Unity # 15: The Special Note and Vindication of the New Nature

Unity # 15: The Special Note and Vindication of the New Nature 

Dear Father,     
     You are the One who vindicates the glory of Your Name. You remain faithful to Yourself and Your people whom You have called as a part of Yourself. When we go through periods of faithlessness, you remain faithful, and You bring us back to the mind that is driven by faith. You cannot disown Yourself. You do not allow Your glory to be removed or shame to be brought to Your purposes and those who carry Your banner. Thank You for giving us a pure and enduring faith that will remain until the end after being brought through many fires.  In Jesus Christ’s Name, Amen  

Dear Beloved,    
     In the past couple weeks, I have been writing about the regeneration of the people of God by which they die to the old man, are raised with Christ, and are given a new nature made to be like Christ in true righteousness and holiness. This new nature is not only able to obey the Law of God through the Spirit’s power and grace, but the war between the Spirit which inhabits us and the flesh remnant that we still possess has eternally drifted in one direction. For the remainder of our lives, we will see the Spirit’s victory over each sin of the flesh as our heavenly Father fulfills the good work which He started in us. The indwelling Spirit in the regenerate person refuses to let him/her continue in sin because the practicing of sin is in direct opposition to the true regenerate nature of the person. Indeed, God’s New Covenant includes both the forgiveness of our sins and the installation of a new heart and spirit and the inclining of our hearts to fear Him and to obey His Law.

On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. 1 John 2:8

     This letter is about God’s vindication of His people. The term “special note” in the title of this letter is taken from 1 Thess 3:14-15 which says, “14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” When professing believers fall into deep sin, severe discipline is administered to these people by God and is sometimes delivered though the people of God. There were three instances of individuals whom the apostle Paul instructed the people of God to hand over to Satan, so that their flesh would be destroyed and their souls would be saved. Similarly Paul tells the Corinthian church to judge those who are within the church, to expel the wicked person from among them, and to leave the judgment of unbelievers to the Lord (1 Cor 5:12-13). The glorious truth is that, in such cases where a straying believer is judged by the church, if he has truly been regenerated, he will surely be brought back and restored to the assembly of believers. As Paul spoke to the Corinthians about the man who had strayed in sin, “5 But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree—in order not to say too much—to all of you. 6 Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, 7 so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. (2 Cor 2)”
     Dear saints, God vindicates His people. As Paul told Timothy, “It is a trustworthy statement: for if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He will also deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim 2:11-13)”. How does He remain faithful when we are faithless? Does He simply forgive our faithlessness? He surely does, but He is faithful to the entirety of His New Covenant and thus brings us back to the abiding of ourselves in Christ. He does not let us remain continually astray. There is something quite remarkable that God taught me this week. I was convicted of the countless instances in my life where I acted, spoke, or reasoned so as to defend my actions or words. I had taken it upon myself to defend myself. And yet, I had forgotten that God is my Vindicator. As followers of Christ, we truly are our regenerate selves. Our new selves are already perfect, seated in the heavenly realms with Christ. Our old natures are dead, and yet we still contain the flesh remnant. So when I defended myself, I was either defending my flesh remnant or my perfect regenerate self. There is no reason to defend the carnal flesh, for this flesh is not worthy of defense. There is no reason to defend my regenerate self because Christ defends it on the basis of His own blood; He is our Advocate. Furthermore, to defend my regenerate self rather than trusting Christ to vindicate me would be to defend the perfected new creation with my carnal flesh; how foolish this would be! And if Christ defends our regenerate self, and this self is who we truly are [we are not the old man any more], what more must I defend. Indeed I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and have Himself up for me (Gal 2:20). We have died and our lives are hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then we also will be revealed with Him in glory (Col 3:1-4). Dear saints, we need not defend ourselves, for He is our Defender and He has surely made us new. Christ is our example. When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously (1 Peter 2:23). Even Christ trusted His Father for vindication. As Paul tells Timothy “16 By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. (1 Tim 3)”
     The Lord God has given us the tongue of disciples, that we may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens us morning by morning. He awakens our ears to listen as His disciples. He opens our ears, and by His grace we are not disobedient or rebellious. We would give our back to those who strike us, and our cheeks to those who pluck out our beard; we do not cover our faces from humiliation and spitting. For the Lord God helps us. Therefore, we are not disgraced; Therefore, we set our faces like flint. We know that we will not be ashamed. Our God who vindicates us is near; who will contend with us? Who has a case against us? Let him draw near to us. The Lord God helps us? Who is he who condemns us? Behold they will all wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up. (Is 50:4-9) Dear saints, listen to the Words of our God from Is 51:7-8, 12-13.

