Soli Deo Gloria!

If you are correct that none of those in the Old Testament were regenerate, then you have to be able to explain God’s covenant with man. There is one single covenant of grace found in the Scriptures, yet this covenant was administered differently in the time of the law and in the time of the gospel. Under the law it was administered by promises, sacrifices, prophecies, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances given to the Jews, all foresignifying Christ who was still to come.

This is more than clear from reading 2 Corinthians 3.6-9; Hebrews 8-10; Romans 4 (specifically vv. 9-12); Colossians 2.11-12; and 1 Corinthians 5.6-8.

Furthermore, all of these things already mentioned were, for the time, sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the Spirit, to instruct and build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they had full remission of sins.

This, as well, is perfectly clear from 1 Corinthians 10.1-4, Hebrews 11, and John 8.

To be frank what you have posted is what I’ve come to call, “proof by frequent assertion”. You’ve merely asserted that Reformed doctrine is based on erroneous interpretation of the text of Scripture, but failed to prove it.

Biblically however, regeneration occurs when Jesus Christ comes to dwell in our hearts through faith (Eph. 3:17), to give us His life (col. 3:4), our gift of eternal life (1John 5:11, 12). We receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through faith” (Gal. 3:14). Those who have the Son living in them have eternal life, those who do not have the Son of God living in them do not have the life of regeneration. Biblically, faith precedes the gift of eternal life. Biblically regeneration is the specific work of God which saves us. The Apostle Paul tells us “We shall be saved by His life” (Rom. 5:10), “We are saved by regeneration” (Titus 3:5), and when we are “made alive with Jesus Christ, by grace we have been saved” (Eph. 2:5). Faith also precedes salvation. Those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31) will be saved by regeneration when Jesus comes to dwell in their hearts, giving them God’s gift of eternal life, God’s gift of salvation.

Folks, there was no regeneration, no indwelling of any man by the Lord Jesus Christ before the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Even Peter specifically states, we are born again THROUGH the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1Peter 1:3). NO man was born again through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead before He rose from the dead. That one fact proves that many Reformed interpretations are unbiblical, because many Re-formed interpretations require regeneration before the resurrection. Many essential Re-formed proof texts require regeneration to be occuring throughout the book of John. Jesus was not indwelling men in the book of John. At a point in time, God sent His Son to redeem men so they could be adopted as sons, and then after the redeeming work, after men could receive the adoption as sons, then, because they are sons by adoption, God sends forth the Spirit of His Son into our heart (Gal. 4:4-5). Any interpretations which place regeneration before the resurrection are erroneus. These erroneous Re-formed interpretations are used to proof text presuppositions such as the Re-formed teaching of the “Bondage of the Will”. “Bondage of the Will” is not a Biblical concept. Men did not have bound wills prior to the resurrection. They did have faith from Abel on through the end of the Old Testament, and through the book of John, but no man had yet been regenerated by the indwelling of Jesus Christ. The Re-formed description of the unregenerate is not Biblical. Many ungodly, faithful believing men were unregenerate. All of the names listed in Hebrews 11 were not regenerated. They were not saved in their lifetimes, they died awaiting the salvation (regeneration) that God would provide through His Son.

It is amazing to me that the most wonderful teaching of the whole Bible is obscured by this terrible Doctrine. “Christ in you, your hope for glory” (Col. 1:27)…”Christ coming to dwell in our hearts by faith” (Eph. 3:17)…”Christ is our life” (Col. 3:4)…”Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20)…”Christ in me” (Rom. 8:10). Don’t miss it folks. When Paul admonishes to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith” there is a context that goes with the verse. He goes on to state, “Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, THAT CHRIST IS IN YOU — unless you fail the test.” (2Cor. 13:5)

Reformed Doctrine is unbiblical. It is based upon re-defined Biblical words, unbiblical assumptions, and erroneous interpretations of the Bible. It causes confusion and much discention in the Body of Christ. In Doctrine definitions must be Biblical, they must be tested. Every assumption must be tested, and every interpretation must be true to its context.

Sola Scriptura,
Melani Boek

Amazingly of course is that this truth is in fact the basis for our humbling – we are incapable of doing anything to make ourselves right before God and are so poor and lowly of estate that even the faith to believe must be given to us by God.

Nice write up, Jay. As always, passionate and on point.