You Must Be Born Again! Part IV
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In the last section we studied about the new creation and
then about being partakers of the divine nature. We continue now by considering
how the individual is a partaker and then how the church as a body demonstrates
the divine nature.
Once again, we look to some men of God to help us get a
better understanding of the new birth. I have added my thoughts concerning it. You
may copy this article unto your computer and add your own. Please study
carefully this extremely important subject and let it motivate you to call upon
God for a fresh demonstration of His power in granting new birth to people in
our generation. They must be born again!
A. On a personal level. Gal.2:20 (KJV)… “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live
by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Paul is talking here again of the new birth, the resurrected
life in Christ. First, however, he speaks of a crucifixion, which he
experienced and he is referring to his old self. Christ not only took sin to
the cross, but also the old man, the fallen nature of Adam. “Our old self was crucified with Him, in
order that our body of sin might be done away with” (Ro.6:6).
This gives further proof that a person, who is
born-again, does not continue to walk in sin. And now, according to God’s
desire, the characteristics of His Son shine through, because actually He lives
within. I hold to the King James translation here, that the faith is not in,
but of the Son of God. We will look
at this more thoroughly later. You Must Be Born Again! Part III
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We continue to study the new birth. There are very few other Bible studies that are as important as this one is. In this part, I have quoted much from what others have written. We have to be ready to learn from others, because there is so much more that we need to know about this subject. I have written my part and I invite you to add yours in a notebook or on your own computer. The new birth is what marks true Christianity and distinguishes it from that which is only religious. We must see the hand of God working and the life of God demonstrated in that which is true. I hope that you will profit from and enjoy this study...
IV. A new creation. A New Man through the New Birth. Eph 4:24… “Put on the new man, which in the likeness of God
has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” He is a new man… Scofield “and is a new man as having become a partaker of the
divine nature and life, (2Pe_1:4) and, in no sense, the old man made over, or improved.
After
receiving the forgiveness of sins, a man receives a new nature, which is
compatible with God’s. In that state, he is brought into reconciliation with
God and a new, friendly relationship begins. Paul describes this
transformation, which occurs in any and every one, in every place at any time,
regardless of his race or nationality; this is what will happen: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creature (some versions put, a new creation… a better translation); the old things passed away; behold, new
things have come” (2 Co.5:17). If this
transformation does not happen, that person has not been born again and there
is to be no assumption that he is a Christian and that his sins are forgiven.
He must be born again! No human being
can help him into this birth. It is a miracle, which only God can do.
Unconditional Love?
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I wish that I could ask each one
who pronounces the words, “unconditional
love”, what that expression means to him. Sometimes you hear it mentioned, “God’s
love is unconditional; He loves and doesn’t ask anything in return.” When it is
interpreted this way, I have a problem with the term. It’s possible that the
person who makes that statement has not thought this matter through and ignores
the importance of its significance.
Now, it is very true that the story of our spiritual life
begins with the love of God: “God, being rich in mercy, because of the
great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ” (Eph.2:5). He loved when we were incapable of
loving Him. It was His goodness that led us to repentance, and it was His
Spirit, who gave us ears to hear His Word. Only for that reason we were able to
believe. We are saying the same thing, when we claim that we are saved by grace
alone. However, it is not the same to
say that we are saved by grace, as it is to say, “His love is unconditional and
He expects nothing in exchange.” He loved us, when there was nothing to love,
but His love demands a response; that is, His
love demands conditions!
The development of an expression
like this one has a history… a history filled with repetitions. Soon, the whole
world is speaking of “unconditional love… unconditional love… unconditional
love”. The expression becomes popular and totally accepted among Christians.
Truthfully, it is a very attractive term, especially to the sentimental person…
and many judge things according to their feelings and not according to their biblical
value. Many live their entire “Christian” life that way, satisfying their
emotions, without wanting to think clearly about biblical truth. For that
reason, many terms arise which lack Bible support or, at least, many people
interpret them in an unbiblical manner.
You Must Be Born Again! Part II
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I'm sorry that I have waited so long to put in the second installation to the study on the new birth. I hope you will join me and my outline and add your own thoughts to this subject. I'll help as much as I can and we are looking to some outstanding Bible teachers to give us their observations, as well. Please enjoy and may God give us all light to view one of the greatest themes in the Bible.
