Quote:
Originally Posted by Herb Evans
Dr. Bob Griffin and his Fatalistic Heresy
Feel free to quote me, herb, in saying that MAN . . . MUST BE SPIRITUALLY
regenerated before he believes.
regenerated before he repents.
regenerated before his sins are blotted out.
regenerated before he is saved.
regenerated before he is converted.
regenerated before he is in Christ.
regenerated before he is a new creature.
--Dr. Bob Griffin
Under Bob Griffin's system of belief, there can be no condition for regeneration other than an unwritten pre-Adamic decree of God (unconditional election). Total depravity, under this cold, dead theological system, means TOTAL INABILITY to do anything for salvation, including repentance and faith. The ABSURD corollary to all this is his insistence that a man is REGENERATED or has LIFE BEFORE he repents or believes. We shall examine this anti-Christian, anti-Bible doctrine and its implications. We shall compare Dr. Bob Griffin's comments with the scriptures.
1. Must be regenerated before he believes. --Dr. Bob Griffin
. . . that BELIEVING YE MIGHT HAVE LIFE through his name. -- John 20:31
. . . he that BELIEVETH NOT the Son SHALL NOT SEE LIFE . . . -- John 3:36
. . . to them which should hereafter BELIEVE on him TO LIFE everlasting. -- 1 Tim. 1:16
For ye are all the CHILDREN of God BY FAITH in Christ Jesus. -- Gal. 3:26
. . . THY FAITH HATH SAVED THEE . . . -- Luke 7:50
And ye will not COME TO ME, that ye MIGHT HAVE LIFE. -- John 5:40
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: -- John 1:12
. . . God from the beginning CHOSEN [ELECTED] you to salvation THROUGH SANCTIFICATION of the Spirit and BELIEF of the truth. - 2 Thess. 2:13
It is faith that saves not regeneration. Without faith it is impossible to please God. One must first come to Jesus to have spiritual life. The unregenerate can only have life through faith which comes first. No unregenerate even sees life without faith. Believing is to life and not regeneration to life. A person becomes a child of God by faith and not regeneration. A man must receive Christ before he becomes a son of God. There is no such thing as a son of God without regeneration. Our texts DEMAND that faith or belief precedes said life or regeneration. That presents a problem to those, who would have the elect regenerated BEFORE FAITH, unless they are prepared to argue regeneration BEFORE spiritual life, regeneration BEFORE becoming a child of God, or regeneration WITHOUT life. God predestined salvation to be through the belief of the truth.
2. Must be regenerated before he repents. --Dr. Bob Griffin
3. Must be regenerated before his sins are blotted out. --Dr. Bob Griffin
4. must be regenerated before he is converted. --Dr. Bob Griffin
. . . repent ye, and believe the gospel. - Mark 1:5
REPENT ye therefore, and BE CONVERTED, THAT YOUR SINS may be blotted out . . . -- Acts 3:19
. . . through his name whosoever BELIEVETH in him SHALL RECEIVE REMISSION OF SINS. -- Acts 10:43
. . . they should REPENT and TURN TO GOD, and do works meet for repentance. -- Acts 26:20
. . . Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance UNTO LIFE . . . -- Acts 11:18
Repentance is UNTO LIFE and not life unto repentance, regardless whether God grants it and what ever the Calvinist spin is on that. Faith precedes repentance, and repentance precedes conversion and the remission of sins and they all precede regeneration. One must believe in order to repent. One must believe and repent to be converted. One must be converted to receive the remission of sins or to have one's sins blotted out. Before one turns to God, one must repent. Since remission of sins and conversion or turning to God all hinge on previous repentance, which all hinges on belief, it follows that they all must precede regeneration or life. Unless a Calvinist is prepared to argue spiritual life in a nonbeliever without faith, the remission of one's sins, conversion, and repentance because one is of the elect.
4. Must be regenerated before he is saved. --Dr. Bob Griffin
For by grace are ye saved THROUGH FAITH . . . -- Eph. 2:8
Receiving the END OF YOUR FAITH, even the SALVATION of your souls. -- 1 Pet. 1:9
. . .WITHOUT FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE to please him . . . -- Heb. 11:6
. . . THY FAITH HATH SAVED THEE . . . -- Luke 7:50
Salvation is the END OF FAITH-not the beginning of faith. Faith and salvation are not the END of regeneration. We believe and do not regenerate to the saving of the soul. Faith saves, not regeneration. No such thing as an unsaved regenerate.
6. Must be regenerated before he is in Christ. --Dr. Bob Griffin
7. Must be regenerated before he is a new creature. --Dr. Bob Griffin
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. - 2 Cor. 5:17
But to him that worketh not, but BELIEVETH on him that justifieth the ungodly, his FAITH is counted for RIGHTEOUSNESS. -- Rom. 4:5
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him WHICH BELIEVETH in Jesus. -- Rom. 3:26
. . . I am not come to call the RIGHTEOUS, but sinners TO REPENTANCE. --Matt. 9:13
. . . the NEW MAN, which after God is CREATED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS and true holiness. -- Eph. 4:24
Now if any man HAVE NOT the Spirit of Christ, HE IS NONE OF HIS. -- Rom. 8:9
Romans 8:9 takes care of both Charismatics and Calvinists. If one is a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus and the Holy Ghost cannot be in anyone but a child of God, then regeneration CANNOT precede having the Holy Spirit. Unless the Calvinist is prepared to argue having the Holy Spirit before repentance, conversion, remission of sins, faith, righteousness, holiness, salvation, eternal life, and possessing the Son.
A man must be in Christ to be a new creature. If he is in Christ and a new creature or new man, he is created in righteousness not unrighteousness. The Lord called unrighteous sinners to repentance and not those regenerated and righteous already.
Faith precedes justification and righteousness and repentance, conversion, and remission of sins precede righteousness and holiness, therefore spiritual LIFE or regeneration cannot precede repentance, faith, justification, holiness, or righteousness. Since the new man is created in righteousness, regeneration cannot precede the new creature, righteousness, or TRUE HOLINESS.
Now, let Dr. Bob Griffin produce his proof texts to back up his "regeneration befores."
--Herb Evans |
Regeneration does not begin Salvation. It is Salvation. If you are not born again You are gonna bust hell wide open.
pastoradam
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