Rebirth

[netchaplain]

Thankfully, misunderstanding being reborn cannot detract anything salvific from the believer in Christ, but it will most definitely delay spiritual growth in learning to “walk in the Spirit” and in being “conformed to the image of Christ.” I say “delay” and not hinder because everyone reborn is undergoing the same “work” of God within that instills the saint with the “desire” and “ability” for His “good pleasure” (Phil 2:13).

In this passage, there are no given restrictions to those reborn (i.e. includes all reborn) concerning God’s “work in you.” This means there will always be within the believer the desire and ability for His pleasure! Hence, if one professing faith manifests the opposite lifestyle of this “work,” there can only be one explanation—God was not within, because He works this in all who are reborn. To refute this conclusion would be to admit that one could overcome God in His work to impart these elements.

By the believer God can be “quenched” (1 Thes 5:19) and “grieved” (Eph 4:30), but never “resisted” (Act 7:51), otherwise this “work” of God would never be received by any man, due to the sinful nature, which has to be offset by the new nature, via the Spirit (Gal 5:17; Eph 3:16).

This answers to the reason why there cannot be found any teachings among Bible commentators that support opposition to the permanency of faith and salvation!
NC

 

[Edward]

That is thought provoking and spirit stirring. Perhaps much of the misunderstanding of rebirth is predicated on ignorance? When we were born in the flesh we had a blank tablet for a mind. No one earthly has been taught correctly in spiritual matters. So we can say that when we get born again by the grace of God, again, we have a blank tablet for a spiritual mind and heart. We must see the perspective of we're infants again. Then Children. The Lord will see us through the infantile stage...ultimately and especially if we read His Word.

This is a big Carnival, this earth. If the toddler doesn't cling tight to the Daddy's hand, it's sure easy to get lost here.

 

[netchaplain]

That is thought provoking and spirit stirring. Perhaps much of the misunderstanding of rebirth is predicated on ignorance? When we were born in the flesh we had a blank tablet for a mind. No one earthly has been taught correctly in spiritual matters. So we can say that when we get born again by the grace of God, again, we have a blank tablet for a spiritual mind and heart. We must see the perspective of we're infants again. Then Children. The Lord will see us through the infantile stage...ultimately and especially if we read His Word.

This is a big Carnival, this earth. If the toddler doesn't cling tight to the Daddy's hand, it's sure easy to get lost here.

Hi Brother! Thanks for your reply and I like the analogy.

Blessings!

 

[for_his_glory]

From the time of our natural birth we had teachers within our parents who gave good instruction on what was right for us or wrong for us to do. In spite of being taught to not touch the hot stove, we touched it anyway and learnt not to do that again.

As being Spiritually reborn in the Lord God as our heavenly Father He teaches us right from wrong. Being yet at first infantile to what He is trying to teach us we will want to touch that hot stove (sin), but the more we mature in His instruction for us we will want to no longer touch the hot stove and adhere to His instructions as He guides our path on that narrow road.

 

[netchaplain]

From the time of our natural birth we had teachers within our parents who gave good instruction on what was right for us or wrong for us to do. In spite of being taught to not touch the hot stove, we touched it anyway and learnt not to do that again.

As being Spiritually reborn in the Lord God as our heavenly Father He teaches us right from wrong. Being yet at first infantile to what He is trying to teach us we will want to touch that hot stove (sin), but the more we mature in His instruction for us we will want to no longer touch the hot stove and adhere to His instructions as He guides our path on that narrow road.

Yes, I see that in the fact that He gives us the desire to never willfully sin!

 

[for_his_glory]

Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Jesus is our sacrifice who already paid the price for sin. If we are wilfully sinning even though we know it's wrong the sacrifice has already been made for us and it is we who will suffer the consequences for wilfully sinning. Grace has never given anyone a license to sin.

 

[Senior]

He gives us the desire to never willfully sin!

