ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Thursday March 2, 2017

“a divine activity in us”

And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. – Romans 6:13

Born Again – The Doctrine of Regeneration

Pictures of regeneration

1.  Birth

2.  Creation

3.  Resurrection

We have hinted already that the new birth can be paralleled to life being brought forth out of nothing in creation, but also at the even more amazing truth which thrill Paul: greater yet than life and order out of emptiness and chaos his life out of its opposite, death. This indicates the extent of God’s work in us and also hints at its source in the resurrection of Jesus. So Paul argues in Romans 6:13 that, since we are united to a risen Christ and therefore share in his risen power, we should live as dead men brought to life. When we were dead through sin, God reached down in Christ to resurrect us with Christ by his grace (Ephesians 2:5). The Christian has passed out of death into life (1 John 3:14).

What is being underscored in all these passages is that regeneration, however it is described, is a divine activity in us, in which we are not the actors but the recipients. As well to tell a lame man to walk, a blind man to see, as to tell a dead man to live, a man without spiritual life to have it, or to say you must be born again. There is a paradox in the gospel at this point. For we discovered that one thing needful is almost the only thing outside our power to perform. This disturbing thought must be considered further.

Challenge:

The next time you’re at a funeral (or think of one you’ve attended), consider the state of the deceased. No response. No action. No breath. Imagine, if you will, if a miracle were to happen, to raise the dead and bring life back to him…As stunning that would be…This, in fact, has happened to Christians when God breathes life into them and activate them by His power alone!

Memory Verse:

Pea tali ‘e Sīsū, ‘o ne folofola kiate ia, Ko au ē, ko au ē, ‘oku ou tala atu, ‘Ilonga ‘a ia ‘e ‘ikai fanau‘i fo‘ou mei ‘olunga, ‘e ‘ikai te ne lava ke mamata ki he Pule‘anga ‘o e ‘Otua. – Sione 3:3

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” – John 3:3

Bible Reading Plan: (52 weeks; 5 days a week)

Week 9 – Numbers 6-7; Hebrews 13