calling, justification and ultimate glorification don't happen. And Paul's language is clear: those who are called, are justified and glorified. Election can't possibly be based on foreknowledge since justification first depends on God's calling. Paul neatly sums up His teachings on Divine grace in 1 Cor 1:30 where he says, It is by His doing that you are in Christ Jesus." As theologian, James White, says regarding this passage, "It is not by our doing, our by a combination of our actions and God's grace, but by His doing that we are in Christ Jesus" (1 Cor 1:31) |