>Regeneration is part of the best promises. 2 Peter 1:4
>God has given to us the valuable and greatest promises.
>Valuable translates timia "valued, hence, (a) precious, costly, highly valued" Abbott-Smith, p. 446
>Greatest is megistos "superlative of megaß very great" F. Wilbur Gingrich Shorter Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, p. 123. Therefore, mega is "great" and megistos is "greatest".
>God made several promises for the believer.
>Jesus promised that some would become the children of God. John 1:12
>Old Testament saints who believed Jesus is God received authority to become children at a future time. That time was Pentecost when the Spirit was sent.
>We immediately become God's children when we believe the gospel. We don't receive authority to beocme children at a future time.
>God promised several new relationships to believers. 2 Corinthians 7:1 - None of these are direct quotations from the Old Testament but comparisons to what was written.
>He promised to make believers his temple. 6:16 Nowhere in the Old Testament did God promise to make believers His temple. This is a comparison of ideas.
>He promised to indwell believers. 6:16. In the Old Testament God promised to dwell in the midst of the people by placing His tabernacle in a location to which they could come. He did not promise to indwell in them.
>He promised to walk in believers. 6:16 - Walk means to organize His life, therefore, His life in them.
>He promised to be a Father to believers. 6:18
>He promised believers would be sons and daughters to Him. 6:18 . This is a New Testament idea. God did not promise in the Old Testament that anyone would be a child of God.
>No one is called a child of God in the Old Testament.
>Every occurence of "child of God" is literally "son."
>God promised the believer eternal life. 1 John 2:25
>God gave promises that make it possible for the believer to have a new experience. 2 Peter 1:3-4
>The believer can share in common [fellowship] in God's kind of nature. v. 4
>The believer has escaped the corruption in the world. That corruption is the opposite of eternal life.
>God provided the believer a new potential through His promises.
>The believer is to be an imitator of God. Ephesians 5:1
>The believer can love like Christ. v. 1
>"Imitator" is mimhtai to mimic.
>In its biblical use it does not involve watching and copying external behavior. It involves using the nature which one has in common so that both act similarly.
>Love is an attribute of God. 1 John 4:8
>Love is part of the fruit from the Spirit. Galatians 5:22
>The Spirit produces this love through the use of the new nature (God's kind of nature in the believer).
>The believer can not use this love without the Spirit.
>Love is how the believer imitates God as a loved child.
>The believer can live a life in contrast to the present generation. Philippians 2:15
>Believers are to work out their own salvation. v. 12b "work out" means to use and produce.
>God has given the believer salv ation but the bleiver is to use it.
>God is the one directly energizing in the believer. v. 13
>He energizes in him to desire. These desires come from the new nature which which each has because the Father indwells him.
>He energizes in him to put energy into doing God's good pleasure. He provides him motivation.
>Believers should do his activities without grumbling and arguing. v. 14 He has the potential to do so.
>Believers can become blameless ones of God. v. 15 - In Christ the believer is already blameless, this is about being blameless in conduct or practice.
>Believers can become harmless ones of God. v. 15 - Harmless is literally "unmixed" describing that which is simple, untainted, and therefore will not harm others.
>Believers can become children who are without fault. v. 15
>Believers can shine as lights in the present generation. v. 15
>It is a crooked, twisted generation.
>It is a generation which turns away.
>The believer can live as an obedient child. 1 Peter 1:14
>The believer is to focus on the end of his salvation. v. 13
>The end of his salvation is when his soul will be saved.
>The end of his salvation is a hope which binds up the mind like a girdle.
>The believer is not to conform himself to his old lifestyle. v. 14
>His old lifestyle is inconsistent for an obedient child.
>His old lifestyle involved lusts done in igorance.
>The believer is to become a holy one. v. 15
>The holiness is like the One who called him.
>The holiness is in all the believer's daily conduct.
>The believer is to become a holy one for his Father is a holy one and he is to be like an obedient child.
