Heavens Light 7-25-10 Contentment and Providence Part 2

 

Contentment and Providence- Part 2

Philippians 4:11

Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content

in whatever circumstances I am. NASB

In this brief study I would like to:

1)    Show briefly that God is in His Providence is governing and ordering all the circumstances of our lives

2)    Remind us of His great and precious promises to care for us and meet all of our needs, and also that His Providence is loving and always has our highest good in mind, not necessarily our earthly comfort

3)    Show briefly that discontentment is a embittering sin which greatly hinders our enjoyment of God and our ability to glorify Him

4)    Exhort us to contentment through Philippians 4:11-13

 

I will be offering comments from Thomas Watson’s book The Art of Divine Contentment.” It can be purchased at www.christianbook.com or read here…. http://www.fivesolas.com/watson/content.htm

 

 

 3 )    Show briefly that discontentment is a embittering sin which greatly hinders our enjoyment of God and our ability to glorify Him

 

Now concerning the fact that discontentment is an embittering sin which greatly hinders our enjoyment of God and our ability to glorify Him, I would like to offer a couple quotes from Thomas Watson, then look at a few scriptures and make a few observations.

 

Thomas Watson writes…. “Discontent is a fretting humour, which dries the brains, wastes the spirits, corrodes and eats out the comfort of life; discontent makes a man so that he doth not enjoy what he doth possess. A drop or two of vinegar will sour a whole glass of wine. Let a man have the affluence and confluence of worldly comforts, a drop or two of discontent will embitter and poison all.”…. “If there is a blessed life before we come to heaven, it is the contented life. And why not be contented? Why are you angry, and why is your countenance fallen? Man, of all creatures, has the least cause to be discontented. Can you deserve anything from God? Does He owe you anything? What if the scene were to turn and God were to put your under a serious trial? Right now things are fairly for you, you probably deserve much worse for all you complaining…why do you give way to this irrational and hurtful sin of discontent? May the good Lord humble His people for nourishing such a viper in their breast as not only cuts out the bowels of their comfort, but spits venom in the face of God! Oh Christian, if you are overspread with this fretting leprosy, you carry the man of sin about you, for you set your self above God and act as if you were wiser than He, and would sassily prescribe to Him what condition is best for you! Oh this devil of discontent which, whenever it possesses a person makes his heart a little hell!”put you under the blackrod? Whereas He now uses a rod, He might use a scorpion.

 

Now concerning the fact that discontentment is an embittering sin and that it greatly hinders our enjoyment of God and our ability to glorify Him, consider;

 

1) Discontentment is a condition of depression or of a downcast and sullen spirit, whereas the Christian is called to always rejoice and be thankful (Phil 4:4, 1 Thes 5:18, Eph 5:20).

 

2) Discontentment is arrogance. The discontented Christian sets themselves above God who has ordered their circumstances in such a way as He sees best for them. Shall we say of God He has treated us unfairly? If you got what you deserved you would banished to eternal darkness forever! Shall we command the God of Providence and infinite wisdom how He ought to order His world? Do you suppose you have a wiser plan than God? Would not God and His world be better off if you were at the helm? Why then would we complain disrespectfully against God’s wise providence? Shall the clay say to the potter, why did you make me like this? Shall the dog bite the hand that feeds it? (Jonah 4:1-11)

 

3) Discontentment is ingratitude. It surely sees past any thankfulness for our present condition and would demand of God that He do us right? Shall our sinful heart be more discontented over one loss than thankful for one hundred mercies?  Shall God rescue us from sin and death by the sacrifice of His only holy Son just for us to return and grumble that He has not been gracious enough to us? Discontentment forgets its real condition of blessed mercy and cries with lust that it is not happy with the portion of mercy God has given.