7 “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, A people in whose heart is My law; Do not fear the reproach of man, Nor be dismayed at their revilings. 8 “For the moth will eat them like a garment, And the grub will eat them like wool. But My righteousness will be forever, And My salvation to all generations.”  
12 “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies And of the son of man who is made like grass, 13 That you have forgotten the LORD your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens And laid the foundations of the earth, That you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, As he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the oppressor? Is 51 

     God tells us to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. If we are regenerated, we will surely recognize that Christ is in us, not because all of our actions and meditations have always been perfect, but because He has shown us His grace, transformed us, and continues to make us like His Son. However, for those who are not regenerate such an examination would be failed. We pray to God that we may never do wrong, not so that we ourselves may appear approved, but so that we may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved. For we can do nothing against the Truth, but only for the Truth (2 Cor 13:5-9). The faith which our heavenly Father has given us is more precious than gold, which is perishable. Through great trials and temptations, the proof of this faith, even through tested by fire, will be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Pet 1:6-7). As we discover the extent of the moral depravity of our flesh, and falter in inner turmoil in the midst of trials and disaster, we will find that time after time, God will bring us out as
gold. He will cleanse us of each stronghold of the flesh and each component of moral filth through this refinement. Because of His gift of faith, we will always come out as pure gold. We are His, dear saints. We are His. With our mouths we give thanks abundantly to the Lord; and in the midst of many we praise Him. For He stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul. (Ps 109:30-31)
     One of the effects of our belief in God’s vindications of our souls is that our perspective towards other people is also based on God’s vindication of His own Name. From now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Because we are in Christ, we are new creatures; the old things passed away; behold new things have come. (2 Cor 4:16) We do not hold our faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. If a man comes into our assembly dressed with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man also comes in with dirty clothes, and we pay special attention to the one who wearing the fine clothes, giving him more hospitality and honor, while neglecting the honoring of the poor man, we have made distinctions among ourselves and become judges with evil motives. Remember, beloved that God chose the poor of this world, whether poor in material wealth or other kinds of poverty of spirit, to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which He promised to those who love Him. We must not dishonor the poor man. (James 2:1-6) Rather we must know that each of the people of God has received a special gift which must be employed in serving the body of Christ as good stewardship of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:10) Another way that we could err by regarding our flesh is to present ourselves with superiority of speech and wisdom as we proclaim the testimony of God. We should rather determine to know nothing among the people of God except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. As Paul told the Corinthians, “ 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. (1 Cor 2)”
     Recalling the special note that we discussed that should be made of those who claim to know Christ and yet live in a continual lifestyle of unrepentant sin, we must remember God’s command to bear with and forgive one another. If we have a complaint against someone, we must forgive as the Lord forgave us. (Col 3:13) Indeed, love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). When someone sins against us, we always are to forgive them. 1 Thess 3:15 tells us that we are not to regard those who live in sin as an enemy, but rather to admonish him as a brother. Because our vindication comes from Christ, when someone sins against us, we must always forgive, entrusting judgment to our Father. When we are sinned against, our own retaliation, lack of forgiveness, and lack of love is a form of self defense. And again, it is useless to defend our carnal flesh, and Christ is the Defender of our regenerate selves and the glory of His Name. So yes, let us rebuke, admonish, warn, and exhort one another to
uphold the honor of God’s Name and Truth, but may we never fail to maintain love, mercy, and hope.
      And yet when others continue to sin against our God, we must be jealous with God’s jealousy as Phinehas was when the Israelites sinned and in so doing turned away God’s wrath from the sons of Israel so that they were not destroyed (Num 25:11). May zeal for His house consume us, and may we be willing for the reproaches of those who reproach Him fall on us (Ps 69:9). But our love and forgiveness must always be maintained towards all people, even professing Christians who live in sin. As long as the people of the earth have life and breath, we must hope and pray for their repentance. If only we truly understood the coming judgment, that the prince of the world stands condemned, we would realize that every deed, both big and small, will come into judgment. Each deed is either covered by the blood of Christ, in which case our bitter and malicious words against someone are our own attempt to judge the law. But we know that there is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy. But we are no one to judge our neighbor (James 4:11-12). And if the deeds of others are to be judged by the wrath of God at the time of final judgment, the torment that awaits them is infinitely more than what can be avenged by man. May we tremble in fear at the judgment that awaits those who remain under and even now drink from the cup of His wrath.

19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. 20 “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Rom 12 

    Yes, while they breath, there is always hope that God will grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the Truth and that they will come to their new senses of the Mind of Christ possessed by the regenerate spirit (2 Tim 2:15).