III. The doctrine of the Apostle John.
A. In the introduction to his Gospel: John 1:12-13: “As many as received Him, to them He gave
the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who
were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man,
but of God.” In contrast to those,
who did not know or receive Him in v. 10 and 11, this birth comes in
conjunction to those who do receive
Him (accept, rather than reject) and believe in Him. They believe that it is
true, but also they believe it to the degree that they place all their trust in
Him. Here, it means, that they trust His person. Then, there is a very strong
statement made insisting that God must bring about this birth, which has
absolutely no human element involved. There is a triple denial of anything that
man might do to participate in this work.Before the Supreme Judge, Part Three
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This is the last part of an excellent tool for evangelism. It
deals with the following issues… Condemned by our genes… The only remedy… Your
debt has been paid!... The need to be born again… God promises a new life… A
future without end… What are you waiting for?
If you want to give people something of value to read, you can
receive this and two other installments in the form of a small book. Simply
write us at loelmarga@telefonica.net .
A tract is all right, in order to get someone’s attention, but it gives little
information concerning salvation and the reason why it is needed. This little
book will inform them clearly about the righteousness and the love of God. I
really wish that many, who have a desire to evangelize, would use it.
Condemned by our
genes
The Word of God says that
the human being is dead in trespasses and sins. That is, as far as God is
concerned, he cannot move a toe in His direction, nor lift a finger to help
himself out of his sinful state. No human being on his own initiative can ever
launch an exploratory trip in an effort to rediscover his Creator and he is
absolutely helpless in reference to God.
Adam and Eve are the
source of all human nature and so, naturally speaking, we have no other
forefathers than they and possess no other genes. According to human possibilities,
we can be no more than they were. If they fell into a hopeless state of sin and
were separated from God, then we fell,
as well, and if they were condemned to death, that same condemnation rests upon
us. Though we have not chosen this state, we surely have inherited it, just the
same as we have not chosen the family in which we were born or the color of our
skins, eyes, etc.
For that reason, modern
teaching about picking up broken pieces and starting over are foolish and unbiblical.
They are bandages applied to a corpse. There is no fixing the ruined nature of
Adam. In order to be free from sin, we must be free from the old sin factory of adamic nature and receive
a new one.
Before the Supreme Judge, Part two
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This is the second part of an excellent tool for evangelism. It
deals with the following issues… What does the Law of God demand?, Guilty or
innocent?, What does “death” mean?, The second death, Justice satisfied, The
astounding rebellion against God, An example from hell, and The road to hell is
paved with good intentions.
If you want to give people something of value to read, you can
receive this and two other installments in the form of a small book. Simply
write us at loelmarga@telefonica.net
. A tract is all right, in order to get someone’s attention, but it gives
little information concerning salvation and the reason why it is needed. This
little book will inform them clearly about the righteousness and the love of
God. I really wish that many, who have a desire to evangelize, would use it.
Precisely – what
does the law of God demand?
Now we must deal with
this question: How do we know whether or not we have crossed the line and broken
His law? For a few moments, we must look into the law itself, as He has
established it, to know if we have offended Him and if we are sinners or not,
because, “through the Law comes the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20b). You
certainly are familiar with one of the Ten Commandments which states: “Thou
shalt not kill”. You and I probably immediately conclude that we have never
done that, so at least in this we are innocent. However, when Jesus came to
earth to live among men and teach them, one of the things that he made clear is
exactly how God views homicide, and He said, “Everyone who is angry with his
brother shall be guilty before the court’ (Matthew 5:22a). In the
context, He is speaking
of the judgment against murder. Are you angry with someone right now: your boss
perhaps, or a colleague, a neighbor, or a relative? Another of the Ten
Commandments states, “Thou shalt not commit adultery”, but Jesus said
more: “Everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed
adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Have you entertained such
thoughts?...
Jesus also commanded, “Love
your enemies”. Have people done you wrong, whom you do not love? … Well,
these are just a few questions, to which you must respond with absolute
honesty.