 

4) Discontentment is often accompanied with anger, envy, jealousy, and covetousness, which is idolatry. God will supply all our needs, shall He satisfy our lusts too? So often it is our lust for more that causes us to overlook the manifold blessings God has poured into our laps, and are always and ever thinking that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, only to find it is a bitter and sour field to graze in. This is frequently the source of quarrels and discord in our families and relations, because we are not happy, so no one around us will be happy, and we with malice and a bitter spirit will make sure of it! (James 4:1-3)

 

5) Discontentment is the motive of grumbling and complaining against the goodness of God. Complaining is the choir song of the wicked and is not fitting for a saint in glory! It is unbecoming for those who have received a thousand mercies more than they deserve to complain that Christ is not enough to satisfy. Are you content to have Christ? Then why do you grumble that God ought to give you something more, as if Christ were not the most valuable jewel in your crown of eternal life. It is for this sin of grumbling that many in Israel were destroyed. (1 Cor 10:5-13)

Psalm 106:25-27 – 5 But grumbled in their tents; They did not listen to the voice of the Lord. 26 Therefore He swore to them, That He would cast them down in the wilderness, 27 And that He would cast their seed among the nations, And scatter them in the lands. NASB

Philippians 2:14-15 – 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, NASB

 

6) Discontentment is a lack of trust and faith in God and is often accompanied with an anxious and fretful heart. Has God promised that He will never leave us or forsake us and yet we will continually worry that we will not have enough or shall abandon our faith fretting that all will be lost? So we have lost some precious thing or some valuable supply, shall our faith and patience go to? Shall we abandon our faith when God has designed this trial to teach us the very lesson we need to learn? When will we, like Paul, LEARN to be content?

Philippians 4:5-7 – 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. NASB

Philippians 4:19 – 19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. NASB

God has promised to meet all of your needs….do you believe Him?

 

Now all of this is not to say that there is never a time to offer complaint to God. Surely there is, and often enough.

Job 10:1-2 – 1 “I loathe my own life; I will give full vent to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2 “I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me; Let me know why Thou dost contend with me. NASB

Psalm 142:1-2 – 142 I cry aloud with my voice to the Lord; I make supplication with my voice to the Lord. 2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him. NASB

The issue is that we are not offering complaint because of our lust for more, or offering our complaint with a disrespectful and ungrateful attitude, or that we complain in a proud, embittered or arrogant way before God.  It is entirely unbecoming of a rebel sinner who has been saved be the free grace of God to arrogantly tell God He has not been gracious enough.

 

Rather, when offering complaint to God it should be for relief from hurtful pains of body and soul, at the bitter losses that have come in the fallen world, or of losses that our loved ones are facing. And even then, we come humbly before the God of all grace, seeking His comfort and care, with a broken and contrite spirit, with such God is well pleased and for whom He is disposes to give comfort and rest from our wearying trials. We must realize that we are not entitled to anything but death, therefore the least amount of blessing is sheer grace on God’s part. Beggars cannot be choosers.

 

If we raise compliant to God about the circumstances of our life, let us be sure to do it seeking consolation and comfort, and never speaking a cross word or in anger against God’s Holy counsel, lest we find ourselves deeper into the pit of suffering. Consider the words of Thomas Watson…. “Let us be content that God should rule the world; learn to acquiesce in his will, and submit to his providence. Does any affliction befall you? Remember God sees it is that which is fit for you, or it would not come.”

We must come to that place of humble submission to God where we realize He knows far better what we need than we do ourselves. The circumstances which God has ordered for our life are indeed that which works for our highest good and God’s greatest glory!

Lamentations 3:39-40 – 39 Why should any living mortal, or any man, Offer complaint in view of his sins? 40 Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the Lord. NASB

Isaiah 57:15 – 15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. NASB

 

 

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425
 
Or read more about the Christian Gospel here:  http://www.ligonier.org/welcome_whatisthegospel.php
 
 
If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org
 
If you would like to be added or add someone to this email list, just reply with “sign me up” and the address you want it sent to. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
 
 
Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-3485092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life

 
 
 
 

Heavens Light 7-20-10 Contentment and Providence Part 1

Contentment and Providence

Philippians 4:11

Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content

in whatever circumstances I am. NASB

 

In this brief study I would like to:

1)    Show briefly that God is in His Providence is governing and ordering all the circumstances of our lives

2)    Remind us of His great and precious promises to care for us and meet all of our needs, and also that His Providence is loving and always has our highest good in mind, not necessarily our earthly comfort

3)    Show briefly that discontentment is a embittering sin which greatly hinders our enjoyment of God and our ability to glorify Him

4)    Exhort us to contentment through Philippians 4:11-13

 

I will be offering comments from Thomas Watson’s book The Art of Divine Contentment.” It can be purchased at www.christianbook.com or read here…. http://www.fivesolas.com/watson/content.htm

 

1)    Show briefly that God is in His Providence is governing and ordering all the circumstances of our lives

 

To get started, let’s briefly define God’s Providence.