>
>
>
>Regeneration - The believer can be empowered.
>Power is represented by several words.
>W.E. Vine distinguishes three of the four terms. Vine's Expostitory Dictionary of New Testament Words. p. 335. The distinguishing emphasis of each is underlined.
>dunamis [dunamiß] - power, especially inherent power
>energeia [energeia] - power especially in exercise, operative power.
>ischus [iscuß] - strength, power as an endowment.
>kratos [kratoß] - force (p. 1104), strength, relative and manifested power krataios p. 749
>Power is the literal meaning of the word "miracle" in the gospels.
>Dunamis while translated "miracle" could more accurately be translated "a work of power."
>John is the exception, in which "miracle" is usually a translation of the word "sign".
>Christ did works of power among many cities. Matthew 11:20, 21, 23.
>God bore witness to Jesus Christ by many works of power. Acts 2:22
>Power in the letters to the Churches involve changes of life rather than a spectacular show of power.
>God's kind of power has given us all things for life and godliness. 2 Peter 1:3
>God's inherent power [dunamis] has come into the believer. Ephesians 1:19 & 3:16
>This power is expressed by all four words in this verse.
>His power is measured by operative power [energeia]. He opeartes the power. We do not use it independent of His work.
>His operation involves His manifest power [kratos]. He operates to make His might plainly visible by an activity.
>His manifest power comes from an enduement of strength [ischuos]. He endows the believers with strength.
>The combination of these words emphasize that God is totally working for the believerto provide power to him. The believer could not do this himself.
>This power was the same power which God exercised when He raised Christ from dead ones. v. 20
>This power is mentioned because it will be the topic in 3:14ff.
>1:23-3:13 between lay emphasis on positional truth to which the believer must relate if he will use this power.
>This power is experienced by the believer. 3:16
>The believer can be made manifestly mighty by God's inherent power.
>The believer is made mighty through the Spirit.
>The believer is made mighty in his inner man. The inner man is his spirit, his ratinal mental part.
>This power is related to Christ settling down at home in the believer's heart. 3:17
>This power makes it possible for the believer to be made fully mighty. 3:18 exiscuw - strengthened out.
>The believer can comprehend the full size of the temple. v. 18 These are given as dimensions of the temple of grace believers mentioned in 2:21-22.
>The believer can know the love the Christ. v. 19
>The believer can be filled full to all the fulness from God. v. 19 This fulness is part of the believer's position in the body of Christ. He can live like he is part of the body.
>The believer has God's power operating in Him. 3:20
>This power makes it possible for the believer to guard the unity from the Spirit in a bond of peace. 4:3 - This is what Paul was building to, the Ephesians' need of practicing unity.
>God's inherent power makes it possible for the believer to live worthily of God. Colossians 1:9ff
>Paul was worshipping and asking for the Colossians 1:9
>Paul desired that the Colossians walk worthily of the Lord. 1:10 To walk involves the organizing of one's lifestyle. He desired that their lifestyle be worthy of the Lord.
>They could be well pleasing in all things.
>They could bear fruit in every good work.
>They could grow in their specific experiential knowledge.
>Paul desired that they be empowered. 1:11
>The empowerment would be by God's inherent power.
>The empowerment would be measured by standard of God's manifest might.
>The empowerment would be for all patience.
>Patience indicates they were facing difficult circumstances and needed to maintain proper character under those adversities.
>The empowerment would be for all longsuffering.
>Lonsuffering indicates that other people were causing problems and the Colossians were to have a long fuse and not a short temper.
>Lonsuffering is part of the fruit from the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). This passage indicates that it is connected with God's power.
>Power is related to most of the parts of the Fruit from the Spirit.