Tozer Points to John on Patmos
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 |
| A. W. Tozer |
As A. W. Tozer maintained a
well-balanced testimony to truth in the middle of the Twentieth Century, the
church was rocking and reeling under an avalanche of teaching that offered the
world and heaven besides. It was a ‘here-and-now gospel’ that didn’t want to learn
about the future or the past. Church history and its doctrines were thrown
aside, along with its hymnology, in order to take advantage of newly-discovered
‘truth’. The hope of heaven faded, as promises were made about believers
becoming the elite of the earth, driving the best vehicles and living in
mansions. Few seem to have achieved these goals, except for the preachers, who
collect the offerings during their meetings.
Just in case I haven’t made
it clear before in this blogspot, I have been an opponent for many years of the
“health-and-wealth gospel”. I have said publicly in places, where it was not
popular to say so, that I believe that prosperity preaching is a ministry to
the egotistical ‘old man’, who wants to see what the gospel has in it for himself.
It is for old Adam and not for the born-again Christian. Those who have
received the nature of Christ are not drawn to such teaching. They have one
major goal in life and that is to bring glory to God, whether it is, as Paul
said, “by life or by death”.
Before the Supreme Judge
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Important messages
What is posted here is the first part of an excellent tool for
evangelism. A tract might be good to get someone’s attention, put it gives
little aid in informing about the need for salvation and why, precisely, it is
needed. This booklet will tell them clearly of the justice and the love of God.
If you want to give people something of value to read, you can receive this and
two other installments in the form of a small book. Simply write us at loelmarga@telefonica.net.
I really wish that many, who have a desire to evangelize, would use it
Reflections
Can you imagine for a moment
what would happen if
countries had no laws to govern
them and if justice
would not act to guarantee
their enforcement? What
would happen if murderers,
thieves, swindlers, drug
traffickers, and rapists knew
that no law existed to
condemn their acts? It is
obvious that it would bring
chaos. To give us a small
idea, it should be enough to
observe countries with
corrupt governments or with a
faulty judicial system, in
order to see, as a result, a high
rate of murder, rape, abuse,
prostitution, poverty, social
insecurity, economic instability,
and a lack of
educational and health
facilities.
For that reason, all the
governments in the civilized
world, in order to avert
anarchy and chaos, have created
their departments of justice,
since it is impossible, and
even against the law, that a
man should take justice into
his own hands. Of course, it
is a fact today that justice is
losing the power and even the
significance that it once
had.
God Himself Revealed in His Written Word
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God gave us the Bible, principally, as a revelation of Himself and we can see also, throughout the Bible, the divine and eternal Son of God. All other purposes in reading, studying and meditating in the Scriptures are secondary. The great subject is the revelation of the Trinity.
As I prepared for my radio program this morning, called "Building Upon the Rock", a truth became very clear to me. I had spoken in the last program on the sovereignty of God and now I was going to present the holiness of God. Before me, I had two lists of verses, one list from the book of Isaiah and the other from the book of Ezekiel.
In the book of Isaiah, God reveals Himself as the "Holy One of Israel". You can't miss it; He repeats it over and over. It's more than clear; it's hammered into you from the beginning to the end of the book. When you finish with Isaiah, you ought to know that God is holy.
Likewise, in the book of Ezekiel, the attribute of God that is emphasized and re-emphasized is His sovereignty. Most often it is expressed something like this: "That they may know that I am the Lord". So, by the time you have read through the book of Ezekiel, you ought to know that God is sovereign Lord. You just can't miss it.
As I prepared for my radio program this morning, called "Building Upon the Rock", a truth became very clear to me. I had spoken in the last program on the sovereignty of God and now I was going to present the holiness of God. Before me, I had two lists of verses, one list from the book of Isaiah and the other from the book of Ezekiel.
In the book of Isaiah, God reveals Himself as the "Holy One of Israel". You can't miss it; He repeats it over and over. It's more than clear; it's hammered into you from the beginning to the end of the book. When you finish with Isaiah, you ought to know that God is holy.
Likewise, in the book of Ezekiel, the attribute of God that is emphasized and re-emphasized is His sovereignty. Most often it is expressed something like this: "That they may know that I am the Lord". So, by the time you have read through the book of Ezekiel, you ought to know that God is sovereign Lord. You just can't miss it.
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