The travelling evangelists who come back from visiting
American churches ... continue to claim they are FAST ASLEEP
with 90% of the members sinning habitually (i.e. w/o repentance)!
You must believe these have never been born-again?

 

[netchaplain]

Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Jesus is our sacrifice who already paid the price for sin. If we are wilfully sinning even though we know it's wrong the sacrifice has already been made for us and it is we who will suffer the consequences for wilfully sinning. Grace has never given anyone a license to sin.

Good point, and notice it doesn't write "if we sin" but "sin willfully," because it is known that we still sin. The primary difference is that though it is the desire of our old nature that still leads us into sin, it is never our will to sin, i.e. in our new nature, and this is what counts because we are no longer considered to be in (after) the old nature (Rom 8:9). The main issue is whether one sins willingly or not, and the unbeliever has to willingly sin, but those reborn never wills to. To will or not to will, that is the answer of a new nature! No one reborn can say they never desire to sin because of the old nature. But those reborn will always say they never willfully and agreeably sin.

Also, the Heb 10:26 passage does not write that those who are born again sin willfully but that "if" they do. The entire passage is a supposition, not a confirmation. If believers willfully sin there would be "no more sacrifice for sins," but "judgment and fiery indignation." This hypothetically presents the impossibility of those reborn being able to return to a life of sin.

This is the same supposition as Hebrews 6:6, "If they shall fall away" or, if they could fall away, they could never be brought back to repentance.

Gill writes:
"These words are only hypothetical, and do not prove that true believers could, or should, or do sin in this manner: to which may be added, that true believers are manifestly distinguished from these persons, Hebrews 10:38."

 

[netchaplain]

The travelling evangelists who come back from visiting
American churches ... continue to claim they are FAST ASLEEP
with 90% of the members sinning habitually (i.e. w/o repentance)!
You must believe these have never been born-again?

I believe the majority of professing Americans are a mixture of babes-in-Christ (like 1Cor 3:1-3; Heb 5:13) and those who only are so in word only and not in heart (Mat 15:8; Mark 7:6; "A man may say" - Jam 2:18).

 

[Edward]

From the time of our natural birth we had teachers within our parents who gave good instruction on what was right for us or wrong for us to do. In spite of being taught to not touch the hot stove, we touched it anyway and learnt not to do that again.

As being Spiritually reborn in the Lord God as our heavenly Father He teaches us right from wrong. Being yet at first infantile to what He is trying to teach us we will want to touch that hot stove (sin), but the more we mature in His instruction for us we will want to no longer touch the hot stove and adhere to His instructions as He guides our path on that narrow road.

Yeah. Remember taking your little ones to a carnival? They didn't cling tight to me. Tugging trying to get away to go chasing the lights and interesting stuff (temptations)...I'm learning that becoming as a little child...takes a lot of humility! However, humility is the safest place for young Christians. I haven't conquered it yet, but am working that direction. I repent and ask forgiveness every morning as I'm asking the Lord to accompany me all day...

We will fall and stumble regularly. We are not complete, and the Lord knows this. His love covers a multitude of sins. The key is, getting back up in repentance and asking forgiveness. For a short while, I let my sins and failures inhibit my prayer life. And the Lord told me, No! that's the trap which leads us away. He does not expect perfection from us. But He does expect continued effort on our part. King David set the best example for this. He messed up pretty bad, and yet is called a man after God's own heart.

We have to keep growing in Christ. This is only possible by being in His presence. So I start each day like that.

 

[Edward]

Oh, I forgot the scripture that I was going to post. Many times Christians will get saved...and not continue to grow in Christ. Usually saying something along the lines of, I don't know what my calling is...The Lord will transform me one day in the future...I don't have a ministry...and stuff like that. (Even me in the past!). May read the word some and pray and go to church semi regularly...but not knowing exactly what to do. But do know that we are not perfect...

and one day, there it was in scripture. As big as life. 1 Peter 2. The whole chapter tells us exactly what to do. And obeying that, we will grow in Christ.