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Well, there are some folks in a renewed condition, how did that happen? After looking at the Scriptural evidence, it pointed to the fact that natural man is dead! Then we asked, if so, HOW DOES A DEAD MAN GET LIFE? That is the second most important matter to consider, second only to: Who is God and what is God like? To err on either of these two points is not just a little doctrinal difference, but the two most important foundation points of all the Bible. They are the most vital truths we shall ever consider. The answer to these questions affect all of life, both for time and eternity. We have already confronted the real issue when it comes to solving man’s problem, and that has to do with his ability or inability? We will proceed in this section on the diagnosis of man’s condition before stated. He is in the state of INABILITY, he cannot solve his own problem. God MUST do something if man is to have any hope. This we will deal with in a separate section entitled GOD’S MEDIATOR. For now, we will proceed on the "nuts and bolts" of how this great transaction takes place. We are talking about how A DEAD MAN CAN BE MADE ALIVE. If you are not already aware of this, let it be noted that we are on a collision course with most soul winning techniques and most evangelistic methodology. The Bible uses plain enough language, but its plain language does not quite fit the theological views of our day. It is not our purpose here to correct them, but to set before our eyes God’s procedure. We have such terms as "the new birth", "resurrection", "quickened"; "made alive"; (Please refer to the subject of God’s regeneration in the following two articles: *A radical change required compiled by John Shafer and +The effects of regeneration by A.W. Pink The implication of these terms is that the new birth is a creative work of God. To put it another way "Salvation is of the Lord". This is not so complicated when you get away from the modern preaching to plain Scripture. The writers of Scripture speak plainly that it is a Divine working which produces new life, a quickening from the dead. A dead man is made alive in Christ. John 3 and Ephesians 2 . Again, IF NATURAL MAN IS DEAD, THEN HOW DOES A DEAD MAN GET LIFE? When you read of man’s condition in (Eph. 2) then what happens, the Holy Spirit has clearly answered our question above. The second thing I want us to ask here, look in this passage and see what WE DID to get life.
BUT GOD, See Paul tells us, not what WE did, but what GOD DID. BUT GOD, (when we were dead) QUICKENED US, MADE US ALIVE. John says: "Passed from death unto life." L. Berkkhof gives us the following excellent definition of regeneration: "Regeneration is that act of God by which the principle of the new life is implanted in man, and the governing disposition of the soul is made holy. It is an instantaneous change of man’s nature, affecting at once the whole man, intellectually, emotionally, and morally. (pp 468-469)
Now let’s come back to this question that we raised earlier. If God has made this dead man alive, well then, he now has some ability for his has life! In the first five books of the New Testament we read a lot about blind men, deaf men, lame and crippled men, insane men, those possessed by another spirit etc. Now the significance of this is that all of these afflictions are found in dead men. We see a clear picture of a dead man outside of Christ. He can’t see, not only the things of God, he can’t even see his own condition before God. He can’t hear what the message of good news is. He is lame, crippled and can’t walk in the way pleasing to God. Our Lord in John 6 and 8 told some religious folks that claimed to believe on Him, that they did not really believe, for if they did, they could hear His words. I tell you the truth and you won’t believe Me! But there were some who knew they were blind and lame and they cried out to the Master to DO SOMETHING. When the Master does something, even like calling a (literal, physical) dead man to life (Lazarus), well, at the call of Jesus, Lazarus comes forth. BUT GOD MUST DO SOMETHING. When God gives life to a dead man, well that dead man can now repent, that dead man can now believe, that dead man... "Wait a minute", you say, "he has to believe to get life, that is what the preachers have told me." Remember, answer the question first as to this man’s condition and ability or should I say INABILITY. Go back to Eph. 2 for a moment. So many folks love this verse and so do I.
We are (thus) His workmanship (the product of His working). V.10 "created (again God doing something) to walk in good works." This quickened man can/is able to walk in good works. We will deal with this under a separate heading. Another way of amplifying what Jesus said about His sheep: "My sheep (they can now) hear my voice, and THEY FOLLOW ME." Don’t claim to be His and not be following and walking in those good works which are appointed. NO, this is not legalism! This is Scripture. One more matter here we must introduce and then urge you to turn and read the articles listed. The whole person is affected. When we put it in a Scriptural setting, this is apparent. If a man is dead in a coffin, he can’t hear, he can’t see, he can’t walk. He can’t understand anything, He can’t will anything, He can’t have all the affections and emotions that a living person has. Or to review regarding MAN IN RUINED CONDITION. His mind, thinking is affected by his ruined condition; his heart, affections, love is affected by his ruined condition; his will is chained to another Master and his own nature. So in God’s mighty work of quickening from the dead, regeneration, new birth, all of those faculties of man are changed, made anew and alive. This dead man is one that is described by another description of God’s great work, that of being redeemed (bought back). We will deal more fully with this aspect under the heading of GOD’S MEDIATOR. But we must add here what Paul said in I Corinthians 6: "...you are not your own, you are bought with a price, therefore glorify (elevate, advertise) God in your body and in your spirit." Refer to TITLE DEED OF MY LIFE by John Shafer
Remember that it is possible to have physical sight to see a page, and yet not
"get the message." The Bible can be but a dead letter apart from the work of
God’s Teacher, the Holy Spirit.
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