Doulos Iesou
Member
Introduction
One of the primary discussions in the last 500 years of Christian history is the question of when regeneration takes place. Does it precede the person coming to faith and thus naturally cause that affirmative reaction to the proclamation of the gospel? Or does it come after faith?
I believe the nature of these discussions to be in error on account that they ask the wrong question. The question I will be asking is, what is the cause of regeneration and why is the person regenerate?
Through the Resurrection
In Peter's first epistle, he writes the following:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead"[1]
Notice the highlighted portion of, "through the resurrection of Jesus Christ," this is just one example of the great cause for regeneration, union with Christ. It is the very same power that rose Jesus Christ from the dead, the Holy Spirit, that brings the believer to spiritual life. Here is another text that even further illustrates my point:
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."[2]
This is a rather interesting statement from the Apostle Paul, he uses the word "συνεσταύρωμαι" this is the Perfect tense of the verb that is translated, "I have been crucified with." This denotes a completed action that has continual results. The past action, his crucifixion with Christ. The continual results, the life he now lives he lives by faith in the Son of God. How was Paul crucified with Christ? According to the gospels, only two criminals were crucified with Christ and tradition informs us that Paul was martyred in Rome well after Jesus' crucifixion. His answer is found in Romans:
"Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."[3]
In other words, those who are IN Christ Jesus have been united with Christ in his death on the cross, which for the believer is the picture of being dead to sin, in order that they may be united with Jesus in his resurrection by that same Spirit. This "in" or "into" language is covenantal in nature and dates back to concepts in the Old Testament. Throughout history God has made Covenants with groups of people, but he has always done this through certain individual representatives. For example, in Romans, Paul talks about those being "of the faith of Abraham" being the true children of Abraham. Or in other words, those who have that similar faith that he has, are made participants of Abraham's blessings, so that what is true of Abraham's standing before God, is now true of them "declared righteous." This Covenant blessing we know comes most intimately though through our union with Christ.
What is now true of our great Messiah Jesus is now true of us, we have been united with him on the basis of this Covenant, entered into upon faith in him, in his death, burial and resurrection as is represented by our water baptism.
This therefore is the source of our life, our union with Jesus, in which we are made alive together with Christ.[4] To discuss the issue of regeneration apart from union with Christ is to miss the point of one of the Apostles' foundational doctrines. This doctrine is quite simple, "he who has the Son has life, he who does not have the Son does not have life."[5]
Conclusion
As has been demonstrated above (and can be further demonstrated in this topic). Regeneration is the result of our union with Christ by faith by the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit. It is the fruit of being joined with Christ to walk in newness of life, where the issue is not whether or not you have been born, but if you are growing up and learning to walk and develop into maturity.. to become more like him, who you have been joined to.. Christ.
It therefore can be stated that the teaching of regeneration preceding faith, teaches a doctrine of new life apart from Christ, wholly to solve a latter doctrinal issue of how one comes to be a believer and therefore unbiblical and false. This should not be a divisive point however, and the battle of going about looking for the precise time and date of our birth certificate isn't primary, but rather that maturing process which will be the key fruit and goal of that birth.
Blessings in Christ,
DI
[1] 1 Peter 1:3 (ESV)
[2] Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
[3] Romans 6:3-4 (ESV)
[4] Ephesians 2:5 (ESV)
[5] 1 John 5:12 (ESV)
One of the primary discussions in the last 500 years of Christian history is the question of when regeneration takes place. Does it precede the person coming to faith and thus naturally cause that affirmative reaction to the proclamation of the gospel? Or does it come after faith?
I believe the nature of these discussions to be in error on account that they ask the wrong question. The question I will be asking is, what is the cause of regeneration and why is the person regenerate?
Through the Resurrection
In Peter's first epistle, he writes the following:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead"[1]
Notice the highlighted portion of, "through the resurrection of Jesus Christ," this is just one example of the great cause for regeneration, union with Christ. It is the very same power that rose Jesus Christ from the dead, the Holy Spirit, that brings the believer to spiritual life. Here is another text that even further illustrates my point:
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."[2]
This is a rather interesting statement from the Apostle Paul, he uses the word "συνεσταύρωμαι" this is the Perfect tense of the verb that is translated, "I have been crucified with." This denotes a completed action that has continual results. The past action, his crucifixion with Christ. The continual results, the life he now lives he lives by faith in the Son of God. How was Paul crucified with Christ? According to the gospels, only two criminals were crucified with Christ and tradition informs us that Paul was martyred in Rome well after Jesus' crucifixion. His answer is found in Romans:
"Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."[3]
In other words, those who are IN Christ Jesus have been united with Christ in his death on the cross, which for the believer is the picture of being dead to sin, in order that they may be united with Jesus in his resurrection by that same Spirit. This "in" or "into" language is covenantal in nature and dates back to concepts in the Old Testament. Throughout history God has made Covenants with groups of people, but he has always done this through certain individual representatives. For example, in Romans, Paul talks about those being "of the faith of Abraham" being the true children of Abraham. Or in other words, those who have that similar faith that he has, are made participants of Abraham's blessings, so that what is true of Abraham's standing before God, is now true of them "declared righteous." This Covenant blessing we know comes most intimately though through our union with Christ.
What is now true of our great Messiah Jesus is now true of us, we have been united with him on the basis of this Covenant, entered into upon faith in him, in his death, burial and resurrection as is represented by our water baptism.
This therefore is the source of our life, our union with Jesus, in which we are made alive together with Christ.[4] To discuss the issue of regeneration apart from union with Christ is to miss the point of one of the Apostles' foundational doctrines. This doctrine is quite simple, "he who has the Son has life, he who does not have the Son does not have life."[5]
Conclusion
As has been demonstrated above (and can be further demonstrated in this topic). Regeneration is the result of our union with Christ by faith by the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit. It is the fruit of being joined with Christ to walk in newness of life, where the issue is not whether or not you have been born, but if you are growing up and learning to walk and develop into maturity.. to become more like him, who you have been joined to.. Christ.
It therefore can be stated that the teaching of regeneration preceding faith, teaches a doctrine of new life apart from Christ, wholly to solve a latter doctrinal issue of how one comes to be a believer and therefore unbiblical and false. This should not be a divisive point however, and the battle of going about looking for the precise time and date of our birth certificate isn't primary, but rather that maturing process which will be the key fruit and goal of that birth.
Blessings in Christ,
DI
[1] 1 Peter 1:3 (ESV)
[2] Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
[3] Romans 6:3-4 (ESV)
[4] Ephesians 2:5 (ESV)
[5] 1 John 5:12 (ESV)