 

PROVIDENCE – The continuous activity of God in His creation by which He preserves and governs. The doctrine of providence affirms God’s absolute lordship over His creation and confirms the dependence of all creation on the Creator. It is the denial of the idea that the universe is governed by chance or fate.

   Through His providence God controls the universe (Ps 103:19); the physical world (Matt 5:45); the affairs of nations (Ps 66:7); man’s birth and destiny (Gal 1:15); man’s successes and failures (Luke 1:52); and the protection of His people (Ps 4:8).

   God preserves all things through His providence (1 Sam 2:9; Acts 17:28). Without His continual care and activity the world would not exist. God also preserves His people through His providence (Gen 28:15; Luke 21:18; 1 Cor 10:13; 1 Peter 3:12).

   Divine government is the continued activity of God by which He directs all things to the ends He has chosen in His eternal plan. God is King of the universe who has given Christ all power and authority to reign (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 2:36; Eph 1:20-23). He governs insignificant things (Matt 10:29-31), apparent accidents (Prov 16:33), as well as man’s good (Phil 2:13) and evil deeds (Acts 14:16). from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986,

Acts 17:23-28  24 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things; 26 and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’ NASB

Not only this, but God’s meticulous Providence is so detailed that He is ordering all the events of our lives. Consider how the Scripture describes this. It says that even when the sparrows die, it is appointed by God’s Providence, and that we are more important than them, and therefore we should not fear because God is caring for our lives according to His Providence. Even the hairs of our head are numbered.

Matthew 10:29-31 – 29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 “Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows. NASB

Or consider the life of Joseph, how he was brutally sold into slavery be his wicked brothers, and how God watched over him through many varied trials and difficult circumstances, and ultimately raised him up to be the ruler of the world. Of this, the Scripture says, Joseph’s brothers meant it for evil, but God worked it for good. Even though evil men made seemingly free choices for evil, God was behind the scenes and by His good Providence was designing it all for the good of many, and especially Joseph.

Genesis 50:18-20 – 18 Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? 20 “And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. NASB

We shouldn’t doubt that God has a purpose for everything that happens because all things are governed by God according to His wise Providence. This includes all the circumstances of the life of everyone who has ever lived or ever will live.

Ephesians 1:11 – 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, NASB

Lamentations 3:37-38 – 37 Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it? 38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That both good and ill go forth? NASB

Isaiah 45:7 – 7 The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these. NASB

For this reason, God is to be greatly feared and reverenced and obeyed! Simply put GOD IS IN CONTROL!

 

2)    Remind us of His great and precious promises to care for us and meet all of our needs, and also that His Providence is loving and always has our highest good in mind, not necessarily our earthly comfort

 

Not only is God in control but He has promised to care fore and meet the needs of those who love Him and look to Him as their provider. Consider a few of His precious promises to us;

Psalm 145:1820 – 18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. 19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;

He will also hear their cry and will save them. 20 The Lord keeps all who love Him; But all the wicked, He will destroy. NASB

Psalm 121:5-8 – 5 The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. 8 The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever. NASB

Not only does He keeps us give us what is necessary for our lives, but He even designs the bitter circumstances of our lives to mold us and shape us and teach us to trust Him more and more.

Psalm 25:10 – 10 All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies. NASB

James 1:2-4 – 2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. NASB

If you are a Christian, there is nothing that is happening in your life that God has not designed for your ultimate good. This includes every single circumstance in your life. It does not mean He will only give you comfortable, easy things, in fact He has designed this fallen world, and all the sorrows, afflictions and hurtful pains, to stretch us and test us so that our faith might be refined and cause our love and trust for Him to grow all the more, that we might grow in holiness.

Hebrews 12:10-11 – 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He[God] disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. NASB

Even though he may discipline us at times, He does this out of His great love and for our highest good. His emphatic promise to us is, He is working everything in our life, FOR OUR GOOD!

