www.PresentTruthMag.com Proclaiming the Good News of the forgiveness of sin and eternal life by God’s unmerited grace alone through faith alone in the sinless life and atoning death of Jesus Christ our Lord alone. Sola Gratia…………Only By Grace Sola Fide………...…Only By Faith Solo Christo…….....Only By Christ Sola Scriptura……..Only By Scripture

Volume 37

The Kingdom of God Letters – page 2 Editorial Introduction – page 4 The Kingdom of God – page 5 The Righteousness of God – page 13 The False Gospel of the New Birth – page 16

Eschatological Justification Your series of articles on "Righteousness by Faith" are magnificent. But may one who goes with you all the way ask your further consideration of Calvin's Institutes III.xii, where he brings us before the judgment of God. Is not this at least a glimpse of what we now designate as eschatological justification? This is the second of his eight chapters on justification and so is germane to his whole discussion of this great doctrine. Your reconsideration of it may lead to a slight modification of your statement that "The Reformation stopped short of a rounded-out eschatological consciousness" or at least to a recognition that here Calvin glimpsed the final judgment. Then I would like to heartily welcome the scholarly historical study by Professor Lowell C. Green of Appalachian State University ("Faith, Righteousness and Justification: New Light on Their Development under Luther and Melanchthon,") —and that despite the fact that he prefers Melanchthon's theology to that of Melanchthon's best friend, John Calvin. William C. Robinson, Professor Emeritus Columbia Theological Seminary Calvin's consideration of justification in the light of the judgment, which you refer to, is magnificent. But we should hesitate to read back into the Reformers more than they really taught on eschatology. —Ed.

Alien Righteousness I appreciate your emphasis on the fact that we are justified on the basis of an alien (Christ's) righteousness, not on the basis of any righteousness in ourselves. You write in your issue: "Having made him [the believing sinner] righteous by the imputed righteousness of Christ, God pronounces him just and treats him as if he were righteous.". In order to clarify your position a bit more, would you agree with the following statements of the late Professor John Murray in his book, Redemption Accomplished and Applied? "The peculiarity of God's action consists in this, that he causes to be the righteous state or relation which is declared to be . . . . Therefore what God does in this case is that he constitutes the new and righteous judicial relation as well as declares this new relation to be. He constitutes the ungodly righteous, and consequently [note that he does not say subsequently] can declare them to be righteous." Murray refers here to Romans 5:19 and then states, "God cannot but accept into his favour those who are invested with the righteousness of his own Son." On the basis of your above quoted statement (and others), I would assume that you can agree entirely with Murray here. If not, why not? J. Tuininga, Reformed Minister Canada Agreed. But we must remember that the justified believer is still a sinner in himself. —Ed.

2

Criticism After reading your article on "Righteousness by Faith and Sanctification", I am interested in retaining the entire Righteousness by Faith" series for my files. I might add by way of criticism that the article I read appeared to be well researched, but the prose left something to be desired. With a background of seminary training which accustoms one to a certain amount of almost unreadable prose styles, I was able to understand the points you were trying to make. However, I do not feel this would be the case with the lay reader. You are obviously concerned with the format of your articles, given the bold type, etc. Possibly you should pay more attention to the language and less to the bold appearance. Although your organization is nondenominational, your Christian editorial view-point is entirely consistent with the Lutheran Confessions I uphold as a true and accurate interpretation of God's Word. You deserve to be commended for your commitment to spreading the true gospel in our time of widespread confusion and ignorance concerning God's holy Word. James Schmidt, Lutheran Minister Minnesota

Clarity Thank you for the recent issues on "Righteousness by Faith." It is some of the most stimulating material that I think you have yet produced. There is no pussy-footing around the most difficult issues, and controversial matters are given a sympathetic and thorough treatment. The clarity with which each argument is put forward, the demand to respond in a biblical way, and the call to deep and earnest thinking are all models for those involved in preaching and teaching the Word of God. I often wish that those who write in and complain about your articles would take to heart the exhortation found in your editorials, "Come, let us reason together." There has been no article I have read which has not made me think and seriously study the scriptures under consideration. I have received much help and much encouragement. I am sure my ministry will be better for reading Present Truth Magazine. At least it should be more biblical, since I have been driven again and again to search the Scriptures. John Dunn, Minister England

