Defining Providence

The 27^th article of the Heidelberg Catechism defines  God’s Providence as:

“…his almighty and ever present power,¹ whereby, as with his hand, he still upholds heaven and earth and all creatures,² and so governs them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, food and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty,³ indeed, all things, come to us not by chance⁴ but by his fatherly hand.

God’s Providence is His Almighty and Ever-present Power

The Catechism opens with a statement of the Almighty and ever-present power of God—which at once unequivocally asserts His active involvement in the cosmos.

 “Am I a God at hand, declared the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.” (Jer. 23:23-24)

Restated another way, God asks in this passage, “am I not both very near and very far away? Does the fact that I am high and lifted mean I am not involved in the daily affairs of the world?” This question is, of course, rhetorical. It expects a negative answer. God is merely stating the obvious, as evidenced by the subsequent verse, where God declares, “Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.” However, many today hold that God created the world and then left it to run on some ‘natural principles’. In other words, God put some laws in place after creation and retired from running things on the earth. God is more like an absentee Landlord to those who hold this erroneous view.

Still, others say man is in charge of things after God asked him to “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Gen. 1:28)

Who do you think holds the decisive sway over what happens on earth? Is man in charge, or God?

The  Heidelberg catechism goes on to affirm, “whereby, as with his hand, he still upholds heaven and earth and all creatures” and provides Hebrews 1:3 as proof: “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

Acts 17:24-25, 28 further amplifies this understanding: 

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. For “in him we live and move and have our being;”

We see from here that i) God is both Creator and Lord of heaven and earth, and ii) is in charge. He is the Sovereign ruler.

A False Understanding of Satan as the God of This World

Satan is sometimes called the ‘ruler of this world’ (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11) or ‘god of this world (2Cor 4:4), “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2), a ‘cosmic power over this present darkness” (Ephesians 6:12). Notably, during Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, Luke records  “The [devil] took Jesus up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you then, will worship me, it will be yours.” (Luke 4:5-7)

Based on the above, many well-meaning Christians today believe that Satan holds the decisive sway over what happens on the earth. But does he? Let us scrutinise the validity of this notion against the entire Scriptural teaching. Satan’s claim to have been given the kingdoms of the world and has the power to give it to whom he wills is only partially true. Yes, he at times manoeuvres an evil person to power but he only does so only to the degree that God permits him to do so.

The Bible clarifies who truly holds sovereign control: “[God] removes kings and sets up kings,” (Daniel 2:21). “The Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” (Daniel 4:17), and, “There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” (Romans 13:1). Furthermore, every king is subject to God’s Sovereign will: The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” (Proverbs 21:1)

And when nations rise against God in rebellion, Psalms 2:2-4 says, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.’ He who sits in heaven laughs; the Lord holds them in derision”. Psalm 33:10-11 further declares: “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.”

We conclude from the overwhelming Scriptural evidence that while Satan exercises a limited degree of influence, as permitted by God. Satan and his demons do not operate outside the decisive providence of God. Moreover, let us not forget Satan is a liar and has been from the beginning (John 8:44). Sadly, many in the church today continue to preach Satan’s lies that he is in charge of this world.

 The Error of Thinking God Needs Man’s Permission to Act

We saw from Acts 17:28 that “[God] Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything”. This verse alone refutes the notion that ‘God cannot do anything on earth without man’s permission’ as utterly unscriptural. This misguided teaching reflects a profound misunderstanding of God’s sovereignty and an inflated view of human importance. The apostle James directly addresses this arrogance in his epistle, calling it evil:

¹³ Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— ¹⁴ yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:13-16).

James sharply rebukes those who talk as if they control the future. He reminds us that God holds sway over tomorrow, we don’t. His Sovereign will determines our next breath. If our very existence hangs on God’s will, how arrogant of us even to suggest that God needs our permission to act on earth? He is still God without us; we are nothing without Him!

The prophet Daniel drives this point home with profound clarity in Daniel 4:35:

‘All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”’

Daniel’s verdict is, we are not impressive (we are counted as nothing!), God is. Repeatedly in Scripture, we see that God is intent on exposing the false claim that there are ‘powers’ in His creation that can stay His hand. In Isaiah 40:11, 15, 17, 22-23 and 28, we see that God’s condescension and exaltation go together. We better not take His condescension as weakness! Isaiah 14:27 declares, “The Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?” (see also Isa. 46:9-10; cf. Isa. 43:13 and Eph. 1:11).

Once Job came face to face with God’s present and Almighty power, he declared, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2). 2 Chronicles 20:6 affirms conclusively, “In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.”

Response and practical implications

This doctrine calls us to savour the greatness and condescension of the God who created and sustains the entire universe yet knows us so intimately. It should give us great comfort to know that our loving Father holds the decisive sway over what happens in our lives and our world, not Satan.

This doctrine gives us unspeakable comfort since it teaches us that nothing can happen to us by chance but only by the arrangement of our gracious
heavenly Father, who watches over us with fatherly care, sustaining all creatures under his lordship⁶, so that not one of the hairs on our heads (for they are all numbered) nor even a little bird can fall to the ground without the will of our Father⁷. In this thought we rest, knowing that God holds in check the devils and all our enemies, who cannot hurt us without divine permission and will. For that reason we reject the damnable error of the Epicureans, who say that God does not get involved in anything and leaves everything to chance. (The Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 13, ‘The Doctrine of God’s Providence’)

Notes

1. Jer 23:23, 24; Acts 17:24-28.
2. Heb 1:3.
3. Jer 5:24; Acts 14:15-17; Jn 9:3; Prov. 22:2.
4. Prov 16:33.
5. Mt 10:29.
6. Matt. 8:31; Job 1:12; 2:6
7. Matt. 10:29–30.

The post Preserved by Providence appeared first on TGN.

In this article, I would like to revisit the origins of this false doctrine and show that it is an old heretical claim wearing a different cloak. One that was dealt with and rejected by historic Christianity.

Tracing the history of this false doctrine

Essek William Kenyon is considered the ‘high priest’ of this movement. Most proponents of the ‘we are gods’ theology hold him as the one who ‘unlocked the revelation’ that we can live above sickness as a class of superhuman beings. Kenyon studied Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, an anti-Bible mesmerist who taught that one could cure illness by the right kind of thinking. Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, was a patient of Quimby. Kenneth E. Hagin copiously plagiarised E. W. Kenyon and popularised many of the things Kenyon had written before him.

Contemporary students of Hagin, such as Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer, Frederick K. Price, Joel Osteen, Morris Cerrulo and many others, have continued to spread these false teachings. In our sub-region, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome is one of the most vocal proponents of this teaching. Many young preachers who have bought into this false teaching look to him as their mentor. But there are many others like Oyakhilome. I do not intend to list every teacher who peddles this false doctrine here. You can identify them for yourself by carefully examining the gospel content of the messages they preach, using the lens of holy Scripture.

A lofty view of man at the expense of God

The glaring problem with the ‘we are gods’ theology is its low view of God and the lofty self-aggrandisement of humanity at God’s expense. Listen to depictions of this from some of the adherents:

“The believer is as much an incarnation of God as Jesus Christ… the church hasn’t realized yet that they are Christ. That’s who they are. They are Christ.” (Kenneth E. Hagin).

“Man… was created on terms of equality with God, and he could stand in God’s presence without any consciousness of inferiority… He made us the same class of being that He is Himself.” (ibid).

“If cattle has another cattle, they call it cattle-kind. What’s God supposed to call [us]?” (Joyce Meyer).

“God came from heaven, became a man, made man into little gods, went back to heaven as a man.” (Benny Hinn).

“I am a little god. I have His name. I am one with Him. I’m in covenant relationship. I am a little god. Critics be gone!” (Paul Franklin Crouch).

“You are gods because you came from God, and you are gods.” (Creflo Dollar).