Love in Christ,  Preethi

Unity # 14: The Holy Seed and the Law

Unity # 14: The Holy Seed and the Law

The Response of the Regenerate to the Law of God

Theme Song: By Grace Alone

Dear Father,

     I praise You that You shepherd Your flock with strength and majesty. You love Your sheep infinitely more than I ever could in my mortal days. Please forgive us for being lax in seeking You with all of our heart. Please increase our desire to know You, to become like You, and to fear You. Many are the plans which we have had, but Your will prevails. May Your Kingdom come. May Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Keep our consciences clear by the blood of Your Son, and teach us to repent with speed and child-like faith. Prepare us for the days ahead of us, whatever they may hold.

In Jesus Christ’s Name,

Amen

Dear Beloved,

     This letter will describe the response of the regenerate to the Law of God. We know that we have been released to the Law by which we were previously bound (Rom 7:6), we have been granted Christ’s imputed righteousness, and we are enabled to obey the Law of God through the Spirit. So, in view of this changing of natures from the sinful man to the new self made to be like Christ in true righteousness and holiness, how does our perspective and attitude to the Law change?  Jesus said that not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished (Matt 5:18).

     Our perspective towards to the Law changes entirely with the changing of our natures through the regenerating work of the Spirit and Word. Prior to regeneration, we were under the “Law of Sin and Death” and as we are regenerated we come under the “Law of the Spirit of Life” which sets us free from the Law of Sin and Death through Christ Jesus (Rom 8:2).

These two Laws describe the inevitable response of a person to the Law of God based on the status of their nature.

     An unregenerate person, because his heart is naturally in opposition to God, cannot love or obey the Law of God, and is thus under the Law of Sin and Death [death because of the just judgment that awaits him]. The regenerated person, because his new heart is naturally inclined towards God through the Holy Spirit, will love and obey the Law of God, and is thus under the Law of the Spirit of Life. The Law of Sin and Death involves the effect of the Law to exacerbate the sinful passions of the sinful man. The Law of the Spirit of Life involves the effect of the Law, the Word of God, that has been planted in the born-again Christian to result in the growth of the person in respect to their salvation (1 Pet 2:1-3).

Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, ² like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, ³ if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. 1Pet 2

      The Law of God is the Law of love. For love does not wrong to a neighbor and is therefore the fulfillment of the Law (Rom 13:10). The apostle John said that he was not writing about a new commandment, but an old commandment which they had heard from the beginning. The old commandment is the Word which we have heard. On the other hand, he was writing a new commandment which is true in Christ and in us, because the darkness is passing a away and the true Light is already shining. (I John 2:7-8) The Spirit of God pours love into the hearts of the regenerate (Rom 5:5), and thus when this person hears the Law of God, rather than being aroused in his flesh to greater manifestations of a wicked nature, he will love and obey the Law. For in his new being, the Law of God has been written on his heart and dwells most intimately close to him.

¹⁰ “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
After those days, says the Lord:

I will put My laws into their minds,
And I will write them on their hearts.
And I will be their God,
And they shall be My people. Heb 8

     The regenerate person’s delight is in the Law of the Lord and on it, he meditates day and night (Ps 1:2). He delights to do God’s will because His Law is within his heart (Ps 40:8). Because of his delight in God’s Law, he longs for God’s salvation and compassion (Ps 119:77, 174). He knows that if God’s Law had not been his delight he would have perished in his affliction (Ps 119:92). The regenerate person, through the Spirit, by faith, is waiting for the hope of righteousness (Gal 5:5). As children of God, it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John  3:1-3). The desires of the regenerate are new, holy, righteous, and pure; they are in perfect accordance with the Law of God. For they are born again, not of seed which is perishable, but with seed which is imperishable. This seed is the living and enduring God (1 Peter 1:23)

²⁴ For,

“All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
And the flower falls off,
²⁵ But the word of the Lord endures forever.”  1 Pet 1

