Sunday, May 11th 2008
Dear folks,
I am doing a Communion series on important biblical words regarding
salvation. So far we have looked at:
Propitiation: a sacrifice that turns away the wrath of God – and
thereby makes God propitious (favorable) toward us.
Justification: being declared righteous by the grace of God and
treated as such.
This Sunday we observe Communion and I want us to think biblically
about the well known term, “born again”, the same idea is found in
John 1:13, 3:3-8; James 1:18, 1 Peter 1:3. Washing of regeneration is
used in Titus 3:5. Regeneration is defined as “being born again”, an
act of God in which He imparts spiritual life to us. We can see the
effects of regeneration, but we cannot feel or see the actual event
of regeneration like we can conversion. Interestingly the Old
Testament in Ezekiel 36: 22-38 speaks of God regenerating his people
as a gift with great blessing.
It is vital we understand the biblical teaching concerning
salvation, lest we be tricked into substituting the doctrines of men
for the teaching of God. Just because there is controversy and
disagreement about what it means to be born again is no reason why
we should avoid the subject. Satan puts his scarecrows around God’s
most choice fields of truth.
Read over these passages carefully. I invite questions by e-mail you
might want me to explore. We must know what we believe and why we
believe it so we can fully appreciate the Lord’s Supper and enter
into the experience of our Father’s great work through Christ for us
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s prepare ourselves through self examination, confession and
repentance as we receive Communion this Sunday.
Sincerely,
Lee