“When I read in the Bible where He says, “I AM,” I just smile and say, yes, I Am too.” (Kenneth Copeland).

“You don’t have a god in you. You are one.” (ibid).

“You have the same creative faith and ability on the inside of you that God used when He created the heavens and the earth.” (ibid).

“Until we comprehend that we are little gods and we begin to act like little gods, we cannot manifest the Kingdom of God.” (Earl Paulk).

“The whole purpose of God was to reproduce Himself. … you’re not looking at Morris Cerullo, you’re looking at God, you’re looking at Jesus.” (Morris Cerullo).

“And therefore you are gods; you have been purchased by the blood of Jesus.” (Rory Alec).

“God said, Let us make man in our image after our likeness. The word likeness in the original Hebrew means an exact duplication in kind. Adam was an exact duplication of God’s kind!” (Charles Capps).

“I live above the elements of this world. I live above sickness, disease, and death. I’m immune to anything that ravages the lives of men; I belong to God’s class of divine beings. I am a partaker of the divine nature; my body is sustained by a force that the ordinary man cannot perceive. My kidneys, lungs, heart, all tissues and every organ in my body function properly.” (Chris Oyakhilome).

None of these claims are true, of course. You are not a god, not even close. Neither are you above sickness, disease, or death. Not on this side of eternity. Everything on earth grows old, dies and decays. God Himself caused it to be so after the fall (Rom. 8:18-23).

An old heresy repurposed in a new cloak

The ‘we are gods’ theology smacks of the ancient heresy called the Monophysite heresy. The term Monophysite has its roots in Greek, monophysis, meaning ‘one nature or substance’. Eutyches propagated this position in the fifth century. He argued that Jesus had one nature, comprising a mixture of divine and human attributes. In other words, Jesus’ nature could be viewed as a humanised divine nature or as a deified human nature. This was rejected by a council of the church at Chalcedon in 451. The council was at pains to prove that any mixture of the two natures of Christ that would result in a deification of his human nature or a humanisation of his divine nature was a distortion of the Biblical teaching. “Jesus is truly man and truly God”, the council of Chalcedon affirmed, yet his two natures were not mixed or confused.

Jesus was truly God and truly man; one person, two natures. We see this clearly articulated in Scripture. As a man, he got tired, hungry, slept, was bruised, sweated, didn’t know all things and died. As God, He knew all things, could perceive the thoughts of others before they spoke them, could raise the dead, walk on water, give sight to the blind, create new life by bringing from the dead and restoring a severed ear, etc. To be sure, Jesus’ divine nature could communicate information to his human nature, but it did not communicate attributes. Otherwise, Jesus as a man wouldn’t have needed to rest, eat or sleep (God does none of these). The Chalcedonian council stated, “Each nature retains its own attributes.” In other words, the divine nature retains divinity in every respect, while the human nature, similarly, retains its humanity in every respect.

If not even Christ, then why us?

If even our Lord’s human nature was not subsumed by his divine nature and become deified, where do the proponents of the ‘we are gods’ theology derive their so-called super-human nature? They lay claim to something that even the incarnate Christ did not possess. This is something to choke on.

To be fair, the ‘New Creature’ doctrine followers seek to be like Christ in every sense. If we are like our Lord, then we can do what he did and live like He did. They quote 1 John 4:17, which says, “As he is, so are we in this world.” At first glance, this seems like a very pious and noble thing for every Christian to do – to aspire to be like our Lord. However, careful consideration will reveal the grave errors in this line of thinking.

As we have established above, Christ had two distinct natures. We don’t. He was both God and man at one and the same time. We are not. We are human, and nowhere does the Bible teach that when we become born again, we somehow cease to be human and become divine or super-human.

Idolatry camouflaged as hyper-spiritual talk

This claim to deity by the proponents of the ‘we are gods’ theology is idolatry, plain and simple. God has always been a jealous God. He jealously guards his glory. Countless times in the Bible He declares, “I do not share my glory”, “I alone am God”, “There is none beside Me” and “Have no other gods but me” (See Isa. 42:8; Isa. 48:11; Ex. 20:2-3 & Deut. 5:7; Ex 34:14; Isa. 46:9; Isa. 45:21; Deut. 32:39; Deut 4:39; 1Kings 8:60; 1Sam. 2:2; 2 Sam. 7:22; and 1Chron. 17:20).

‘We are gods’ proponents know these Scriptures, yet in their case, they are willing to grant this one exception – there is no other God besides the God they serve but them. Does God contradict Himself? Would he break His own Word to make gods out of those He has saved? I do not think so. The claim to deity is quite plainly inconsistent with the entire Biblical teaching.

As He is, so are we in the world

Let us examine the verse misconstrued by Word of Faith preachers to mean we are gods. As with all scriptural interpretation, context determines meaning. Let’s look at the full verse and situate it in its proper context:

“By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgement, because as he is is so also are we in this world.”

“By this”. By what? Clearly, this is a continuation of the previous verse, where John talks of believers abiding in God and God abiding in them. As a result of God’s love for those who have placed saving trust in Jesus, they can be confident (assured) that they will be spared condemnation in the coming judgement (cf. Rom. 8:1). In that same vein of God’s love, John goes on to say that as He is, so are we in the world, meaning, as Jesus was and is loving, so are we His followers in this world. We are to walk in love the same way Christ did, and if we did, we would not attract God’s displeasure (or judgment). Hence, the next verse says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear”. If we walk in love as Jesus’ followers, we are not afraid of His condemnation. “For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because He first loved us.” (John 4:18-19) Any suggestion of being deified because God abides in us is an alien concept foisted on this verse. John does not convey any such meaning.

Partakers of the divine nature

“By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” (1 Peter 1:4) 

Here is another verse that proponents of ‘we are gods’ appeal to. Again, a careful examination of the verse reveals that any suggestion of deity being granted to the believer is a meaning we read into the verse that the author simply did not supply.

‘Partakers of the divine nature.’ Bold as these words are, they simply state what the rest of the New Testament teaches, i.e., Christians abide in God, and God abides in them. As Jesus illustrates in John 15, He dwells in us, and we in Him, as the branches in the vine and members of His body. His life flows in us. This is what is taught by the doctrine of regeneration, whereby the ‘life of God’ is implanted in the believer, resulting in a change in his disposition. Whereas he formerly hated God, now he loves Him and desires to obey His commands. His commandments are no longer burdensome to the regenerated believer because of this new disposition they receive at New Birth (1 John 5:3).

‘Partakers of the divine nature’ simply means we now have a new heart, a heart of flesh that God Himself creates (Jer. 31:31-34 & Ezek. 36: 21-27); one that has God’s laws written on it, and is no longer ruled by the “passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind” nor follows “the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.” (Eph. 2:1-2). This is what Paul meant in 2 Cor. 5:17 when he said that those in Christ are new creatures.

‘We are gods’ false teachers pit Scripture against Scripture, forgetting that the Scriptural revelation is one whole message, and the meaning derived from one part of Scripture can never contradict what is taught in the rest of Scripture.

Grossly inconsistent with the NT

Perhaps the most audacious claim of this heretical teaching is that believers in the New Testament did not exhibit attributes of deity nor lay claim to deity because they had not yet grasped the reality of who they were as ‘super beings’. Some go as far as to say that the apostles were wrong, and the early church did not ‘catch’ this revelation till now! Pastor Chris Oyakhilome is on record to have said that when the people in Lystra (Acts 14:15) wanted to make sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas, and they refused, rejecting any homage with the claims, ‘We too are only human, like you’, they were wrong.