Romans 8:28 – 28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. NASB

Now how many things is “all things.” Is God working “some things” for your good? No God is working “all things” for your good, that is, if you “love Him” and are “the called according to His purpose.” Yes indeed, He is working the good things, the bad things, the sweet things and the bitter things, the joys, the comforts, the sorrows and even the dark valley of the shadow of death, He is working for your good. Not to mention in the midst of this, He showers blessings upon us day in and day out. Our lives are filled with His goodness and His blessings. He prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies. (Ps 23:5)

 

Now because of these great truths we must be careful not to complain against God for the paths and courses He marks out for our lives. We must be careful to acknowledge that He is wisely governing our lives and giving us what is needful for our life, even when circumstances seem contrary. Consider the saints of old, even though they faced great trials, and the hand of Providence seemed to be against them at times, yet they trusted God and humbly submitted to His will. Thomas Watson comments …“God is to be trusted when his providences seem to run contrary to his promises. God promised to give David the crown, to make him king; but providence ran contrary to his promise. David was pursued by Saul, and was in danger of his life, but all this while it was Davids duty to trust God. Pray observe, that the Lord by cross providences often brings to pass his promise. God promised Paul the lives of all that were with him in the ship; but the providence of God seemed to run quite contrary to his promise, for the winds blew, the ship split and broke in pieces. Thus God fulfilled his promise; upon the broken pieces of the ship they all came safe to shore. Trust God when providences seem to run quite contrary to promises.”

Let us therefore appreciate God’s providence to the point that we worship and magnify God’s great name because of it, and seek to always acknowledge His “invisible hand” of guidance.

 

 

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425
 
Or read more about the Christian Gospel here:  http://www.ligonier.org/welcome_whatisthegospel.php
 
 
If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org
 
If you would like to be added or add someone to this email list, just reply with “sign me up” and the address you want it sent to. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
 
 
Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-3485092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life

 
 
 
 

Heavens Light 7-13-10 Regeneration Part 2

 

Regeneration – Part 2

 

John 3:8

“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” NASB

 

The analogy of birth and new life

Consider that Jesus uses the analogy of birth. A person no more had some choice in the matter of their natural birth as they do their spiritual birth. We did not choose to be physically alive, and we did not choose to be born, it is something that happened to us. This Sovereign work of God is performed by God before any person has capacities to even see, hear or understand the Gospel, being dead in sin. A person’s ability to receive Christ as Savior and believe the Gospel are granted by the Sovereign choice and resurrecting ability of God.

John 1:12-13 – 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. NASB

John 6:44 – 44 “No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. NASB

Romans 9:16 – 16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. NASB

Matthew 11:27 – 27 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son, except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

Lazarus had no capacities to raise himself from the dead, nor did he possess the ability to resist the powerful Word of God to be resurrected (John 11:43). This is clearly portrayed in the prophecy of Ezekiel where the nation of Israel will corporately be raised from their spiritual death and brought into the glorious Kingdom of God in the Day of their restoration.

Ezekiel 37:11-14 – 11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.’ 12 “Therefore prophesy, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,” Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 “Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. 14 “And I will put My Spirit within you, and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it,” declares the LORD.’ NASB

Do babies resist being born? Do people being raised from the dead resist the free gift of life? Have they even the ability to do so? The answers is of course, no! People do not resist this regenerating work of God because it is this work whereby God overcomes the resistance of the fallen human nature by giving them the capacities to understand their dreadful state of death and their great need to be saved by God’s power and free grace.

Acts 10:44-45 – 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. NASB

Acts 13:48 – 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. NASB

 

Regeneration is an invisible work of which we only see the results over time

When someone is born again, we are not always immediately aware of it because we only see what happens after someone gets saved. There is an obvious change that happens in the life as we see God’s power changing us(sanctification). But we were not aware when the secret power of God actually resurrects someone from spiritual death and grants them new life.

John 3:8 – 8 “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” NASB

Wayne Grudem explains this very clearly in chapter 34 of his Systematic Theology….

     “Exactly what happens in regeneration is mysterious to us. We know that somehow we who were spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1) have been made alive to God and in a very real sense we have been “born again” (John 3:3, 7; Eph. 2:5; Col. 2:13). But we don’t understand how this happens or what exactly God does to us to give us this new spiritual life……

Because regeneration is a work of God within us in which he gives us new life it is right to conclude that it is an instantaneous event. It happens only once. At one moment we are spiritually dead, and then at the next moment we have new spiritual life from God. Nevertheless, we do not always know exactly when this instantaneous change occurs. Especially for children growing up in a Christian home, or for people who attend an evangelical church or Bible study over a period of time and grow gradually in their understanding of the gospel, there may not be a dramatic crisis with a radical change of behavior from “hardened sinner” to “holy saint,” but there will be an instantaneous change nonetheless, when God through the Holy Spirit, in an unseen, invisible way, awakens spiritual life within. The change will become evident over time in patterns of behavior and desires that are pleasing to God.

