Regeneration

"The temptation to make our relation to God judicial instead of personal is very strong. Believing for salvation has been reduced to a once-done act that requires no further attention." A. W. Tozer (1897–1963)

In our happy days of modern theology with all its love and peace, all the believe and receive, all the name it claim it, all the health and wealth... What happened to the doctrine of regeneration? What happened to the idea that if you are a Christian you will live like a Christian? How did it come to all this? We have this idea now that you just pray some little prayer on a card and say you're sorry and whoosh! Off to Heaven you go! That's not the way the early church taught it. That's not the way Christ taught it. When did being a Christian become an optional accessory to salvation? Why do we teach people that you say this little prayer and you are saved and then if you feel like it you can actually live for Christ? You don't have to pray so much. You don't have to read your Bible daily. You don't need to go to church more than once a week. You don't need to go to church at all for that matter. That stuff is for radicals! That's Zealot stuff! Those people take religion too far! No! Those people have been born again! Those people met the only begotten Son of the true and living God. Now they spend every waking minute wanting to know Him more. They discovered they were alone in life and now they have a chance to walk with God and that is exactly what He has put on their hearts to do! James said, "Don't fool yourself. Don't just hear it and walk away. Live it!" No that's not King James. That's my paraphrase of James 1:22. You think I'm being too "religious"? Read Hebrews 10:38&39. Read Hebrews 9:14. Read 1 Peter 1:22&23. Read 1 John 3:10. These guys all knew better than to say if you believe in some concept of a god and try to be kind of a nice person most of the time, that you could look forward to a place like Heaven when you die. That's not how it works at all. No you cannot save yourself by works. The Bible makes it clear that this is impossible. (Ephesians 2:8&9) But if you refuse to be recreated you are refusing salvation. Oh no don't give me that "Lordship" stuff! Well do you really think you can look God in the face and say, "Forgive me for my sins but stay out of my business."? Isn't that what we are telling people with our modern day seeker friendly evangelism?

What about Ephesians 4:21-30? "If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

I know this kind of thinking doesn't make me very popular. But I have to be honest. I'm actually trying to help. I know that none of us are perfect and we won't be as long as we live in this vile flesh. But James explained it quite well when he said that your works perfect your faith. (James 2:22) As I said before, you cannot save yourself by your works. It's not about keeping the Law. The only thing that saves anyone is faith. But if you have faith you will seek to please God. And this will help your faith to grow and to be perfected. And in the process you become a better person for it. And in the end you can hear the King of kings and the Lord of lords say "Well done good and faithful servant. Enter in." (Matthew 25:21&23)

Peace and God bless.
Shannon