>Love agaph - Ephesians 3:16-18
>Joy cara - Romans 15:13; Colossians 1:11
>Peace eirhnh - Romans 15;13
>Longsuffering makroqumia - Colossians 1:11
>Goodness agaqoß - 2 Thessalonians 1:11; Romans 15:13-14
>Faith pistiß - 2 Thessalonians 1:11; Ephesians 3:16-17
>Therefore, whenever one uses the Fruit from the Spirit, he is relying upon God's power.
>
>Regeneration puts the believer in the kingdom of God
>The Kingdom of God is defined in Scripture.
>It is not the kingdom from the heavens.
>These are two distinct kingdoms with some parallels.
>The kingdom from the heavens is over the whole of humanity. Daniel 4:17
>God gives the kingdom to whom He chooses.
>God places over the kingdom whom he chooses.
>The kingdom from the heavens involves the rule of the heavens over humanity. Daniel 4:25-26
>God rules through the intermediaries of the heavens, that is, through angels.
>It is a kingdom over willing subjects. Psalm 103:17-22 (This is an Old Testament picture of the kingdom).
>God's lovingkindness is continuous over those fearing Him. v. 17
>God's righteousness is to the generations. vv. 17-18
>These guard His covenant. v. 18
>These remember to do His commandments. v. 18
>Jehovah established His throne in the heavens. v. 19
>Jehovah's kingdom governs over all. v. 19
>All is defined in the context of humans and spirit beings who are obedient to God.
>His angels are to speak well of Him. v. 20
>His angels do His word.
>His angels listen to the voice of His word.
>His hosts (larger than angels, including cherubs and seraphs) do His pleasure. v. 21
>It is a kingdom involving salvation as it relates to mankind.
>Jesus explained that one must be born from above (where God is) in order to see it or enter it. John 3:3, 5
>Jesus' disciples knew that entering the kingdom of God was synonymous with salvation. Matthew 19:24-26
>A rich man couldn't enter the kingdom of God. v. 24
>Who can be saved? v. 25
>God can make it possible for anyone. v. 26
>The Kingdom of God can be enjoyed by the believer now.
>The Kingdom of God is expressed by how one lives with other believers. Romans 14:17
>It isn't a kingdom about eating and drinking. Some had been contending over legal matters of food and drink.
>It is a kingdom which reflects the nature of God.
>Righteousness - the believer can live out the kind of righteousness which is His God's (cp 1:17)
>Peace - the believer can have and promote peace for His God is the God of peace. God is the God of all peace. 15:33, 16:20
>Joy - the believer can have joy and encourage other's joy. God fills you with joy. 15:13
>The Kingdom of God involves power. 1 Corinthians 4:20
>It isn't a kingdom in words.
>Some had engaged into philosophy, scholarship and debate, using words to prove their superiority.
>They were puffed up by the advances in these areas.
>Paul would know their power not their words. It isn't one's talk but life which is the measure of growth.
>It is a kingdom of power.
>The kingdom expresses the kind of power which God has. (see last outline).
>The Kingdom of God involves a worthy life.
>The believer is to live worthy of God. 1 Thessalonians 2:12
>God called him into His own kingdom.
>The believer is not trying to enter the kingdom.
>The believer is to live worthy of a God who has given him this great call.
>Worthy means to be balanced in weight.
>God called him into His own glory.
>The believer is counted worthy of the kingdom of God. 2 Thessalonians 1:5
>The Thessalonians lived worthy under adversity. v. 4
>They had patience. v. 4
>They had faith. v. 4
>They put up with pressures. v. 4
>The Thessalonians were a display of God's righteous judgment. v. 5
>God had counted them worthy of the kingdom of God and their experience matched those who are in that kingdom. "Counted worthy" is an Aorist Passive Infinitive, meaning God does it not man.
>The Kingdom of God will be inherited by the believer in the future.
>The kingdom of God has a future form distinct.
>The believer will have to be changed in order to inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 15:50
>Flesh and blood can not inherit it. v. 50
>All will be changed so that we can inherit it. v. 51b
>Our bodies will be transformed like to Christ's body of glory. Philippians 3:21 cp Luke 24:36-43
>Our bodies will be real but not supported by blood.