This is how they explain away the fact that believers in the New Testament could fall ill (2 Tim 4:20), even to the point of death (Phil. 2:2), or suffer chronic symptoms (1 Tim. 5:23). These were close associates of Paul – the same Paul who raised the dead and from whom aprons and handkerchiefs that had touched his skin could heal the sick (Acts 19:12). Paul himself said that it was because of a bodily ailment that he first preached to the Galatians (Gal. 4:13). If even an apostle like Paul could fall ill, and his close associates weren’t spared bodily ailments, isn’t that enough proof that having Christ in you does not offer immunity to sickness? ‘We are gods’ teachers will have us believe that Paul hadn’t yet ‘caught the revelation’ that he could live above sickness. We have no words to say in response to this level of pride.

Why should we care?

Why should we be concerned about the flagrant distortion of Scripture? First, if we promise what God has not, we set people up for disappointment. When the unrealistic expectations of this cancerous theology are not met, believers become disillusioned, and their trust in God and the integrity of His teachings are undermined.

Next, this kind of teaching hinders spiritual growth. Faithful Scriptural teaching, rooted in an exalted view of God, his glory and His holiness, is pivotal for spiritual growth and maturity. Misinterpretations misguide believers, hampering their spiritual growth and leading them to adopt unscriptural beliefs and practices.

Finally, such false teachings compromise outreach. The efficacy of the Christian mission in the world is grounded in the authenticity and accuracy with which Scripture is presented. Distortions detract from the church’s credibility, obscuring the gospel’s true essence and beauty for others.

The post You Are Not Super-Human (Response to the ‘We Are Gods’ Theology: Part III) appeared first on TGN.

Roark’s list is as deep as it is broad. The bulk of the books are theological, but he also includes others like biographies and fictional reads. What fascinates me the most is the sheer number of books he can cover in a year. I have always wondered how he does it. How does he get time to read all those books? Challenged by Roark, at the beginning of this year, I set myself a challenge to dedicate every free time I get to reading to see how many books I can get through by the end of the year. Here is what I found out: in three months, I have read ten books – more than I read last year! These are the books I’ve read so far. (As you may have guessed, the title of this article was suggested by one of the books I read).

I must admit, I surprised myself. Doing this has been a real eye-opener for me. Besides the many rich insights I have gleaned from the books I have read (I have enjoyed reading every one of them), I have proven to myself that I have time – valuable time that I can utilise to educate myself and develop my mind mentally and spiritually.

When I shared my experience with a good friend, he remarked, “I need a reading anointing.” So, how did I do it? Have I acquired a special “reading anointing” that remained elusive to me before now? In the rest of the article, I will share a few practical ideas that have made an enormous difference in my life, along with a couple of reasons why I believe anyone else keen to improve their reading prowess can easily achieve and surpass my record.

Redeeming time

As a Scientist, my work already involves an awful lot of reading. However, I tend to carry on reading about Science at the slightest opportunity I get (there are too many good papers to read and so little time!). Knowing when to switch off ‘work mode’ has been a challenge. I also volunteer for a few roles at our local assembly, which means I’m engaged in service for up to three evenings a week. Add these to the long days at work, and by the time we’ve dispatched our kids off to bed, I am ready to crash.

My wife and I have, in times past, used our ‘quiet times’ when the kids are in bed to read a book together. Progress with reading together has been slow, as we need to maintain the same pace (one cannot read ahead of the other), but it has been very enriching. When we don’t feel like reading, we just chat each other to sleep, catching up on happenings during the day and planning or praying for the future. At other times, we settle down to a movie. Agreeing which movie to watch, however, usually takes about 10-15 minutes, if not longer. We will endlessly flick through Disney+ or Amazon Prime, looking for a decent, interesting film. But then the moment we start watching one, someone will begin swearing or ‘talking dirty’ or strip naked, and we’ll shut it off, disappointed. Then we will resume the search, and usually before we can pick a new movie, we both feel sleepy, abandon the idea altogether and call it a night.

This year, I have given up movies altogether – save for the odd family movie time (as part of our Sunday evening group activity – see below). What time might have been spent on movies has been repurposed for reading. Additionally, my reading times have been:

•  The 10-15 minutes between getting ready and leaving the house for the morning school run.
•  When I’m by myself during lunch break, in between munches.
•  During the commute. On the train, especially on the tube, where the internet is too patchy to do any meaningful work and seats are sometimes scarce.
•  After Lord’s Day service on Sundays. As a family tradition, we dedicate Sundays to family time – spent in worship, reading, and listening to God’s Word and being hospitable. Evenings are spent in a group activity agreed upon with the kids. Sunday afternoons have been gratifying reading times when we don’t have guests over.

As you can tell, my default mode now is to always have a book handy, and to not leave home without one!

Viewing Life in Numbers is Quite Revelatory

In an online blog article, Daily Infographic, drawing from various sources, offered a meticulous breakdown of how the average person—assuming a lifespan of 79 years—allocates their time on Earth. According to the available data, we spend 33 years of our lives in bed, segmented into 26 years of actual sleep and an astonishing seven years spent trying to fall asleep. We spend four years and six months eating, 235 days waiting in queues, six months at stop lights and a year and a half looking for lost items! When it comes to time spent at work, the average individual dedicates 13 years and two months to their profession, including one year and two months of overtime.

Astonishingly, we spend 11 years and four months looking at screens, divided between 8 years and four months of television viewing and three years navigating social media. This is only about two years less than the time we spend at work and more than 12 times the time spent in primary and secondary school. After a long day, most people ‘escape reality’ through social media or streaming movies online. This analysis suggests that the time spent on television and social media alone is substantial enough to educate ourselves several times over or even take up a second job! For most people, this might probably represent the single most significant opportunity to redeem time for reading.

A Deeper Issue

Proving that it is possible to carve out time for reading is helpful, but there is an even deeper motivation for developing a reading habit as a Christian. If you’re a Christian reading this, how do you deal with the nudity, profanity and foul language in most of the screen content out there?

It was R. Kent Hughes who pointed out in his book, ‘Disciplines of a Godly Man’, that “if we are to have Christian minds, there are things we must put out—and this extends beyond TV to what we read, listen to and laugh at.” As David avows in Psalm 101:2-3:

I will ponder the way that is blameless. … I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.

Sadly, the Christian community consumes the same content as the world does, and as research shows, at an even faster rate. In a survey by the Barna Group in 2014, practising Christians in America watched 30 minutes more TV per day than those who identified as atheists. If we are to have the mind of Christ, we must intentionally feed on Christ-exalting, God-glorifying, and gospel-centred resources. Reading Christian literature is a great help in this regard.

What If I Don’t Like Reading?

Thankfully, a lot of books now have audio formats available. Blogs like Desiring God offer audio formats for articles. Thus, one can still feast on rich Christian content by listening if reading proves challenging. The added advantage to audio formats is that one can listen and learn while completing house chores, walking the dog, going for a run, or driving to work. The opportunities to enrich the mind and soul are endless!

Concluding Thoughts

In conclusion, it’s clear that the potential for integrating reading into our daily routines exists for all of us. It requires a deliberate pause to recognise those ‘redeemable moments’ that, all too often, slip unnoticed in our busy lives. Embracing reading with intentionality—making it a point always to have a book within arm’s reach—and fostering a disciplined approach to our use of time can transform fleeting minutes into windows of opportunity for growth and learning.

In the end, the commitment to finding time for reading is not just about the act itself but about what it represents—an intentional choice to prioritise our development, and, importantly, our spiritual growth. The rewards of this choice, as I have discovered, are indeed inestimable.

The post Surprised by Reading appeared first on TGN.

14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world … 17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. (Galatians 6:14, 17)

Paul’s great aim in this epistle to the Galatians is the defence of the gospel. The core of this gospel, which he expounds throughout the book, is the fact that we are justified (meaning, ‘made right’ with God, or counted ‘as if we have never sinned’) through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross alone, apart from works (anything we ever did or will ever do).