Name-Calling I applaud your restraint in dealing with the man whose evaluation of Karl Barth ranked the renowned theologian with the worst perpetrators of the "Holocaust." It is an indication that you at least understand the important difference between the contemplation of and the doing of the truth. Any forum of ideas about Christian theology and theologians presupposes kindness and fairness, among other things. We can bend our minds in many ways to explain Christ's doing and dying – none of which is worth anything short of a demonstration of Christ's Spirit in the process. The world will still know we are Christians by our love, not by our theological interpretations. You underscored for us that there is no place whatever for name-calling in "reasoning together." We all need to be a little more loyal and obedient to the parts of God's Word which enjoin us to be "tenderhearted" and "forgiving" and which warn us about the persistent dangers of our tongues. W. Richard Kohler, Methodist Pastor Pennsylvania

Belated Commendation The letter entitled "Monstrous Miscreant" in the March 1978 issue of Present Truth (p.3) prompts me to belatedly commend you for printing the material by Barth. To me it is an indication of strength rather than weakness that a magazine dedicated to a "new Reformation" is willing to print material from a variety of perspectives. Doug Morgan Nebraska

3

Editorial Introduction In this issue of Present Truth Magazine are three articles related to the kingdom of God. Professor George Eldon Ladd presents the kingdom of God theme in the Bible. This has long been a subject of great interest to him. In one brief essay Dr. Ladd summarizes years of scholarly work. This overview relates the kingdom of God theme to the Old and New Testament and to the first and second advent of Jesus Christ. James E. Hanson's presentation on the righteousness of God, we feel, needs to be proclaimed in every church across the land. His method is direct and easily understood. He uses law and gospel like a sharp two-edged sword. Geoffrey J. Paxton needs no introduction to our readers. Some may be scandalized by the title of his article, but we suspect that he is only trying to be provocative. We can't complain if he is biblical. Nor should we be shocked if he attacks our sacred cows. Come, let us take the Bible and reason together. R.D.B.

4

The Kingdom of God George Eldon Ladd

1

There is little doubt that the central burden of our Lord's teaching was the coming of God's kingdom. Even before Jesus began His ministry, John the Baptist electrified the people with the prophetic announcement, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2). Then "Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand' " (Matt. 4:17). "And He went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel [i.e., the good news] of the kingdom" (Matt. 4:23). In His Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7), Jesus describes the righteousness of the kingdom. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3). "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20). Addressing His disciples later, Jesus said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets [lit., mysteries] of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 13:11). At the end of His ministry, He instructed His disciples in the course of this age and the coming of the kingdom. "This gospel [good news] of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come" (Matt. 24:14). Jesus gave a parable of judgment in which He described the fate of the righteous in terms of the kingdom of God by saying, "Then the King will say to those at His right hand, 'Come, 0 blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world' " (Matt. 25:34). To understand what this means, we must turn to the Old Testament. While the Old Testament never uses the term "kingdom of God," the idea can be found in all the prophets. One thing not often noted by evangelicals is that in the Old Testament it is often God who comes to establish His kingdom. This will mean judgment for the wicked but salvation for God's righteous people. In the short book of Zephaniah the coming of God is often described as the day of the Lord. I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth," says the Lord… "I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth," says the Lord… The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter… A day of wrath is that day… "On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against Me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in My holy mountain…”

1

George Eldon Ladd is Professor of New Testament Exegesis and Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.

5

Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, 0 Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, He has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more. —Zeph. 1:2-3, 14-15; 3:11, 14-15.