     Often when professing believers are confronted with the Law of God presented in His Word, they may say, “I am free from the Law, do not try to put me under bondage, for that would be legalism”. But we must look deeper into the heart of someone who speaks such. For in this statement, we see that these people consider the Law of God to be bondage. Precisely what in the Law of God would we consider to be enslaving or burdensome? When the Word tells us, for example, to put aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness (James 1:21), do we consider such a command to be oppressive? Then, dear saints, we can see clearly that such a person, if they continue to harbor such an attitude, is not regenerated. For those who cannot delight in the Law of God have not been regenerated. Those who are regenerated love the Nature, Commands, and Words of their God; anything less shows an unregenerate and vile heart. Prior to regeneration it was as if the Law stood before us as an ominous insurmountable iron gate. Those who are regenerated are granted the righteousness and love of Christ, and look back at the “Law Gate” by which they were previously bound. For indeed, the blood of Christ has ushered them into the very Presence of God! The Law does not arouse guilt and sinful passions, for these have been destroyed. Those who are merely hearers of the Word delude themselves. What caused the Law to be binding to the unregenerate was precisely the wicked nature that prevented these people from obeying the Law. Whereas, the regenerate have been granted a new nature on the basis of Christ’s blood, and are thus able to obey the Law. The Law is not binding to the regenerate, because it is not in discord with their true nature. The regenerate humbly prove themselves to be doers of the Word, planted in them, which is able to save their souls. (James 1:21-22) For we must not be deceived, God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal Life. And we must not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. (Gal 6:7-9) The following verses clearly explain the response of the two natures [the sinful nature and the new nature] to the Law of God:

⁵ For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, ⁷ because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, ⁸ and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. ¹⁰ If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. ¹¹ But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Rom 8

     God’s promise to Abraham was given to both him and his seed. God did not say “to seeds”, referring to many, but rather to his “Seed”, that is Christ. The Law, which came 430 years later, did not invalidate the Covenant which God had previously ratified, so as to nullify the promise. That is, the incapability of mankind to obey the Law apart from the Gospel, did not defeat God’s promise to Abraham. Rather Christ has fulfilled the requirements in the Law in all of His people, and thus God’s promise remains. The Law was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until Christ, the Seed, would come to whom the promise had been made. The Law of Scriptures has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Christ may be given to those who believe. Before faith came as a gift to us, we were kept in custody under the Law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For we are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:15-27) We are now the offspring of God, born of the seed of Christ, His Word. For God’s promise to Abraham was that in his Seed, all the families of the earth would be blessed (Acts 3:25).

     Those who have been born again are the offspring of the Seed. God has put enmity between the children of the devil and the children of God. Satan has bruised Christ on His heel, and Christ has crushed the head of the serpent. (Gen 3:15). Through Christ’s victory over sin and death, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham to bless him, greatly multiply his seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore, and to cause his seed to possess the gate of their enemies (Gen 22:17). Christ’s Seed is established forever and His throne is built up to all generations (Ps 89:4). For Christ is the Seed of Abraham, His servant, and the sons of Jacob, all the regenerate, His chosen ones (Ps 105:6). But the seed of the wicked would be cast among the nations and scattered in the lands (Ps 106:27). Even in the midst of the vast oceans of people under the burning wrath of God, the holy seed, the remnant of God’s people, is the remaining stump (Is 6:13).

    God is as the Gardener in the Parable of the Sower (Matt 13), scattering His Word, or Seed, among the inhabitants of the world. Meanwhile His Spirit plows and prepares the ground of the chosen people that they may receive the Word with humble and pure hearts, and by persevering bear much fruit, showing themselves to be His disciples. For as the rain and snow that come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the Sower and Bread to the eater; so will His Word be which goes forth from His mouth; It will not return to Him empty, without accomplishing what He desires, and without succeeding in the matter for which He sent It. (Is 55:10-11) For God has sown His people and watched over them to build and plant them (Jer 31). God has sown us, or regenerated us, of the imperishable Seed of the living and enduring Word of God. (1 Pet 1:23).

The Seed = Christ = the Word of God

     Now that we have been born again, we are granted the Word of God to scatter as we follow Christ in our pilgrimage. He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food supplies and multiplies our seed for sowing and increases the harvest of our righteousness (2 Cor 9:10). We thank God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? For we are not like many peddling the Word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God. (2 Cor 2:14-17). Indeed, the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace (James 3:18). There will be peace for the seed: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce and the heavens will give their dew; and God will cause the remnant of His people to inherit eternal Life (Zech 8:12). Behold the days are coming when the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; when the mountains drip sweet wine and the hills will be dissolved (Amos 9:13).

     We, who go to and fro weeping, carrying our bags of seed, shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing our sheaves with us (Ps 126:6). We are to sow our seed in the morning and not be idle in the evening, for we do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good (Ecc 11:6). We are to preach the Word, be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience, and instruction. For the time is here when many will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and turn away their ears from the Truth and turn aside to myths. But we are to be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill our ministries (2 Tim 4:1-5).

     Those who sow to please the sinful nature may seem to bring their seed to blossom initially, but the harvest will be a heap in the day of sickliness and incurable pain (Is 17:11). But even in the littleness of our faith, Christ tells us that even if our faith is the size of a mustard seed, nothing will be impossible for us.

