Feb 20
2
Regeneration-
Faith in Christ is the gift and operation of God in us, created in and bestowed upon chosen, redeemed sinners in regeneration by the irresistible power and grace of His Spirit (Eph. 2:8; Phil. 1:29; Col. 2:12). This gift of faith is communicated to and wrought in God’s elect through the instrumentality of gospel preaching (1 Cor. 1:18- 24). With this gift of faith, every believer is given the abiding unction of the Spirit by which we are given grace through the Word of God to know all things spiritual (1 Cor. 2:12-16; 1 John 2:20-27).
Christ saves his people from the power of their sins by the power of his Spirit in sovereign, effectual regeneration (John 5;25; Eph. 2:1-4 Psa. 65:4). As he raised Lazarus from the dead, so he raises his people from spiritual death to spiritual life by the omnipotence of his saving grace (John 5:25). The Lord Jesus saves his people from their sins by making his people righteous before God. In justification the righteous obedience of Christ is imputed to us, just as our sins were imputed to him (2 Cor. 5:21). In sanctification his righteous nature is imparted to us (Gal 5:22-23; 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 John 3:5-10)
Regeneration, the new birth, is his work (John 3:3-8). It is the Spirit of life who gives life to dead sinners. The revelation of Christ is the Spirit’s work (John 16:13-14; 2 Cor. 4:6). We know Christ only as God the Holy Spirit makes him known to us and in us. We know the things of God only as he makes them known (1 Cor. 2:10-14). Chosen, redeemed sinners are convinced of their sin, of righteousness established by Christ, and judgment finished by his blood atonement, only by the almighty, efficacious grace of the Spirit of God. (John 16:8-11). Effectual calling is the work of his omnipotent, irresistible grace (1 Thess. 1:4-5). As David sent Ziba to “fetch” Miphibosheth, so the Lord Jesus Christ, our King, sends his Spirit, at the appointed time of love, to “fetch” the objects of his covenant love to himself. The fact that they are all by nature unwilling to be fetched is no difficulty with him. He is just an influencer. He is God the Holy Spirit. He makes the chosen willing in the day of his power and causes them to come home to Christ (Ps. 65:4; 110:3). He converts those whom he calls and effectually gives them faith in Christ by the operations of his omnipotent grace (Eph. 2:8-9; Col. 2:12). It is by the work of God the Holy Spirit that the believer’s life is ordered and protected, and preserved in this world unto eternal glory
Believers are people who have been born again and live in the realm of the Spirit, the realm of faith (Rom. 8:5-9). God lives in us and we live in God. God the Holy Spirit takes up residence in every believer permanently from the moment of regeneration. He dwells in every believer forever. He works in every believer continually. He is the sanctifying influence of every believer’s life. He is the earnest of our inheritance and gives us the assurance of salvation (Rom. 8:16; 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:14). The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, the Teacher, the Illuminator, the Unction of God’s saints in this world (John 14:16-18; 1 Cor. 2:9-12; Eph. 1:17; 1 John 2:20, 27). He leads the believer in obedience and service to Christ (Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:16; Acts 8:27, 29; Heb. 8:10). The Holy Spirit calls, qualifies, and equips men for special service in the kingdom of God (Acts 13:2-4). He distributes spiritual gifts in the body of Christ as he will (1 Cor. 12:4-11). He gives us the power and grace to do what we are called of God to do (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 2:4; 1 Thess. 1:5). The Spirit of grace produces in every believer the fruit of grace (Gal. 5:22-25). They are the produce of his grace, not of our works. It is the Spirit who teaches us to pray according to the will of God (2 Sam. 7:27; Rom. 8:26-27; Gal. 4:6). The Holy Spirit directs the believer’s heart in worship (John 4:23-24; Phil. 3:3). Extracts from Basic Bible Doctrine – Don Fortner