In other cases (in fact, probably most cases when adults become Christians) regeneration takes place at a clearly recognizable time at which the person realizes that previously he or she was separated from God and spiritually dead, but immediately afterward there was clearly new spiritual life within. The results can usually be seen at once—a heartfelt trusting in Christ for salvation, an assurance of sins forgiven, a desire to read the Bible and pray (and a sense that these are meaningful spiritual activities), a delight in worship, a desire for Christian fellowship, a sincere desire to be obedient to God’s Word in Scripture, and a desire to tell others about Christ. People may say something like this: “I don’t know exactly what happened, but before that moment I did not trust in Christ for salvation. I was still wondering and questioning in my mind. But after that moment I realized that I did trust in Christ and he was my Savior. Something happened in my heart.” Yet even in these cases we are not quite sure exactly what has happened in our hearts. It is just as Jesus said with respect to the wind—we hear its sound and we see the result, but we cannot actually see the wind itself. So it is with the working of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.”

 

Regeneration precedes faith

Many times we fail to understand the Bible about this because of how the experience happened to us. Again Grudem explains…

“The idea that regeneration comes before saving faith is not always understood by evangelicals today. Sometimes people will even say something like, “If you believe in Christ as your Savior, then (after you believe) you will be born again.” But Scripture itself never says anything like that. This new birth is viewed by Scripture as something that God does within us in order to enable us to believe.

The reason that evangelicals often think that regeneration comes after saving faith is that they see the results (love for God and his Word, and turning from sin) after people come to faith, and they think that regeneration must therefore have come after saving faith. Yet here we must decide on the basis of what Scripture tells us, because regeneration itself is not something we see or know about directly:”

We heard the Gospel and then we believed, at least it seemed like that is what happened. But we were not aware that our belief was the granting of faith to us by God’s Sovereign choice and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in the new birth. But that is in fact what happened. We only learn of this great truth after we examine Holy Scripture and understand the process of salvation. Jesus made this very clear…..

John 6:63-65 – 63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father.” 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore. NASB

Here Jesus explains that the reason many people do not believe. This is why he says in verse 65 “for this reason I have said to you”, referring to verse 64 where he says “some of you do not believe.” The Bible plainly declares that the reason people do not believe is because saving faith has not been granted to them by God.

Matthew 13:11 – 11 And He answered and said to them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. NASB

And to those who believe the Bible plainly declares it is because it has been granted to them by God.

Philippians 1:29 – 29 For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, NASB

This is also clearly seen in the salvation of the Apostle Paul(Acts 9:18) or of Lydia in Acts chapter 16.

Acts 16:14 – 14 And a certain woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.  NASB

 
 
 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425
 
Or read more about the Christian Gospel here:  http://www.ligonier.org/welcome_whatisthegospel.php
 
 
If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org
 
If you would like to be added or add someone to this email list, just reply with “sign me up” and the address you want it sent to. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
 
 
Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-3485092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life

 
 
 
 

Heavens Light 7-7-10 Regeneration Part 1

 

You MUST BE Born Again

 Regeneration – Part 1

 

John 3:3-7 – 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ NASB

 

Born Again – Born of God – New Birth – Rebirth

 

Regeneration – a sovereign act of God by his Spirit in which the sinner is given the capacities needed to understand, believe, and lay hold of the kingdom of God by faith and granted eternal life. His/her mind, will and emotions are divinely enabled to comprehend sin and righteousness and judgment. His/her spirit is resurrected from its natural dead state, restoring communion with God who is Spirit. It is a fundamental change in the nature of mankind having the very nature and eternal life of God infused into the human soul. At this time the Holy Spirit enters into the being of mankind performing this transformation eternally.

 

Regeneration – What does the Bible say?

When we think about the biblical word “regeneration”, we must consider first its nature. Regeneration is a word derived from its root, “genesis” or “generate” meaning beginning or create. It is “re” or “again generation.” Plainly said by the apostle Paul…..

2 Corinthians 5:17 – 17 Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. NASB

When anyone is born again by the Holy Spirit, he/she becomes a “new creation” of God. They are recreated by the supernatural creative power of God. This is why Paul says in Galatians 6:15 that the true substance of saving faith is not a human work, but the work of the creative power of God.