No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (1 John 3:9)

Excellent Messages:

The Impossibility of the Christian Life by Paul Washer

Bob Jennings Funeral Service  80 minutes

Devotion to Christ 7 Minute Sermon by Bob Jennings

Blessed are those who Die in the Lord 41 Minute Sermon by Bob Jennings

An Ode to Strict Parents by Preethi

The Man who Would take my Hand and Lead me to the Gallows by Preethi

Love in Christ,

Preethi

Selah and Jessica Memorizing the Beatitudes

The Justification and Regeneration Gate

FREE PDF of "Justification and Regeneration" by Charles Leiter

Unity # 13: The Sweet Realization of the Desires of the Regenerate

Unity # 13: The Sweet Realization of the Desires of the Regenerate

Theme Song: Jesus, Thank You

Desire realized is sweet to the soul, but it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil. (Prov 13:19)

Dear Father,

     I praise You for enlightening the eyes of our hearts to Your Truth. You enable us to know the Truth and Your Truth makes us free. You transform us by the renewing of our minds. Though we were cut-off from the land of Spiritual life and contained in the realm of the flesh, You have raised our spirits to life and transferred us to Your heavenly realm, that we may be seated with Christ. Thank You that every trial, temptation, and blessing, and every time of emptiness, sorrow, and grief was always about Christ. It was never about anything other than You. And though I felt that I had worshipped my idols rather than You, my Lord, You have and will remove these strongholds from our hearts and exalt Yourself far above these things. Though I had spoken of Your deep Truths without understanding them, You have forgiven my frivolity and opened the eyes of my hearts to comprehend what I spoke of before. Everything is driving us to Christ, that we may behold Your Son, and have Life. Yes, when You are lifted up, You will draw all men to Yourself. And all those who look to You alone as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world will be saved!

In Jesus Christ’s Name,

Amen

Dear Beloved,

     This past week, we were in Indiana with Anand and Prasanna, and God has blessed me with a new understanding of the Spiritual doctrine of regeneration. This doctrine is largely lost in present day “Christianity”. It is a simple doctrine that has been engrained in historical discipleship and true Christianity, and yet our church culture’s lack of knowledge of the Scriptures and our failure to seek Him with all of our heart has caused many among us to fail to understand the nature or implications of regeneration. My heart is full of Scriptures and encouragements to write concerning what I have learned, and I pray that I will start well with this letter in testifying to what I have learned.

     The Greek word for regeneration, paliggenesia, means a rebirth, Spiritual renovation, and restoration. Titus 3:5 tells us that Christ saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. Dear saints, we must understand what has taken place at the time of our conversion, if indeed we have been converted. For conversion is not a simple intellectual affirmation of the Gospel of Christ. Rather, it is complete death to the self and world and resurrection into the Kingdom of God. This is why we often tell one another that being born in a Christian family does not make us a Christian. For each of us was morally depraved and spiritually dead from the time of our conception until the time of conversion. All of our goodness was as filthy rags in the sight of God for we did not have in mind the glory of God and the exaltation of Christ. Our love was not deep, unconditional, faithful, and eternal. Our own self-righteousness was as a crushed reed, which would pierce into a man’s hand were he to land on it (Is 36:6). Because we were spiritually dead, we could not even respond to the Gospel. We could not hear, consider, understand, or believe because we had no life within ourselves. Furthermore, we were deceived into believing that we could be satisfied with something apart from God. Our stolen water was sweet and the bread that we ate in secret was pleasant (Prov 9:17). But afterwards our mouths would be filled with gravel under the vast judgments of God (Prov 20:17). In our spiritually famished state, that which was bitter in the sight of God was sweet to our taste (Prov 27:7). But God declared a woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, and who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter (Is 5:20). Our Spiritual blindness and inability to respond to the Gospel was inescapable. There was no way that any person could understand and believe the Gospel on their own accord of strength of will, mental strivings, or emotional zeal.

