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#56182
Sun Apr 19, 2020 1:34 AM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 4,516 Likes: 13
Needs to get a Life
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OP
Needs to get a Life
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 4,516 Likes: 13 |
Many Calvinists make a big deal when they hear/read other Calvinist say that after they were regenerated, it took them a little while before they came to Christ. They say that regeneration and faith happen simultaneously and they talk as though this is essential.
Should we as Calvinists, really be making a big deal about this, when both believe that regeneration precedes faith?
In fact, most of the articles I have read on this do not even mention that particular aspect.
PS I have since did a little more research into this. What I am finding is this particular aspect would seem like a "in house debate", if it was not for how some speak of it as essential. I read that Spurgeon himself (although I have not read enough to confirm it) believed that regeneration and faith happened simultaneously. Others claim that they do not believe this is the case, because one does not become a seeker until they have been legitimately regenerated; which seems to correspond with Romans 7. Explaining how there was time after they were regenerated and came to faith in Christ.
Last edited by Tom; Sun Apr 19, 2020 2:14 AM.
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,447 Likes: 57
Head Honcho
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Head Honcho
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,447 Likes: 57 |
I am one of "those" who strongly believes that faith follows regeneration either immediately or within a VERY short time thereafter, e.g., 10 minutes or so. Why? Well first of all, in nearly every instance in Scripture which relates the conversion of an individual or group of individuals, when the Word/Gospel is heard/read, the Spirit working through that Word brings upon the elect genuine conviction of sin, repentance and saving faith in the Lord Christ. There is no record in the Bible, e.g., of a child being regenerate at birth or at some very young age and then 15-30 years later that person is converted. Secondly, Others claim that they do not believe this is the case, because one does not become a seeker until they have been legitimately regenerated; which seems to correspond with Romans 7. The obvious problem with the above explanation is that God the Spirit has worked in the minds and hearts of countless unbelievers and the reprobate to do the will of God who never came to conversion. There are many instances where massive crowds sought after Christ and even professed to believe but who were unregenerate, e.g., John 6 and Matt 7:15-30. When a baby is born, if it is alive it immediately has signs of life; breathing, moving, crying... It would be ridiculous to conclude that a new born who wasn't breathing, moving, crying and had no heart beat was actually alive but the signs of that life could come a week, month or years later. Faith is the result of the breath of life in a regenerated person. They are "born anew", being raised from their spiritual death to new life in Christ. There is no such thing as someone who is living and yet dead... aka: a Zombie. One is either dead or alive and the signs of death or life are recognizable although perhaps not infallibly so in every case.
simul iustus et peccator
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 4,516 Likes: 13
Needs to get a Life
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OP
Needs to get a Life
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 4,516 Likes: 13 |
Pilgrim What you said is basically my understanding. But I do not like to make a big deal about that aspect. Personally, at least in my case, when I became interested in the Lord and when I finally came to the Lord was probably more than a month. The more I studied the issue the more I became convicted of my sin until I finally repented and believed.
It was not until years later, some time after I became a Calvinist, that I even heard that regeneration and faith happened simultaneously. In fact as I said earlier; that point is rarely even mentioned in any articles I have read on the subject. Understand I am not saying we should go with experience. Scripture is what we should go with; but our perception of the matter can lead us to believe it was a while before we repented and believed. That is why although I believe we should correct, but not make too big of an issue of the matter.
Tom
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