The recipients of his letter—the Galatian church—had been led to Christ through Paul’s preaching (we see this in Gal. 4:13) and the work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. As Paul recounts, they had begun their Christian journey well, having put their faith in Christ (see Gal. 3:2) and been filled with the Holy Spirit (see Gal. 4:6). They consequently walked in step with the Spirit, outworking what He worked in them at their conversion, even in the face of persecution (Gal. 3:28-29).

But then, a faction of the Jewish Christians, who regarded the Levitical laws of the Old Testament as binding on all Christians, came to the Galatian church, preaching what Paul calls ‘another gospel, which is no gospel at all’, and were leading some members of the congregation astray.

In Apostolic Astonishment, Paul retorted:

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (Gal. 1:6-9)

What was the content of this ‘other gospel’? Essentially, these Jewish false preachers were telling the Galatian Christians that faith in Christ alone was not enough to save them; they needed to keep the Jewish laws, specifically those regarding circumcision, or else their Christianity wouldn’t be complete. To which Paul responded:

2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

(Gal. 5:2-3)

Isn’t Paul being a bit too harsh? Is one small compromise such a big deal? Indeed, it is! Any attempt to add to the finished work of Christ on the cross is a slap in the face of Jesus, as it suggests he wasted his time going to the cross – we are well capable of achieving our own salvation without his help.

Paul encouraged the Galatian Christians not to allow themselves to be enslaved again under a set of rules (5:1). Faith in Christ means we are free from the ‘curse of the law’ (3:13). Practically, this means we live by faith in Christ for every aspect of our Christian lives. We no longer rely on our own strengths or abilities. We derive our strength and worth from the finished work of Christ on the cross.

In the cross:

1) We have total forgiveness for our sins (2:16). We owed a moral debt we could not pay. Christ paid the debt, and thus, our slate has been wiped clean and our sins ‘blotted out’ (Isa. 43:25, 44:22; Mic. 7:18-19; Heb. 8:12, cf. Jer. 31:34)

2) We have an inheritance waiting for us in heaven (Gal. 3:29). As an initial deposit and foretaste of what is awaiting us in heaven, God has given us His Spirit as a guarantee (Eph. 1:14)

3) We have become heirs with Christ – meaning we share His life and righteousness and have become members of God’s family. We are His royal sons and daughters (Gal. 4:7)

4) We are filled with God’s Spirit and can call God ‘Abba, Father!’ (Gal. 4:6). We are no longer slaves to sin but have become God’s children. We don’t have to prove ourselves to our Father; this is the critical distinction between a ‘son’ and a slave. Father loves us just because He loves us, in spite of us.

As Paul comes to the end of his letter, where we pick up our opening passage, he recaps everything he has been telling the Galatian Christians. He encourages them to put no confidence in the flesh but fully and only trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross. His summary statement, found in Chapter 6:11-17, can be summed up in this way:

“Boast in the cross!” “That is all that matters!”

Paul makes a similar conclusion to his letter to the Philippians. In the final chapter, he writes,

“Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—”

Paul uses the same root word (kauxáomai) translated as ‘boast’ in our opening passage. Thus, to boast in the cross is the same as to glory in it. This is contrasted with putting confidence in the flesh, which here represents ‘works’ or our own efforts, strength, abilities or merit.

Practical implications

What does it mean to boast or glory in the cross? Strong’s Greek Concordance defines kauxáomai as “living with ‘head up high,’ i.e., boasting from a particular vantage point by having the right base of operation to deal successfully with a matter”. Strong provides the word’s etymology, as likely derived from the root, auχēn (“neck”), i.e., what holds the neck up high or upright. Thus, to boast or glory in this context refers to living with God-given confidence.

In light of Paul’s teaching in Galatians, I suggest the following practical applications of boasting in the cross.

1) Daily living at the foot of the cross

To boast in the cross means recognising that so far as my efforts didn’t save me, neither can they add or take from my salvation. It is very easy to mentally assent that we’re saved by grace through faith alone yet live as though our salvation depends on our works. Living by faith means daily living at the foot of the cross, drawing from the power of Christ already at work within us (see Ephesians 3:20) to live the Christian life.

The questions below offer a quick test as to whether we’re walking the talk so far as living by faith is concerned.

a) Do you feel the need to ‘prove yourself’ to God so He doesn’t regret saving you?

b) Do you pat yourself at the back for being a ‘good person’, e.g., ’a good giver/tither’, ‘good husband’, ‘good father’, ‘good child’, or whatever else you hold yourself to be good at? Or you reckon that you are what you are solely by the grace of God?

c) Do you find yourself thinking God’ owes’ you certain blessings because of your obedience or service to Him in one way or another?

d) What is the first thought that comes to mind when you consider people whose lives are contrary to the gospel – for example, that drunk or addict in your neighbourhood? Do you find yourself thinking, ‘I thank God I’m not like that’?

2) Treasuring Jesus more than anything in the world

Is Christ your greatest treasure? To Paul, having Christ was everything. Even if living a gospel-centric life meant he would be persecuted, he didn’t mind. He was content to ‘bear on his body the marks of Jesus’. Boasting in the cross means being able to say with Asaph, “Whom have I in heaven but you, and there is nothing on earth I desire besides you” (Ps. 73:25), and with the hymnist, ‘Sɛ me wɔ Yesu a, me wɔ ade nyinara, sɛ Yesu bɔ me a, ade nyinara abɔ me” [If I have Jesus, I have everything, if I lose Jesus, I have lost everything]. Is Christ enough for you? Would you be content if God never did anything else for you after the cross?

In the same breath that Paul said he boasts in the cross, he added, “by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world”. In other words, nothing in the world was worth comparing to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ via the cross.

3) A life of devotion to Christ

Jesus said that those who have been forgiven much love much (Luke 7:47). Glorying in the cross means that we henceforth live every moment of our lives with the cross in view. To Paul, that meant being branded for Christ! He declares, “From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (Gal. 6:17).

Isaac Watts, in his classic hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”, writes:

When I survey the wond’rous Cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but Loss,
And pour contempt on all my Pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God:
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.

In the final stanza, he avows:

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Watts is right. A true appreciation of the cross will culminate in only one response: a life sold to, enamoured, and entranced by the One who loved us and gave Himself for us that we might be forgiven.

The post Boasting in the Cross appeared first on TGN.

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:7-10)

Two themes jump out of this passage. The first is the theme of our redemption, which Paul describes in superlative terms. He says we have received this out of the riches of God’s grace, and it has been lavished upon us, both terms conveying the idea of a luxurious, abundant outpour of the love and mercy of God upon us.

Second, is the theme of the mystery of God’s will, which Paul says is the purpose of God, outlined in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. We will explore these two themes in this article.

Stirring up by way of a reminder

Have you ever stopped to wonder at the vastness of God’s grace? One of the greatest tragedies we face as believers living in an age of Marvel movies and technological marvels is that we fail to be stirred by the wonders of the gospel. We are not moved when we hear terms like ‘Redemption’, ‘Forgiveness of our sins’, and ‘Riches of God’s grace’. Our emotions are not stirred. Why is this? Because we have heard them over and over to the point, they no longer stir us up. As you read the opening passage, how did you feel? Were you moved as you read about our great salvation in Christ? Were your emotions stirred? One of the reasons the Apostles wrote their letters was to stir the affection of their readers for God. This is not only true with Paul but with Peter as well. Both in 2 Peter 1:13 and 3:1, the Apostle made it clear that his goal was to stir them up by way of reminder. That is precisely my goal with this article.

Paul spent three years pastoring the church at Ephesus and instructing them in the things of God. He probably taught them all the great truths outlined in this epistle during that time. However, due to the human tendency to forget and our emotions to be consequently dulled, Paul sensed the need to write a letter of reminder and encouragement to his brothers and sisters in the faith. Most commentators agree that Paul addresses two main themes in this letter: 1) Christ has reconciled all of creation, and 2) He has united the church in Himself.

