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By God's grace, still presenting the same old message from the same old Book...

The matter of regeneration and effectual calling is shown to be difficult by seeing the varied understandings different ones have. Various persons have made known to me concerns about these things, and so this message is hoped to address some of the concerns based on my understanding. I hope this is found helpful.

The terms regenerate, new birth, quickened, and born again mean the same; and conversion is separate and distinct. The term “effectual call” I understand as being accomplished by regeneration, and one recognizes their being a partaker of the effectual call by conversion. Regeneration is accomplished instant, and conversion is ongoing, taking place over time, either directly a result of regeneration, or a result of hearing the word preached. 

Regeneration does not rely on a man dead in trespasses and sins being stirred up, or made sorrowful regarding sin. Regeneration is never accomplished a result of the preached word being stirred up, the preached word is never made more powerful that it would accomplish regeneration for the preached word does not accomplish regeneration. The preached word is ever powerful, but man being dead in trespasses and sins and man being carnal does not comprehend the word of God. Man being dead in trespasses and sins is the reason man must be born again. 

The preached word is never weak and powerless, and does not need empowered. The word accomplishes whatsoever it is sent forth to accomplish (Isa 55:11). It is man that is dead and powerless, insensible of the things of the Spirit of God. Man must be born again, becoming partaker of the nature of God. The Holy Spirit will immediately quicken our mortal body (Rom 8:2), the same as we are regenerated (Tit 3:5; John 1:13). The preached word is instrumentally used for conversion but not for regeneration.

In regeneration, it is not correct to say the Spirit changes the preached word plus changes man, and it is not correct to say the Spirit changes the preached word, and then the preached word accomplishes regeneration of the elect. The Spirit only changes the man, making the dead alive and partaker of the divine nature, and that is accomplished apart from the instrumentality of the preached word. 

Regeneration is accomplished “immediate by the Holy Spirit” as there is no instrument used by the Holy Spirit to make the dead alive, but on the one side there is the dead in trespasses and sins, and with nothing between, on the other side is the Holy Spirit. The New Birth is accomplished wholly by the Spirit of God acting direct on the dead in trespasses and sins. The preached word is used to show forth evidence of the new life, to get or bring forth that which has been made alive, but is not used to generate the new life (James 1:18; 1Pet 1:23-25; 2Cor 2:17).

Regeneration is not drawn out over time, it is instant; and the new creature is partaker of the divine nature (2Pet 1:4), wholly a result of regeneration. The preached word is not used to make one partaker of the divine nature. There are some attributes of God that are not communicated to the new creature, such as omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence; but holiness and such like is translated but not to an infinite degree, and the new creature is thus partaker of the divine nature, wholly a result of regeneration. 

The one regenerated is passive till made alive, that is, they are not cooperating regarding regeneration; and after they are regenerated they are actively holy to their measure, being partaker of the divine nature. They are actively holy from the instant they are regenerated, without the word being preached; or when the word is being preached, but the preached word is not at all used to make the dead alive. Those born again are actively holy in some sense below the level of consciousness or in some sense evidently conscience, instantly at the moment regenerated. After one is born again, even being absent of the hearing of the word being preached, the mind is cognizant of some difference and discovers that some things are abhorred and some things desired, and that there is a hungering and thirsting towards holiness, these things not part of the natural man, the unregenerate man (2Cor 2:14). 

Regeneration is accomplished instant, and conversion, either directly a result of regeneration, or a result of hearing the word preached takes place over time. There may be a time between regeneration and hearing the word preached, and while hearing the word preached is recognized as usual, it is not essential for glorification. By observation it might seem regeneration results when the word is preached, but actually the effectual receiving of the preached word is evidence of one that has previous, independent of the preached word, been made alive, regenerated. 

Predestination, calling, justification, and glorification (Rom 8:29-30) are not dependent on having the word preached; yet conversion a result of the regenerate hearing the preached word might be seen as normal, and apart from the hearing of the preached word their is no evident knowledge of salvation, the preached word giving instruction regarding predestination, calling, justification, and glorification. Paul the apostle speaks of it being a shame some have not the knowledge of God (1Cor 15:34). Those that know the truth ought to speak (Prov 21:28; Ps 51:13; Isa 59:21). 

With the regenerate there is a thirsting, hungering, that hopes for new things, and causes a man to think different about some things and so act different. The testimony of the preached word gives knowledge that satisfies the hungering and thirsting (1John 3:19; Rom 4:21; 1Tim 1:12; John 20:31). The preached word is not used to make one partaker of the divine nature, but is used to bring life and immortality to light (2Tim 1:10). Let the life of the apostle Paul give evidence of the importance of preaching the word, his suffering all he did for the sake of the elect (2Tim 2:10), that they might hear and believe.

Man is dead and senseless towards the things of God, not able to receive the things of the Spirit of God. Therefore, man must be born again, apart from instrumentality, immediate of the Spirit of God, being made partaker of the divine nature. Observable, ongoing evidence of one being partaker of the divine nature is evidence of salvation (John 13:17; 2Pet 1:3-11).

By grace,
Bob Krajcik
Mansfield, Ohio
Oct 22, 2005

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that we through patience and comfort
of the scriptures might have hope.

Come and hear, all ye that fear God,
and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
Psalms 66:16

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