>The new form of the kingdom of God is when the believer experiences salvation not only in his spirit but also in his soul and body.
>The believer will return with Christ in that future form of the kingdom of God. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-12
>Christ will return to repay vengeance upon unbelievers. v. 8
>Christ will be truly glorified by His saints. v. 10
>
>-This is how the believer is an heir of God as a child of God.
>
>
>
>Regeneration - God the Son in Us
>God the Son is in the Believer.
>Through the work of regeneration, God the Son came to indwell the believer.
>Through His indwelling, the believer receives different benefits than he receives from the Father and Spirit.
>Christ is in the believer in this present age.
>Believers can know He is in them. John 14:20
>They knew in the day that the Holy Spirit was sent, Pentecost.
>They knew experientially that Christ is in them.
>Christ would make Himself plainly visible to them. v. 21
>Christ and the Father would make their abiding place with the disciples when the disciples would love like Christ loved them. That is, using Christ's kind of love to obey His commandment is how He would be plainly visible.
>Believers can be at ease [abide] in Him so He can be at ease in them. John 15:4, 7 -
>The word "abide" [menw] means to remain in a location.
>Christ emphasized the idea of being comfortable or at ease while remaining in a location.
>Christ could be at ease in them because He indwelt them.
>Believers have both the Son and Father in them. John 17:23 "I in them."
>This makes it possible for the believers to live as one.
>The believers have the Father's kind of nature.
>The believers have the Son's kind of life.
>The believers can use these to live as one thing - the body.
>The believers are positionally one in the Father and Son.
>Believers are united in spirit to the Lord. 1 Corinthians 6:17
>The believer is not to be united to a harlot. v. 16 Such a union makes them one flesh.
>The believer is united to the Lord and is one spirit. v. 17
>"In spirit" does not mean in some nebulous sense.
>"In spirit" means the believer's spirit is united to Christ's.
>Believers are indwelt by Christ. Romans 8:10
>"Since Christ is in you" is a verbless First Class Condition.
>Since Christ is in you is the basis of other benefits.
>The body is dead because of sin.
>This is true of all men.
>This is a problem for the believer in manifesting God's life.
>The Spirit is life because of righteousness.
>The Spirit can use the eternal life from the Son and make it plainly visible through these dead bodies. v. 11
>The Spirit and the Son answers the question in 7:24, "Who will deliver me from the body of this death?" - God rescues the believer by working out life through the mortal body.
>Believers have Christ living in them. Galatians 2:20
>Positionally the believer was crucified with Christ.
>The believer lives.
>Christ lives in the believer.
>When the believer lives the Christian life it is not his life which is seen.
>When the believer lives the Christian life Christ is seen.
>Believers can know Christ is in them. 2 Corinthians 13:5
>The believer can prove himself, since he is in the faith. He can put himself to a test expecting a positive result.
>The Faith is the body of doctrine which explains how one can live the Christian life.
>The believer can know specifically that Christ is in Him.
>This knowledge is specifically about Christ.
>This knowledge is experiential from the believer's activity.
>The believer can not know this specifically if he is disapproved. When he is in that condition, he does not have the ability to experientially know specifically that Christ is in him.
>Believers have the hope of glory because Christ is in them. Colossians 1:27
>The glory is that mentioned in verse 11.
>Glory which was the source of manifest might.
>Glory which was for patience and longsuffering with joy.
>The glory involves Christ's indwelling.
>Christ provides the believer with life which is power. 3:4
>Believers have the Son. 1 John 5:11-12
>"Having" describes possession because the Son indwells.
>The one having the Son has life.
>This is eternal life.
>Conclusion
>Regeneration provides a real union between the Son and the believer.
>Union between the Son and the believer provides many necessary benefits for salvation.
>
>Regeneration - God the Son in Us.
>Eternal life - New Life - An Old Testament Promise
>Old Testament Saints didn't have eternal life.