What is striking is the volcanic nature of Paul’s melodious outburst of praise as he introduces the major themes of his letter.

He declares, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”. The crux of what is causing the Apostle to burst into Apostolic praise is summed up in our opening verse: the glorious truth of our redemption and the mystery of God’s will.

The glorious truth of our redemption

“In him, we have redemption through his blood...” (Ephesians 1:7). Pause for a moment and let that sink in. Redemption. A word so familiar, yet do we comprehend its staggering depth?

The Greek word for redemption means to ‘buy back’ or ‘ransom’. In a salvation context, it refers to Christ’s death on the cross that paid the price required to purchase the elect from the slave market of sin. The ESV Study Bible notes, “Forgiveness of our trespasses explains the nature of redemption. Christians are freed from slavery to sin and guilt. This was effected by Christ’s blood, which means his death was an atoning sacrifice.”

In verse 4, Paul tells us that our salvation was never an incidental plan – God planned it before the foundation of the world. This, in and of itself, is staggering! Somewhere before the beginning of time, there was a counsel between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each person of the Trinity covenanted to do certain things in the magnificent plan of redemption. The Father thought up the plan of Salvation (Eph. 1:3-6). The Son took it upon Himself to carry out this plan, to take on human flesh and be born as a child, suffer and die a shameful death on a tree (Eph. 1:7-12). The Father, on His part, pledged to grant forgiveness to all those who would believe in the Son and the work He did on the cross (Eph. 1: 3-6). On His part, the Spirit partook to apply the work of salvation to the believer (Eph. 1:13-14).

It is a contemplation of this great plan of salvation — planned way back in eternity, even before the fall, that led Paul to burst out in uncontrollable praise.

John the Apostle is another person who was deeply stirred as he contemplated our salvation. In 1 John 3:1, he declared:

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

You can tell the Apostolic astonishment reverberating in John’s voice. That we should be God’s children? Amazing love, how can it be! Considering that we were enemies of God who hated Him in our minds (Colossians 1:21), isn’t it amazing that He would send His Son to die in our place? Romans 5:7-8 argues that it is rare for someone to die for a righteous person, how much less for one to give up his life for his enemies? That is how staggering it is that Christ should die in our stead.

And not only that, having blotted out our wrongdoings via Christ’s blood, He welcomed us into His family as His children. And that is not all. As His children, God has poured His Spirit into our hearts as a deposit and guarantee of an even greater inheritance awaiting us in heaven (Ephesians 1:13-14, 2 Corinthians 1:22).

The mystery of His will

In the New Testament, the word mystery means a heretofore unrevealed truth, now made plain. This definition is supplied by Paul himself. In 3:4-6, he says:

When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Another place where he uses this term is 5:32, where he says, “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”

Putting the two together, the marvellous truth being conveyed here is that all believers are equal before the Lord as His children and citizens of His eternal kingdom. We are His earthly body, of which Christ is the head. The Holy Spirit, the lifeblood of this body, fills us with unique, powerful gifts for the whole body’s benefit so that we can go on doing the things Jesus did while he was on earth, namely, to expand His kingdom here on earth.

Paul further explains that God wants to extend His kingdom until such a time that all the cosmos is once again united under the headship of Christ. His goal is for a day when people of all nationalities, tongues, and nations will sit with Him at a banquet table as members of His family – the people who have been redeemed with His blood.

And He desires not just the Apostles but you and I to be ambassadors to carry this message to those who have not heard it yet. In this letter to the Ephesians, Paul’s words nearly leap off the page with enthusiasm and awe as he reflects on his calling to such a profound purpose (Ephesians 3: 1-2, 7-9, 6:19-20), as he does in his other letters (2 Corinthians 3:5-6, 2 Corinthians 2:16).However, the New Testament teaching is that all believers have been called to a ministry of reconciliation, i.e., we are all God’s ambassadors on a mission to reconcile the whole world to God via the gospel (2 Corinthians 5:17-20). Consider the magnitude of this honour – You and I, ambassadors of Christ!

Conclusion

Charles Spurgeon, the nineteenth-century preacher, once told of a minister who called on a poor woman wanting to help her out of her financial straits. Money in hand, he knocked on the door repeatedly, but she did not answer. Eventually, he left. Later, as he related the incident to her at church, she said: “Oh dear!’, ‘I heard you, sir, and I’m so sorry I did not answer. I thought you were the man calling for the rent.’

Like this woman, most believers fail to grasp and, therefore, miss out on the riches we have in Christ. A lack of appreciation of the meaning of our redemption, as discussed above, means that we deprive ourselves spiritually and are consequently malnourished and impoverished. We are not able to exclaim with Paul, “Blessed be God!”. Our worship and passion for missions are stifled.

The questions lingering for us now are: Are we stirred by the reality of our redemption? Will we stand as vigorous ambassadors of Christ, awed by His love and propelled to proclaim His marvellous grace to those who don’t yet know Him?

The post A Reminder of the Marvel of God’s Lavish Grace appeared first on TGN.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” Philippians 2:12.

At first glance, the opening verse may lead some to believe that Paul is emphasising salvation through works. If taken at face value, this interpretation could seem at odds with the historic orthodox Christian belief of salvation through grace alone. (Ephesians 2:8). But is that truly what Paul is conveying?

A critical rule of biblical interpretation is that the context determines the meaning. Another helpful thing is to consider the different genres of the biblical text which guide the interpretive approach. For example, we don’t read a letter (or,say, an email) the same way we read a newspaper.

In the case of the text in question, Paul is writing a letter to the Philippians, and just like when we get a letter in real life, we would have to read the whole thing to grasp the full import of the author’s meaning/intent, we must interpret each verse in light of the entire letter. This is what we mean by context: What came before the text and what is stated after.

So, let’s examine what Paul means by ‘working out our own salvation with fear and trembling.’

Here’s the full verse:

Verse 12 reads, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13.  for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

I have added verse 13 because, as you can see, the sentence doesn’t end with verse 12, so it will be incomplete, i.e., we will do an injustice to the text to leave out the next verse. It is important to note that these verse divisions are artificial and do not form part of the original text.

The first thing to observe is that the Philippians’ have always obeyed.’ This gives us an insight into the fact that these are Believers in Jesus, fellow saints, Paul is talking about. He has already said this in the first chapter. In 1:1, he said these are Saints in Christ Jesus. Throughout the NT, this description is given to people who have already placed faith in Jesus for their salvation. Then, in v5-6, he again mentions that they have a partnership in the gospel, and then the Apostle affirms his belief that God, who has begun a good work in them, will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. So, God has already begun a good work in these folk – which is another way of saying God has saved them and is living in them.

So, we can rule out the fact that Paul is now asking these guys to do certain things so that they can gain salvation. The context does not support such a conclusion. That would deplete the finished work of Christ Jesus.

Another reason we cannot take the verse to mean that Paul is asking the Philippians to do something to earn their salvation is that, in the broader context, specifically, Chapter 3:2-11, Paul rejects any teaching of salvation by works in no uncertain terms. In 3:9, he says this:

“and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— “.

So, it would be contradictory to Paul’s own teaching in the rest of the same epistle to take his admonition here to mean that the Philippians should try to gain salvation by doing some work on their own.

So, what does Paul mean by working out their salvation?

Simply, Paul is saying that they should demonstrate their faith in how they live their daily lives. In other words, their continued obedience is a form of ‘working out’ (or living out) what God has already ‘worked into’ their hearts. This is why the text says to ‘work out’ instead of ‘work for’. Notice that he goes on to say, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

So, even the obedience that he demands of them, he says, flows from God (so they can’t take credit for it, just like the grace that saved them). The will to obey and the energy to do are both a result of God’s work within His people. They have been made new creations with new desires and affections as a result of God’s work.