Galatians 6:15 – 15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. NASB

Salvation, then and therefore is supernatural. It is a work performed by God, transcending the earthly abilities of any man. So we see then that salvation is first the work of God, and it then results in many diverse blessings and benefits of which mankind is a partaker. Let us then consider the following definition of Regeneration……

“A sovereign act of God, performed by the Holy Spirit, in which the sinner is given the capacities needed to understand, believe, and enter the Kingdom of God by God given faith and granted eternal life. His/her mind and will are divinely enabled to comprehend sin and righteousness and judgment. His/her spirit is resurrected from its natural dead state, restoring communion with God who is Spirit. It is a fundamental change in the nature of mankind having the very nature and eternal life of God implanted into the human soul. At this time the Holy Spirit enters into the being of mankind performing this transformation eternally.”

Let us consider the nature of regeneration from biblical texts. As we survey these Bible texts, consider how they are all pointing to the supernatural and Sovereign work of God in salvation.

Regeneration is the act of God, not of human doing

1 Peter 1:3 – 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Peter 1:23 – 23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God. NASB

James 1:18 – 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures. NASB

Ezekiel 11:19-21 – 19 “And I shall give them one heart, and shall put a new spirit within them. And I shall take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances, and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.

Regeneration changes the mind and will

Ezekiel 36:26-27 – 26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 “And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

1 John 3:9 – 9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. NASB

1 John 5:18-21 – 18 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. NASB

1 John 5:4 – 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world —  our faith. NASB

1 Corinthians 2:12-16 – 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. NASB

Regeneration raises mankind’s dead spirit to eternal life and implants God’s nature into him/her

Colossians 2:13 – 13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, NASB

Ephesians 2:5-9 – 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast. NASB

Ephesians 4:24 – 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. NASB

John 5:24 – 24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. NASB

John 6:39-40 – 39 “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” NASB

Regeneration then, is the very nature of salvation itself. It is the saving act of salvation, performed by God, whereby salvation is applied to the elect in time and space. It is the point in time when the called of God are supernaturally transformed by God. This is why the Bible says we were saved “by the washing of regeneration.”

Titus 3:5 – 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, NAS

Furthermore, this is the very reason why Jesus emphatically stressed, “You must be born again” to “enter the Kingdom of God.” The Bible plainly declares that no can see or enter the Kingdom of God apart from the supernatural creative power of God in Regeneration.

John 3:3-7 – 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ NASB

A. Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  – Here we may see , God Himself, in the flesh, speaking to man about how to see His Kingdom. Here is where Christianity becomes very exclusive, “unless” Jesus declares. That is, in no other way but this way, can you “see the Kingdom of God.” The word “cannot” speaks of man’s inability, not His unwillingness. Mankind has an inability to see the Kingdom of God without the supernatural creative power of God in the new birth. People who are dead in trespasses and sins have no capacity of sight, hearing, or understanding of the Gospel. (1 Cor 2:10-14, 2 Cor 4:3-4, John 8:43, Matt 13:10-13, Romans 3:9-12, 18, 6:16, 7:14)

B. he cannot enter the Kingdom of God – The kingdom of God is here rightly understood as God’s salvation wherein one enters into a justified state of being having one’s sins forgiven and satisfied upon the merits of Christ alone. One “cannot enter” or possess this saving work of Christ apart from the divine grace of Regeneration.

C. You must be born again – Consider, God has come in the flesh and given us understanding. Here he says to us, “You must be born again if you want to see or enter the Kingdom of God.” Here then the repetition by which the Savior speaks this very important word, “you MUST” says He, be “born again.”

 
 
 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425
 
Or read about the Christian Gospel here:  http://www.ligonier.org/welcome_whatisthegospel.php
 
 
If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org
 
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Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-3485092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life

 
 
 
 

For Young Moms and Older Women

For Young Moms and Older Women

A couple of articles from 9Marks’s latest e-journal:

For the Young Mother: Ministry, Guilt, and Seasons of Life
By Jani Ortlund
Young mothers face enormous demands that consume all the energy they have. Here’s why they shouldn’t feel guilty for focusing on the home rather than outside ministry.

Wanted: More Older Women Discipling Younger Women
By Susan Hunt
Titus 2 commands it. Younger women are hungry for it. The church as a whole will benefit from it. So where are the older women who will disciple younger women?

 

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