     Furthermore, prior to regeneration, when we were encountered by the Law of God, we are unable to obey it. In our minds we may have agreed with God’s Law, but in our prior sinful nature we were utterly incapable of obeying the righteous Law of God. DEAR SAINTS, PAUL DID NOT WRITE ROMANS 7 TO DESCRIBE A REGENERATED PERSON! In this chapter, Paul speaks of his inability to keep the Law of God while he still remained in darkness. He was not describing the wretchedness of Christians, for the life of true Christians, though they may temporarily succumb to their flesh, is not characterized by the law of sin and death described in Romans 7. Please read Romans 7 and praise God for releasing you from this state of being incapable of obeying the law of God. Yes, we have a flesh, where remnants of sin reside, but this is not the essence of the regenerated person. The flesh and the Spirit of God in the regenerated soul are in opposition, but the Spirit will gain the victory so that our lives are not characterized by rebellion and disobedience, but rather progressive submission and love. (Gal 5:16-24)

     In His own time, our blessed God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has chosen to bring our spirits to life and to breathe His Holy Spirit into us. He has given us a new birth through the living Word and Spirit (1 Pet 1:23). According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for us, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this we greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, we have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of our faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though we have not seen Him, we love Him, and though we do not see Him now, we believe in Him, and rejoice greatly with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of our faith the salvation of our souls! (1 Pet 1:3-9)

     When we are regenerated, we are crucified with Christ, we die to sin, we die to the law, we are released from the slavery to sin and death, we die to the realm of the flesh, and we are brought out of darkness. Furthermore, we are raised with Christ, we live for righteousness, we are set free to obey the Law of the Spirit, we become slaves to righteousness leading to holiness, we are brought into the Spiritual heavenly realms with Christ, and we are brought into the Light. Dear saint, you are raised with Christ and you are a new person, made to be like Christ in true righteousness and holiness. The old has gone, the new has come! (Gal 2:20, Rom 6-8, 1 Peter 2:24, Gal 2:19, Eph 2:6, Col 1:13, Eph 5:8, 2 Cor 5:17, Rom 8:2).

     The sinful nature is dead. The old self is dead. The body of sin is done away with. So why do we still sin or go astray as regenerate people for a time? Because we have a flesh, and there are misdeeds of the body which are present within this flesh. But we are not slaves to this sin. We are under no obligation to sin. We are released from our incapability of resisting sin.

     Furthermore, we have gained a new nature. We are good trees. And good trees WILL bear good fruit. Though there may be occasional bad fruit, a good tree is characterized by a consistent ongoing bearing of good fruit. If we have been regenerated, our bodies are the temples of the living God by the Holy Spirit, and we surely will bear good fruit, and continue to do so more and more until we see Him face to face. We have become of such a nature, that when we sin, we will so thoroughly disgust our unnatural acts, and the Spirit will so thoroughly resist the sin in our flesh, and God will remain so perfectly faithful to the glory of His Name, that we cannot continue in sin. Do we stumble at times? Yes, and as our maturity and discernment increases, we will see our falling short in greater detail, but because we are new beings in Christ, we will bear fruit to His glory. We will praise Him for upholding the glory of His Name and we will bow to the Vine for maintaining the beauty of His branches.

     At the time of conversion, our hearts of stone have been removed and hearts of flesh are placed within us (Ex 36:26). Our hearts desires have been changed. Our deep desire is now to know, behold, become like, bring glory to, love, and obey Christ. The righteousness and light of Christ which were formerly bitter to us have become sweet (Ex 15:25). We ourselves become sweet like the sweet Psalmist David (2 Sam 23:1). Our prayers rise up like sweet incense to the Father (Lev 16:12, Ps 141:2). He gives us the fear of the Lord, clean, and enduring forever. We now consider His judgments to be true and altogether righteous. There are more desirable to us than fine gold. They are sweeter than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. For we know that by them we are warned as his servants and in keeping them there is great reward. (Ps 19:9-11) His Words are sweet to our taste and sweeter than honey to our mouth (Ps 119:103) His sound wisdom and discretion are life to our souls, security to our steps, make us unafraid of our enemies, and make our sleep sweet (Prov 3:19-24). His wisdom is sweet and as we find it, we have a future and our hope will not be cut off (Prov 24:13-14). Our new hearts are wise and understanding, and thus our resulting sweet speech increases the persuasiveness of our message, the Gospel (Prov 16:21). Our pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones of one another and those who are yet to be brought into the fold (Prov 16:24). For our counsel is sweet to our friends (Prov 27:9). We thank our God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place (2 Cor 2:14).

     Do we fear that we have not been regenerated? Then may we look to Jesus, again and again for our salvation. He is our Redeemer and High Priest and He turns away no one who comes to Him. Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is our Lover among the idols of the world. In His shade we take great delight and sit down. His fruit is sweet to our taste. (SoS 2:3). His cheeks are like a bed of balsam, banks of sweet-scented herbs; His lips are lilies dripping with liquid myrrh (Sos 5:13). His mouth is full of sweetness and our Christ is wholly desirable. He is our beloved and friend. (Sos 5:16) We are beautiful to our Lord Christ as well for He has bestowed His mantle of beauty onto us (Is 61:3). He says to us, “O My dove, in the clefts of the rock [Jesus is our Rock], in the secret place of the steep pathway [the narrow path], let Me see your form [we are conformed into His Image], let Me hear your voice [our words are spoken by His own Spirit]; for your voice is sweet, and your form is lovely” (SoS 2:14).

