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Saturday, March 7, 2015

John 3 - Sunday School (doctrine of Regeneration)


Sunday school ---------
Opening quote from Martin Luther:
“So these truths are published for the sake of the Elect, that they may be humbled and bought down to nothing and so saved.  The rest of men resist this humiliation; indeed, they condemn the teaching of self-despair; they want a little something left that they can do for themselves…and therefore are enemies of the Grace of God.”
Someone prays
Read John 3: 1-15
2 points on the language to clarify our passage:
#1 Do you guys know why Jesus compares the wind & Spirit in our passage?  He’s actually making a pun (a play on words) because the Greek is Pneuma (think pneumatic power tools – like framing nailers or tire inflators) Pneuma means both wind & Spirit.  Jesus the punster.
#2 You may not be aware of this but there is a theological debate if it is better translated in our passage that you must be “born again” which is common Christian lingo, which describes timing after your physical birth, or if it should be translated “born from above” stressing that its God’s work in Salvation & not yours.  Both are valid translations of the Greek Gennethe Anothen. 
But what do you guys think?  Having either just recently heard or read the passage is Jesus saying “born again” as in a 2nd time or “from above” describing it as God the Holy Spirit’s work?
I prefer using a both/and method of “born again, from above” as I think both are a piece of what Jesus’ saying…. FYI its most often translated as “from above” in Matthew, Mark, John & James**.
Are there any questions you have of the passage before we move on?
Now we’ll probably spend the rest of our time reading biblical passages on Who is the 1 at work in Salvation…but first let’s think of some popular ideas of conversion
-        Ask Jesus into your heart – Jesus never told anyone to ask him into their hearts
-        Raise your hand during a head’s down invitation time - I see that hand, I see that hand
-        Repeating the sinners prayer – the lack of this passage in the bible nearly lead me to                    atheism
-        Walking an aisle – never existed before the modern age, most early churches didn’t    even have aisles
-        Signing a decision card – never existed
-        Making a free-will decision to become a Christ follower – I won’t say this is completely wrong but its nowhere described in Scripture
What do you guys think of these?  How many of these are valid descriptions of how Jesus, the Apostles or the Early Church exemplified conversion? None


If these are not described Biblically then let’s take a look at a few of them that are….
Ezekiel 36:25-27 – God cleanses us from unrighteousness and gives us a new Spirit and a new heart
2 Corinthians 5:17 – Being “born from above” also ties other ideas together like I’m a new creation in Christ Jesus
1st John 5:1 – Being born of God
John 6:37-40, 44, and 65 –being drawn to God – the Greek here Helkuo actually is more graphic it means God drags you to Himself
Acts 16:14 God opens one’s heart or mind for the Gospel
Romans 8:30 (Ephesians 1:5-6) God predestines
**Colossians 2:12-13 God at work in your baptism
**Ephesians 2:4-9 – God grants faith
**2 Timothy 2:24-25 – God gifts repentance
Even the fruit of the Sprit (Gal 5:22) if these are the fruits of having the Spirit than even God gets the credit for our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness & faithfulness.   

Ultimately all of this comprises the idea known as Monergism that there is 1 mover in Salvation vs. Synergy meaning you and God work together in order to get you saved, God is the 1 that gets full, total and whole praise from Salvation because he is the only party at work in Salvation.

Quote: Me & Spurgeon on Conversion – often from our limited POV we think we became a Christian when we came to God.  However when this issue is viewed in light of Scripture: any True Christian will see what the Scriptures say: ‘The Election is from the Lord (Ephesians 1); the Call is from the Lord (Romans 8); the Coming to Christ is from the Lord (John 6); the Conversion is from the Lord (John 3); & the Faith & Repentance are from the Lord (Ephesians 3 & 2 Timothy 2).  And we finally learn the extent of His Grace & Mercy & Worth of Worship lies in the fact that the whole of Salvation is of the Lord (Jonah 2:9, Psalms 37:39, Revelation 7:10)’.
From Charles Spurgeon:
“One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher’s sermon, for I did not believe it.  The thought struck me, how did you come to be a Christian?  I sought the Lord.  But how did you come to seek the Lord?  The truth flashed across my mind in a moment – I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous Influence in my mind to make me see my need of Him.  I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, how did I come to pray?  I was Induced to pray by reading the Scriptures.  How did I come to read the Scriptures?  I did read them, but what led me to do so?  Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the Doctrines of Grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, ‘I ascribe my change wholly to God.’”

So what is the Application?
3 points: Prayer - because God can & will provide for his people,
Praise – we need to know what God has done in order to appropriately worship him for it.
And finally why are we born again from above?  A baby grows up to look like its parents, a puppy grows up to look like a dog, a calf grows up to look like a cow…likewise we have been chosen to be born of God that we may grow up to look more and more like God, that’s it. 

 **Anothen has to do with position (not time)**
John 3:31 – the one who comes from above is above all…
John 19:11 – you would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above
James 1:17 – ever good and perfect gift is from above
James 3:15 – such wisdom does not come down from heaven
James 3:17 – but the wisdom that comes from heaven
Matthew 27:51 & Mark 15:38 – the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom
John 19:23 – this garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom

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