Another way in which people sometimes capture this is with the phrase ‘we are saved for good works’. Martin Luther, the German Reformer, put it like this: “We are saved by grace alone, but the grace that saved us is not alone – it is accompanied by good works.” In other words, the proof that we are genuinely saved is in the fruit of obedience that flows from our lives. Because, as Ephesians 2:10 says, God creates the new creature (the believer) to walk in good works. He gives every believer the will and what it takes to do good works. So, if one claims to have been saved but we don’t see any evidence of progressive obedience, their claim to faith is suspect. This is precisely what Paul is saying to the Philippians here.

The context further sheds light on what the ‘working out of their salvation’ he is talking about looks like:

•  Do all things without grumbling or disputing (v14)
•  That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world(v15)
•  Holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain(v16).

In conclusion, wresting a verse of Scripture from its contextcan lead to erroneous interpretation. Paul’s epistle to the Philippians exemplifies this, underscoring that salvation is not a reward for deeds but a grace-driven transformation from within, evidenced by our actions and conduct. The believer, indwelt and inspired by God, is called to live out this salvation in daily life, not to earn it, but to reflect the life-altering power that faith produces. As Paul illustrates, believers must illuminate the world with righteous deeds, standing as testaments to the profound work of God in their hearts. By understanding and embracing the holistic context of the Scriptures, we can appreciate the depth of its teachings and apply them with wisdom and clarity in our walk with Jesus.

The post Handling the Word Rightly: Philippians 2:12 appeared first on TGN.

Introduction

The concept of regeneration holds a significant place in Christian theology, representing a profound change that occurs within the soul of a believer. While the term ‘regeneration’ is used explicitly only in Titus 3:5, there are other related terms found throughout Scripture that convey the idea of ‘being born again’ or ‘begetting anew’ (John 1:13, 3:3-9; 1John1:1, 2:29, 3:9, & 4:7) and ‘bringing forth into being’ (James 1:18). These terms offer insights into the transformative work of God within individuals.

There is another group of words which carries the meaning of ‘creating’ or ‘creating anew’ (see Ephesians 2:13, 4:24; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15). Another term we come across in the Scriptures is “to quicken”. We find examples of this in Ephesians 2:4-5, where we read that even when we were dead in sins, God quickened us together with Christ, by grace we have been saved (see also Colossians 2:13, a parallel to the statement in Ephesians).

This article will explore the meaning of regeneration, distinguish it from conversion, and delve into its profound implications for the believer’s life.

Understanding Regeneration

Regeneration refers to the implanting of new life in the soul through the divine act of God. It is the process by which a principle of new life is infused into a person, transforming the governing disposition of their soul.

Regeneration and conversion are often confused with each other. They are like two sides of the same coin. Regeneration is God’s work—something done to us, while conversion is our response to what God has done. Conversion is the tangible expression of the regenerated life, where the individual’s actions align with their newfound disposition.

An illustration of the difference between regeneration and conversion can be found in the effectual call of the gospel. In considering the example of the general and effectual calls, we note that although the general call of the gospel comes to everyone, only those who are regenerated respond to the call.

This is what happened in the case of Lydia of Thyatira in Acts 16:14. According to Luke, who recorded that event, as Paul was preaching the gospel in Philippi, Lydia responded to what was being preached by “paying attention to what was said by Paul.” Luke then explains that Lydia did this because “the Lord opened her heart”. This is Luke’s way of saying Lydia’s heart was regenerated by the Sovereign work of the Holy Spirit as she sat under Paul’s preaching. That first act she did as a regenerate person (i.e., responding to the call of the gospel) is what we call conversion. When someone starts to do certain things due to being regenerated, we say that that person has been converted.

Another depiction the Bible uses to describe this work is that of God causing the light to shine in our hearts:

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

What Regeneration Is Not

Regeneration does not involve a physical change in the substance or constitution of the human soul. For example, we don’t suddenly develop a higher IQ than we had before we became born again. It is a spiritual change, distinct from any alteration in the physical realm.

It is also essential to recognise that regeneration does not entail a complete transformation of the entire nature of man, nor does it imply that humans become divine or attain two natures like Jesus Christ. Many “new creation” teachings erroneously purport that as a result of the new birth, they become physically immune to diseases and acquire new mental abilities (e.g., we somehow develop the intelligence to pass every exam, driving test etc); however, this is nowhere taught in the Scriptures.

Instead, regeneration affects the governing disposition of the soul while leaving the faculties intact. It is not merely moral reformation or a change in some faculties; rather, it is the implanting of a principle of new spiritual life.

The Nature of Disposition

In addition to the faculties of the soul, there exists something that governs and directs them. This governing force, which we call disposition, plays a crucial role in shaping our actions and attitudes. An individual’s disposition can guide their faculties either toward negative or positive pursuits. For instance, someone who previously used their intelligence to engage in unlawful activities may, after regeneration, employ the same intellectual capacities in an entirely new direction, driven by their transformed disposition.

The Example of Saul of Tarsus

The transformation experienced by Saul of Tarsus, later known as the Apostle Paul, serves as a powerful illustration of regeneration. Before his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, Saul fervently persecuted the early Christian church. Here was a man consumed by a passion to exterminate Christianity from the surface of the earth in order to preserve Judaism. However, following his encounter with the Lord, the same faculties and abilities that were once employed for destructive purposes became instruments for proclaiming the gospel. This radical change in disposition enabled Saul to redirect his talents to serve the Kingdom of God.

Regeneration: An Instantaneous Act

Is regeneration an instantaneous act or a process that occurs gradually over time? I am convinced that regeneration does not happen through a gradual process but is an immediate act of God. The very economy of words Scripture uses to describe the new birth suggests this to us. Life is either implanted or not; there are no intermediate stages. We are either (made) alive, or we are not. We are either born (again), or we are not.

Regeneration is an instantaneous miracle performed by the Holy Spirit. It operates in the sub-conscious or unconscious realms, beyond our full comprehension. During Jesus’ famous conversation with Nicodemus, he alluded to this when he said the new birth is an operation we can’t fully understand or perceive. The first thing we know about it is that it’s happened. We see the results, and then we know it’s happened.

This is what Jesus meant in John 3:8, when he likened regeneration to the wind, which blows where it pleases, emphasising its miraculous and mysterious nature.

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8).

A person who is born of the Spirit experiences this transformative work, enabling them to perceive and enter the Kingdom of God:

“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God'”. (John 3:3).

A person may have several opportunities to hear the gospel before he becomes born again; however, they don’t slowly experience the new birth in stages, as it were, until finally they become ‘fully born again’. Jesus’ words to Nicodemus in John 3 above prove otherwise. Except a man is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom. Except we are regenerate, we can’t even begin to see the Kingdom at all. Dead men don’t see. They must first be made alive.

Regeneration: The Creative Act of God

Regeneration is solely the creative act of God, in which man contributes nothing. The Scriptures highlight that individuals are born again, not by their own will or bloodline but through the work of God within them:

“Who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:13).

“Who were born“. God is the one who implants this life in man. “Not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God“. We don’t give birth to ourselves. Neither can we become God’s children by our own efforts; it is the work of God in us. It is an act that surpasses human agency, as amply demonstrated by various biblical passages which point to the fact that man in sin is impotent and lifeless till God breathes new life into us.

Consider the following Scriptural connotations to our life before regeneration:

We were dead in sins (Ephesians 2:3-4).

We were blind in sin (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Our hearts were like stones (Ezekiel 36:26, Jeremiah 24:7).

(Heart here, as in the rest of Scripture, refers to the very centre of one’s personality—the fundamental disposition – see explanation of disposition above).

