[ Bottom of Page ]

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

The ones that are the subjects of salvation are the elect (Eph 1:4). If election depends upon foreseen faith, God does not first choose man but man first chooses God. John 15:16 is another verse of Scripture to be ignored and explained away for the satisfaction of the opponents. Faith is the gift of God to man as Ephesians 2:8 clearly shows, therefore faith is not the gift of man to God.

Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast, yet some men speak of there own faith, nothing to do with God for they claim to have been first disposed to God and just needed some persuasion. Never mind that faith is a work, for some don’t like it to be that way. Yet what does John 6:29 say but that faith is a work. It is clear enough, it is the work of God yet some will not accept that for they don’t like it to be that way. Those opponents of free grace apart from works also need to explain away 1 Thessalonians 1:3 and 2 Thessalonians 1:11. The Scripture teaches that faith is a work, but the opponents claim it is not a work. After all they have liked it to be their work for years now and they know enough to admit salvation is by grace alone and not of works, so they have explained away that it is a work, and others have followed along in their churches. Yet, the Bible still says faith is a work.

John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

2 Thessalonians 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

Regeneration is not merely agreeing that various facts are true. One can be morally and intellectually persuaded of the truth and need of salvation, but regeneration is not man cooperating with God, but is instead a new creation, and new man. One can be morally persuaded, and hold the truth in unrighteousness (Rom 1:18), because they have not been born again. With regeneration, there is new life, yet such a one might be ignorant of many of the things of God. The regenerate will have new desires towards God and righteousness, things not as this world has, desires not at all like the unregenerate, for the unregenerate might be sorrowful of the consequence, but not of the deed itself, having no desire for the true riches and righteousness.

Before one is born again, they are at enmity towards God (Rom 8:7), and enmity does not cooperate with love. Being at enmity toward God, how ever much one might be convinced of some moral principles or truth by their conscience, that is not the same as being born anew. Having a conscience that discerns between one thing and another is not the same as having a will with inclinations toward God. 

Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Man’s conscience may incline him to reject some immoral act and to see the value in being moral, but that is not the same as being born again. The lost man has a conscience or he would never feel remorseful, but the will remains at enmity towards God. A lost man might very well recognize the identity of God, and might well understand some things as being morally repugnant, but that is not the same as being a new creation, and having the will changed. One can be convinced and decide for the truth while their will has never been made new. The new birth is essential. 

It is not the conscience that is subject to the new birth, but it is the human will. Regeneration is not at all accomplished because of a man’s decision, any more than the dust made a decision when Adam the first man was created. The devils know the identity of Christ, and certainly recognize His authority, and man can do as much, and a man can be falsely persuaded that knowing such things and making a decision accomplished salvation (Isa 28:15), thinking that has delivered them from the wrath to come, but that is not the new birth, and that is not a new creation, and the will remains at enmity towards God. 

Isaiah 28:15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

After there has been regeneration, there is new life, a new will that is inclined towards God, and there is faith, so there is working out your own salvation, the will cooperating with God, because there is a new will now, a new creation. Before regeneration the human will is at enmity towards God, but after there is desire towards God, inclination towards the things of God. Ye must be born again. When one is regenerated, the Holy Ghost is given, and the body is dead because of sin, the sin now appearing exceeding sinful, and the lack of ability towards righteous deeds so very clear, so it is said, the body is dead, a body of death (Rom 7:18,24; 8:10). When one is regenerated, made anew, they have new life, not the old reformed, for the old is basically unchanged. The old is made to appear as it really is. There are righteous desires but not a righteous disposition. Self merit is found lacking. The believer simply trusts in what Christ has done for him.

Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

By grace,
Bob Krajcik
Mansfield, Ohio
June 26, 2005

§

Bible Study Letters

A message of comfort from the Scriptures,
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

[ Home Page ] [ Main Menu ]

Bob Krajcik
[ Bible Study Letters ]
 Your Comments Welcomed
Your Privacy Respected
Send Your Comments, Questions,
Praise Reports or Prayer Requests

[ Top of Page ]