>During the life of Daniel, God promised Old Testament saints they would have eternal life in the resurrection. The following reads right to left. Daniel 12:2
>hla wuyqy rpe - tmda ynvym Mybrw
>these awake dust of earth from the sleepers and many
>Mlwe Nwardl twprxl hlaw Mlwe yyxl
>eternal- to contempt to reproach and those eternal - life
>During Christ's earthly ministry Christ proclaimed the kingdom of God to the Jews. Mark 1:14-15
>He had been proclaiming the kingdom of God before John was thrown into prison. v. 14
>The language indicates that He was proclaiming when He came into Galilee. He didn't begin proclaiming it.
>This was a future form of the kingdom of God.
>It differed from the Old Testament form of the kingdom of God described in Psalm 103.
>It is a form in which men have eternal life while living rather than after a resurrection as in Daniel 12:2
>He began proclaiming the kingdom from the heavens after he heard the John was put into prison. Matthew 4:12-17
>He equated entering into the kingdom of God with entering into life eternal. Mark 9:43-47
>It was good {fitting] to enter into life maimed than to go away into gehenna (Hell) with two hands. v. 43
>It was good to enter into life crippled than to be cast into gehenna. v. 45
>It was good to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to be cast into gehenna. v. 47
>He compared the kingdom of God to seed that is sown in different soils. Mark 4:3-11
>The parable described previously unrevealed truths [mysteries] concerning the kingdom of God. v. 11
>The parable is interpreted in verses 13-20
>The seed is the word. v. 14
>Four kinds of soils are described.
>The soils describe kinds of people and how they respond to the message of the kingdom of God during Christ's earthly ministry.
>The road are unbelievers, from whom Satan takes the word. v. 15
>The stony soil soil are believers who are overwhelmed by the pressure or persecution and are scandalized [hindered in their progress]. vv. 16-17
>The thorny soil are believers who are fruitless because of the cares of the age, the deceit of riches and other lusts. vv. 18-19
>The good soil are believers who bear fruit. v. 20
>The parable explains the young man in Mark 10.
>The man called Jesus, "Good teacher." v. 17
>The man desired to inherit eternal life. v. 17
>He responded to the message of the kingdom of God which Christ had been proclaiming.
>He wasn't presumptuous but wanted to know how he could have the life of which Christ had spoken.
>Christ pointed the man to the commandments. v. 19
>The man stated that he had guarded these commandments from his youth. v. 20 This should not be taken as an arrogant statement but like Paul, he had kept the law.
>Christ told him he needed do one thing. v. 21
>He was to sell whatever he had and give to the poor.
>He was to come follow Christ. This meant traveling with Him.
>The man went away grieved because he had much land [possessions] v. 22
>Christ explained that it was hard for those who had possessions to enter into the kingdom of God. v.23
>If the man sold his properties and followed Christ, he would no longer be rich, would no longer be trusting in riches and would have been able to enter the form of the kingdom of God which Christ proclaimed.
>He promised His disciples that they could have eternal life in the coming age. Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30
>Peter responded to Christ encounter with the man and desired to know what they would received. v. 28
>Jesus explained that they had done what the rich man didn't do, they left all. v. 29
>They would receive 100 times what they left and persecutions. v. 30
>They would receive eternal life in "the age the one coming." v. 30 - If the rich man had followed as a disciple, he could have lived into the coming age and inherited eternal life. The rich man was probably an Old Testament believer but never lived into the coming age because he didn't become a disicple cf. John 6:58, 11:26. A disciple and a believer are not always synonymous.
>In this present age, God has given believers eternal life.
>God has given us life. 1 John 5:11
>God has given eternal life as a gracious gift. Romans 6:23
>God has given eternal life to those who believe. John 3:36
>Conclusions
>Salvation has always been by grace through faith.
>The gospels should not be confused with present revelation for this age in which, especially with regard to salvation.