By nature, no man will (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Thus, the spiritual rebirth (regeneration) is a divine initiative, as it resurrects the spiritually dead, illuminates the darkened hearts, and opens hearts to receive God’s truth.

Conclusion

Regeneration is a profound transformation that takes place within the soul, marking the beginning of a new spiritual life. It is distinct from conversion, as it is the work of God implanting a new disposition within individuals. Regeneration does not involve physical changes or the acquisition of new faculties but rather the infusion of a principle of new life. This miraculous act of God affects the whole person, including their will and affections, enabling them to respond to the call of the gospel and experience the profound blessings of being called the children of God.

The post On The Regenerating Work of the Spirit appeared first on TGN.

“That you … may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.”

Ephesians 3:17-19.

As we saw in the first post, the Apostle Paul’s prayer for believers in Ephesians 3:18 prompts us to comprehend the dimensions of God’s love – the breadth, the depth, and the height. Having explored the ‘length’ of God’s love in the previous article, which signifies the eternal nature of it, we now delve into the other three dimensions that further illuminate the complexity and enormity of His love.

The ‘breadth‘ of God’s love represents its extensive reach. God’s love is not reserved for a select few; instead, it encompasses all of humanity. Revelation 7:9-10 paints a vivid image of the immense multitude from every nation and language who have been recipients of God’s love. His love is not confined by geographical borders, cultural differences, or historical eras; it reaches out to everyone, everywhere:

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Revelation 7:9-10

Even today, here and now, God still is inviting people everywhere to come and be a part of His family. In John’s vision in Revelation quoted above, the great multitude represented people who had washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. This represents the great exchange that happens when we place faith in Jesus Christ: He exchanges our sins for His righteousness, typified by white robes. If you have yet to experience this transforming power of the blood of Jesus, I invite you to invite him into your life today. He stands ready to wash away all your sins and clothe you in His righteousness like this holy choir that John the revelator describes.

The ‘depth‘ of God’s love is reflected in the lengths that Jesus Christ went to demonstrate His love for us. The Apostle Paul, in Philippians 2:5-8, illustrates Christ’s humility and sacrifice, from setting aside His divine grandeur and putting on humble humanity, to experiencing a criminal’s death on a Roman cross:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6. who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7. but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

(Philippians 2:5-8).

When C. S. Lewis contemplated the miracle of the incarnation, he wrote:

“In the Christian story God descends to reascend. He comes down; down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity; … But He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world with Him. One has the picture of a strong man stooping lower and lower to get himself underneath some great complicated burden. He must stoop in order to lift, he must almost disappear under the load before he incredibly straightens his back and marches off with the whole mass swaying on his shoulders. Or one may think of a diver, first reducing himself to nakedness, then glancing in mid-air, then gone with a splash, vanished, rushing down through the green and warm water into black and cold water, down through increasing pressure into the death-like region of ooze and slime and old decay; then up again, back to colour and light, his lungs almost bursting, till suddenly he breaks surface again, holding in his hand the dripping, precious thing that he went down to recover.”

Lewis beautifully captures how the King of Glory stoops low, stepping down from eternity into time, just to draw us up with Him to sit with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). Isaiah 53:2-5 further illustrates the profound depths of this love, as Jesus bore our iniquities, suffered, and died to offer us redemption.

Lastly, the ‘height‘ of God’s love indicates the transformative power of His love. We, once sinful and estranged, are now adopted as His children, seated in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). We have become fellow heirs with Christ, raised from the miry pits of sin (Romans 8:17). As 1 Samuel 2:8 (cf. Psalm 113:7-8) declares, God “raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes…“

Exploring the breadth, depth, and height of God’s love offers us a profound perspective on His character and His relationship with us. The vast reach of His love, demonstrated in the breadth, invites us to pursue His heart for our world, and to be unrelenting in our efforts to share the good news of His love to a world that is lost, broken and hurting, and in desperate need of salvation.

The depth of God’s love, mirrored in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, calls us to a deeper understanding and appreciation of His grace. It is in the depth of this love that we find forgiveness, redemption, and the promise of eternal life.

The height of God’s love, finally, symbolises the transformative power of His love. We are elevated from our sinful nature to become His children, who are adopted into His family and are filled with His Spirit (1 John 3:1-2). This serves as a powerful reminder of our worth in Christ: we are the people He purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28). We are loved and accepted in the Beloved! (Ephesians 1:6).

In our daily lives, these dimensions of God’s love should guide our actions and interactions. Having received such great love, we should extend the same love, compassion, and grace to those around us, mirroring the divine love we have received.

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“That you … may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.”
Ephesians 3:17-19.

In today’s world, the concept of love is as varied as the people who experience it. Notably, human love can often be volatile and fleeting – one moment it’s a profound profession of love, and in the next, it can swiftly turn into words of resentment, especially in the context of intimate relationships. This inconsistency starkly contrasts the love of God. God’s love transcends human comprehension, it is steadfast, enduring, and unwavering. As we dive into the scriptures, we discover that one way to grasp this divine love is by contemplating its ‘length’.

In his epistle to the Ephesians, Paul prays for all recipients, whom he refers to as ‘saints and faithful in Christ’, to experience the zenith of all spiritual experiences: ‘that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.’

It is significant to note that Paul’s epistle was directed to the entire Church – all who are considered ‘saints,’ which simply denotes those called out or set apart – and not exclusively to the clergy or a special group of people. Throughout his letter, Paul consistently addresses all members of the Church as ‘saints’ (Eph 1:15, 18; 2:19; 3:8; 4:12; 6:18). Interestingly, the term ‘saints,’ appears 67 times in the New Testament and is invariably used in the plural form. Paul’s desire was for all the believers at Ephesus to attain this profound spiritual experience. We, as modern-day believers, are no different from these Ephesian Christians.

The Apostle underlines in his prayer, that the pathway to this spiritual summit lies in knowing ‘the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge’; to comprehend the dimensions of this love – its length, width, depth, and height. This is implied by the phrase, “that” in verse 19, which indicates that what precedes is a necessary condition for what follows:  

“and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19).

Nota bene

It is important to note upfront that what proceeds is only applicable to the heart in which Christ dwells. The text makes this explicitly clear when it says, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and ground in love,” before continuing with “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth…”. In other words, only the heart in which Christ dwells through faith can know this love that this article explores.

Next, it is essential to clarify the kind of knowledge being talked about here. The Bible uses the word “know” in two different ways. First, is head or sense knowledge. This kind of knowledge is merely intellectual and is not dependent on love. This is the kind of knowledge that the Apostle says, “puffs up”, contrasted by love, which “builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). One may know a lot about God and yet not know God. The second way in which the Bible uses “know” is translated from the Greek, “Ginosko“, depicting a living and deep experience, which stems from a loving and personal relationship with God. Interestingly, the Bible uses this expression to denote the intimate relationship between a husband and wife that leads to procreation (Luke 1:34). This kind of knowledge goes beyond sensory perception and permeates the heart that has made a home for Christ. Does your heart fit this description? Then you may proceed. If not, I invite you to invite Christ in, before we commence our journey.

What is the length of God’s love?

We start our journey by attempting to understand the ‘length’ of God’s love, signifying the endless and eternal nature of His love. At the start of his letter, Paul bursts into Apostolic praise, as he considered the fact that God’s love for His people began before he said “Let there be light“. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, and chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundations of the world were laid in place (Ephesians 1:4-5). Again, notice how this sets the premise for all that follows in Paul’s letter – including this indescribable experience of embracing the fullness of God in the totality of our being.

Jeremiah 31:3 provides us with a profound affirmation of God’s everlasting love: “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee (KJV).” His love is ceaseless, unchanging, and unbroken, and it endures from eternity past to eternity to come.