     But our oppressors will be fed by God with their own flesh. They will become drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. And all flesh will know that He, our Lord, is our Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. (Is 49:26). Dear saints, because He is sweet to us, there are many persecutions, trials, testings, and refinement which we will undergo. He will rescue us. We are new in Christ and His purpose is to display His glory and beauty through us!

⁹ So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he *said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” ¹⁰ I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. ¹¹ And they *said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.” Rev 9

Excellent Messages:

The Nature of Conversion 52 min by Paul Washer

The Lost Doctrine 8 min by Paul Washer

Regeneration by the Spirit 59 min by Charles Leiter

Justification and Regeneration by Charles Leiter

I praise God for helping me understand regeneration more through this book (given from Anand in response to what Jonathan Edwards said about the error of using the terms "sinful nature" and "flesh" interchangeably), one of the best books I have ever read. In a regenerated person: his sinful nature is dead, he lives in the eternal realms, he is set free from the law of sin and death, he bears fruit according to his new nature, he still sins sometimes b/c of the flesh remnant where sin resides, but cannot continue in it because it is in discord with his new nature. When we obey God, we are being who we truly are ("if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation"). The presence of the indwelling Spirit so thoroughly resists sin in the flesh, that a true Christian cannot bear the misery of his "unnatural" and Spirit-grieving behavior and will repent...and continue to repent. The life of the progressively sanctified Christian is one of becoming who we already are on the basis of Christ's blood. This conformance to the image of Christ ("made to be like Him in true righteousness and holiness") throughout one's earthly life time will surely happen in every regenerated person. Praise God!

The Charles Spurgeon Movie 70 min

Love in Christ,

Preethi

Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

The Man who Would take my Hand and Lead me to the Gallows

The Man who would take my Hand and Lead me to the Gallows (Excerpt from chapter 7 of "The Gospel and the Core of Purity")

     This section is about the man whom I would follow willingly. We know that regardless of the extent to which the God-given authorities in our lives fall short of God’s standard, we are called to obey and honor them in the Lord. So what I will elaborate on here does not convey that I would be free to unrighteously dishonor or disobey a God-given authority. Rather I include what follows to reveal to you an example of what you ought to value and consider as priceless in worth within a man whom you seek to marry. Each Christian woman may have a slightly varying perspective on the “perfect man of God” based on her understanding of Scriptures and knowledge of Christ, and here I will share mine with you. What is described here is a very meager description of a mighty vision I had of the perfect man of God.

 

     Before I begin, I must present the other question of whether I deserve such a man as I will describe. We know that we deserve nothing, but we have been raised up with Christ and are granted every Spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms (Eph 1:3). So there is no telling what God could bless us with. Another aspect is that as suitable helpers, it is very possible that God will use us to increase our husband’s Godliness, and thus we are his aid in achieving the state of holy perfection. As Solomon said, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord” (Prov 18:22)

1.     He must be Regenerated by the Word and Spirit of God and elected for eternal life.

    In a sense, this is my only requirement. The reason why this requirement surpasses my greatest dreams is because God makes glorious promises to all of His elected saints. He promises to do more than all that they ask or think according to His power that works in them, He promises to conform them into the Image of Christ, He promises to remain faithful to them and to enable them to stand firm in faith until the end, He promises to give them greater and greater revelations of His Word, His glory, and His love, He promises that nothing shall separate them from the love of Christ….thus any man who falls into the category of the regenerate would more than exceed my dreams. Why? Because Christ infinitely exceeds my dreams and He dwells and works in each of His regenerated people! Just as God’s plan for me is sovereign and loving, so it is for any regenerate man.

2.     He must not fear men, neither their ridicule nor their admiration, but rather He must live for the honor of His heavenly Father.

