Born Again PART TWO of Chapter 6 - The Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson

BIBLES * Bulldogs * & Beards

with Pastor William Shifflett - https://williams-good-word.org/
They are to grow - Colossians 1:28 - Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. Ephesians 4:13-16 - until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Is growing to maturity something that we do on our own? 2.Creation 2 Corinthians 4:6-12 - 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. The same God that spoke the world into existence has made us new in Jesus Christ. Most Christians have times of doubt about their salvation, isn’t this a great encouragement to them? It goes on to give us more encouragement: But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. 3.Resurrection Romans 6:13 - Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. What does “present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life” mean to our Christian Life, our Christian walk? Ephesians 2:5 - even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— We see that it is solely a work of God. Why is regeneration necessary? 1.Man is flesh. John 3:6 - That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:50 - I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. John 1:12-13 - But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. “Only a work of the Spirit can bring us into the kingdom of the spirit.” 2.Man cannot see. John 3:3 - Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Matthew 13:13-15 - This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ Sounds a bit confusing, can you clear it up a bit for us? “Blind and shrouded in darkness” - Ephesians 5:8 - for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. Colossians 1:13-14 - He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transfe --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/biblebulldog/message