Romans 8:35, 38-39 reassures us of the inseparable nature of God’s love, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.“ No circumstance or power in the universe can sever us from this eternal love.

God’s love is like an unbreakable promise that persists no matter the situation, just as stated in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you“. This promise reflects the boundless length of God’s love. It started before time and will continue forevermore, uninterrupted and unchanging, irrespective of our shortcomings and failures.

Understanding the length of God’s love – its unchanging and everlasting nature – provides us with immense comfort and assurance. His love, ceaseless and steadfast, becomes our fortress and refuge in times of trials and tribulations. No matter the situations we face in life, we can remain secure in the knowledge that God’s love for us remains constant.

The length of God’s love reminds us of our worth in His eyes. Despite our imperfections and failures, He continues to love us with an everlasting love. This should encourage us to reciprocate His love, not out of obligation, but out of genuine gratitude and joy. Our actions, attitudes, and relationships should reflect this divine love that has been so generously bestowed upon us.

In conclusion, the length of God’s love is a testament to His unending commitment to us. It provides a foundation for our faith and shapes our Christian walk. As we continue to delve deeper into the dimensions of His love, let us not forget the profound truth found in the length of His love – it is eternal, unchanging, and forever faithful.

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The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29.

We pick up our study of John’s testimony about Jesus in John 1:29-34 from where we left off in the previous article, having considered how the historical and prophetic teaching on the Lamb of God converges in Jesus Christ. In this final article in the series, we will consider what it means to take away the world’s sin and explore the response of John’s first hearers and what our own response must be.

What does it mean to take away the sin of the world?

Observe that our text says, “the Lamb of God (not just any lamb) who takes away the sin (not the sins) of the world“. This is most striking! It begs the following questions: “Why did God have to provide Himself a Lamb?“ (Genesis 22:8), “Could we be absolved of our sins by any other means, without the intervention of this Lamb?“ and “What is the sin that this Lamb takes away?“

In his book, “Everyone’s a Theologian“, R. C. Sproul provides an illustration that I think is very useful in answering these questions. I will attempt to recapitulate it as faithfully as I can. Imagine a small boy entering an ice cream store and ordering an ice cream cone. The waitress serves him the ice cream and tells him he owes GHS2. The boy’s face sinks as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out only a GHS1 note. With deep sadness, he tells the waitress, “My mommy gave me only one Ghana cedi“. Imagine you were standing in the queue, watching this drama unfold. Moved, with compassion, you pull out a cedi from your pocket, hand it to the waitress and say, “Here, I’ll make up the difference.“ The boy looks up with a beaming smile and says, “Gee, thank you Sir“ and goes away ravishing the ice cream.

Do you suppose the waitress will accept the payment? Yes, she would because the boy incurred a financial debt of GHS1, and as long as the money you offered is genuine, it is legal tender, and the waitress will have to accept the payment. However, the result will be different if we tweak the story a bit.

Imagine our boy entering the shop again, but this time, instead of ordering a cone, he waits until the waitress goes to the back of the shop, at which time he quickly scoops some of the ice cream into a cone and makes a run for it. Unfortunately, the security at the entrance catches him, and the shop owner calls the police. As you watch this drama unfold, you feel sorry for the boy and decide to intervene. You hand the owner GHS2 and say to the policeman, “Hang on a second, officer. Look, here’s GHS2 for what the boy owes, now shall we forget about this?“. The policeman looks at the owner and asks, “Do you want to press charges?” The policeman cannot let the boy go just yet because this time, he has not just incurred a pecuniary debt; he has broken the law and incurred a moral debt as well. So, the store owner reserves the right to accept or refuse the payment.

That is precisely how we should view the atonement. When Paul contemplated the atonement in Romans 3:26, he called God both the judge and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Sproul points out that God the Father is the owner of the ice cream store, and we are the little boy who tried to steal some ice cream. All of us have broken God’s law and incurred a moral debt, the punishment for which is death. That is the sin of the world – a moral debt; one that we cannot pay because we keep on sinning.

God being just, he must punish our sin. And just as the owner of the ice cream shop decides what payment he will accept, so God the Father reserves the right to dictate what payment is required for our treasonous offence and the moral debt we owe him. God has chosen His own substitute to pay the price for our sins; a bystander cannot simply pay the debt. That is the only payment He has chosen to accept, the only one worthy and sufficient to pay for our moral debt. And so, sin cannot be taken away by any other lamb.

Why does John use this description of Jesus and not any other?

To answer this, we turn to Revelations 5. A verdict is about to be given in heaven, and John hears a loud voice ask, “Who is worthy to open the scroll?” At first, no one is found worthy, and so John weeps uncontrollably. Then one of the elders tells him to stop weeping, for behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered and so can open the scroll and its seven seals.

Based on the description of the elder, one would expect to see a powerful lion coming up to snatch the scroll and tear it open, but instead, as John looks on, he sees a Lamb, as though it was slain, standing between the throne and the four living creatures. He [the Lamb] takes the scroll from the hand of Him, who sits on the throne. And then the four living creatures and twenty-four elders prostrate themselves before the Lamb and sing his praises.

The portrait of Jesus as the Lion easily evokes imageries of power and majesty. Rightly so, for all power in heaven and on earth belong to Jesus. But then, I believe that his power, majesty, and exaltation are revealed in his death on the cross. It was as the Lamb that was slain that he conquered, not as a Lion. That is why he retains the portrait of a Lamb even in heaven. And that is why the Lamb is the theme of heaven’s praises, as exemplified by Revelations 5. According to one count, there are twenty-eight references to Jesus as the Lamb in the book of Revelations and only one in the rest of the New Testament (from John’s testimony in our opening passage). He sits on heaven’s throne as the Lamb that was slain instead of a Lion.

What was the response of John’s hearers, and what should our own reaction be?

John’s words would have been momentous to his hearers. And the import of such a description would not have been lost on them. “This is the one Isaiah and the prophets spoke about!“ This is the great antitype of all types presented in the numerous offerings and sacrifices you and your fathers have performed in the temple. Behold the Lamb of God!“

And what was their response? Some, like the two disciples of John, Andrew and the other (whose name we don’t know), believed and left John to follow the Lamb (John 1:40). He [Andrew] then found his brother, Simon and brought him along to the Lamb. But others, such as the Jewish leaders, rejected him because he did not fit the mould they were expecting. They expected a military leader, a Lion, who would ravage the armies of the Romans and set them free from physical and economic oppression. And so, they rejected him and had Him killed.

What would our own response be? I would like to suggest two ways in which we must respond.

Firstly, if you don’t know Jesus as your sin-bearer, this is your moment to behold him as your Lord and Saviour. Consider giving your life to Him and making him your sin-bearer too.

For you, my Christian friend, recognise that the Sin-bearing Lamb is the world’s greatest need.
I fear that the church today is too quick to present a portrait of Jesus that is popular with the masses. Too often, we try to present a politically correct or people-pleasing Jesus who doesn’t want to offend anybody; or a philanthropic Jesus who wants to feed the poor, clothe the naked and solve every other problem but not the problem of sin. However, these are not the greatest needs of our world.

Perhaps, we are afraid people will reject our Jesus as the Lamb who takes away their sin, so we try to present a “softer“ version of Him. As theologian D. A. Carson so poignantly points out,

“If God had perceived that our greatest need was economic, He would have sent an economist. If he had perceived that our greatest need was entertainment, he would have sent us a comedian or an artist. If God had perceived that our greatest need was political stability, he would have sent us a politician. If he had perceived that our greatest need was health, he would have sent us a doctor. But he perceived that our greatest need involved our sin, our alienation from him, our profound rebellion, our death, and he sent us a Savior.“

Let us be careful to present the sin-bearing Lamb to a world that needs Him more than anything else!

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