     One of the most undesirable traits in a man is his fear of the opinions/regard of other people such that his obedience and boldness for Christ is subdued because of it. And yet there is an exceeding glory that I see in a man who speaks according to the Word of God, who does not flinch with the prospect of his earthly reputation or financial status falling in his obedience to Christ. He must be baptized with the purpose of God and driven by a relentless zeal for God’s honor above his own. This world is not his home and he dwells here as an alien, stranger, and soldier intent on pleasing his commanding Officer (2 Tim 2:4). He administers justice in all situations: the mercy, grace, and Truth of Christ to all. He does not pervert God’s righteousness to seek the favor of rulers. His upright way may be abominable to the wicked, but because he trusts in the Lord, he will be exalted. (Prov 29:25-27)

¹⁸ He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. John 7

3.     He must love God and others in a way that causes him to crucify his flesh and lay down his life.

     His love comes from the love of his Father poured into his heart by the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5). His love is unfailing, forgiving, gracious, selfless, strong, and is manifested in ardent labor on behalf of the people of God and the spread of the Gospel among the lost. He must be willing to open up our home to the needy, the orphans, and the widows. He must not cling to money, but extend a generous hand to all. He must love children and love to teach them the Word of God. He must see the souls of others and let the manifestations of his love penetrate deep into the spiritual needs of the people of God. He must be like me in that he cannot walk through a street of lost people without feeling deep sorrow over the lost and asking God for love and boldness to proclaim the Gospel. His love must not be superficial or worldly, but it must be founded upon Truth. His love may lead to open rebuke and hidden prayer on behalf of those whom he loves.

¹² “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. John 15

4.     He must love the Truth above all else.

     His knowledge of the Truth has set him free and thus he loves the Truth of God’s Word. His love for the Truth, written on his heart, is so strong that he fiercely opposes every pretext that opposes it. His wise discernment and understanding of the core doctrines causes him to identify and gently rebuke sources of error and heresy. He must understand moral depravity, atonement, justification, regeneration, progressive sanctification, and predestination (I do believe that some true believers do not yet understand predestination, but my husband should. He must also understand how God’s grace and kindness leads us to repent [he should have personally experienced this]. He must understand the absolute necessity to pursue love above all else. His desire for the Truth must prevail over his desire to “be right” or to be contained in the comfort of the flesh. When I am wrong and when the Truth would make me go through sorrow, he must still lead me in it. He must command me to take up my cross and follow Christ.  He will proclaim God’s Word to me to wash me from a guilty conscience. He will remind me of my eternal inheritance through the throne of grace.

5.     He must pray.

     He must pray extensively, passionately, and secretly, with me, with our family, and corporately and have a deep personal relationship with Christ. He must understand the cross. He needs to have experienced something of the depth of his own sin and the Father’s grace shown through Christ at the cross.

"He who prays much, studies much, loves much, forgives much and works much, does much for God and humanity."-E.M. Bounds

6.     His power, strength, wisdom, and message are of a Spiritual rather than earthly nature.

    He does not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom in his proclamation of the testimony of God. He determines to know nothing except Christ and Him crucified. He is with the people of God in weakness, fear, and much trembling [before God, not man]. His message and preaching are not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that the faith inspired in his listeners will not rest on man’s wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Cor 2:1-5) He knows that he is what he is by the grace of God. God’s grace to him does not prove vain, but he labors even more than all of them, yet not him, but the grace of God with him (1 Cor 15). He has no qualms about my intellect, but seeks to lead me with Spiritual wisdom, love, and Truth. He is willing to discuss Scripture and doctrine with me for long periods of time.

⁴ And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. ⁵ You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5

7.     His physical attractiveness comes from his wisdom and humility.

     As I have been progressively sanctified, no longer did I regard those physical attributes which the world considers to be handsome. Rather, the mark of humility and wisdom in the countenance, body language, frame, and gait of a man became the signals of physical attractiveness.

 Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam. Ecc 8

8.     He must be like a father to me in his Godly commands and loving leading, and yet he will also be like a son to me, receiving motherly tenderness, comfort, and love.

     I have desired fatherly characteristics in my husband and yet, I have longed to be like a mother to him showing him tender affection and comfort. He must instruct me and snatch me out of the flames (Jude 1:23) when I go astray as a father would. He should be compassionate and loving when I am filled with gloom over the sad state of the church (my common reason for gloom). Yet, he must be willing to receive motherly affection, gentleness, endearment, and tender care from me (1 Thess 2:7-8).

³³ Answering them, He *said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”³⁴ Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He *said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! ³⁵ For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3

9.     He must desire to redeem his remaining days with wisdom and the Spirit’s filling.

¹⁵ Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of your time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit Eph 5

10.  He must not fear persecution and death, but he must be willing and expectant for the persecution which awaits us.

     He must be the man who is so confident in the grace of His Redeemer who saved him on the merit of His own blood that he is not afraid to die. Furthermore, he is willing and eager to be counted worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ. He will exhort me unto this end. He will command me to carry my cross and follow Christ. He would stand between the fire and our family and yet he will take my hand and lead me to the gallows if Christ would so choose for us to die for His sake.

Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 2 Tim 3:12

With or without such a man, I will follow Christ, my truest Lover, Lord, Savior, and King.