In this and in many other prophetic passages, there is no messianic personage. God Himself will visit His people to judge the wicked and bring salvation to the righteous.

The Davidic King There are, however, three messianic passages in the prophets which speak specifically of an Anointed One who will reign in God's kingdom when it is established. There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of His roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what His eyes see, or decide by what His ears hear; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the girdle of His waist, and faithfulness the girdle of His loins. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall feed; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. —Isa. 11:1-9.

Here is a conquering Messiah. He arises from the family of David. The line of Davidic kings will seem to have run out, but from the fallen tree will come forth a new growth. The all-important passage is: "But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked" (Isa. 11:4). Here is the twofold mission of Messiah. Although a Davidic King, He will be supernaturally endowed to destroy all who oppose the reign of God. At the same time He will bring salvation to the "meek of the earth," i.e., those whose only trust is in the Lord. His saving and judging word will also include the redemption of nature. The passage concludes with a beautiful picture of peace restored to a 6

fallen world. Ferocious animals will no longer threaten man. Venomous animals will be tamed. "They shall not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:9). This is basically the same picture found in Zephaniah. The wicked are judged. The righteous are saved. The world is transformed. In Zephaniah it is God who comes. In Isaiah it is a Son of David.

The Son of Man There is a second and very different picture of the Messiah in Daniel 7, where the seer is given a vision of the coming of God's kingdom. He sees God, here called the "Ancient of Days," seated on His throne (Dan. 7:9). I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came One like a Son of Man, and He came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. —Dan. 7:13-14.

Here is no son of David. Here is a heavenly, transcendent Being who comes with the clouds to the Ancient of Days to receive the kingdom of God. The passage is interpreted, "And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High" (Dan. 7:27). He comes to the throne of God in heaven, receives a kingdom from the hand of God, and then brings it to the saints on earth, who enjoy the blessings of God's rule over them forever.

The Suffering Servant A third messianic personage in the Old Testament is very different from the two already discussed. At this point it would be well to read the familiar words of Isaiah 53. Here is a Servant of the Lord whose mission is to suffer, to be "bruised for our iniquities" and "wounded for our transgressions," who makes Himself "an offering for sin," who shall "make many to be accounted righteous" by bearing their iniquities, who "poured out His soul to death" by bearing the sin of many. Most of the time we read and interpret these words through Christian eyes, as we rightly should. But we should read the chapter again as though we knew nothing about Jesus and His mission. We have read about the Messiah-king in Isaiah. But the Suffering Servant does not slay the wicked with the rod of His mouth. He does not deliver God's people by supernatural power. On the contrary, He is beaten. He is afflicted. He is slain. He redeems God's people not by might or power, but by suffering for them. He is called neither the Messiah nor the Son of Man. He is called only God's Servant (Isa. 52:13). 7

These three diverse messianic concepts seem to have no relationship to each other: a conquering Davidic King, a heavenly, supernatural Son of Man, and a humble Suffering Servant of the Lord. How can these personages be related? They seem to have nothing in common except that they are raised up by the Lord to redeem His people. The idea of a supernaturally endowed, conquering Davidic King seems the opposite of a weak, humble, suffering, dying Servant. The Jews of Jesus' day did not know what to do with these three concepts. In the Jewish literature predating the New Testament, Enoch elaborately develops the Danielic idea of a heavenly Son of Man. The Psalms of Solomon pray for the coming of the Lord's Anointed (Messiah) to smite the Romans who had taken Palestine, to purge the temple in Jerusalem of their abomination, and to gather the Jewish people at Jerusalem in victory over their foes. Here is the conquering Davidic King of Isaiah. But the Jews never knew how to relate these two concepts to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53. Judaism did not consider this a messianic prophecy. In view of such passages as Isaiah 49:3, 5-6 and Isaiah 50:10, Judaism felt that the people of Israel constituted the servant of God.

The Kingdom of God in the Gospels When we turn to the Gospels to ask what Jesus meant by the kingdom of God, we should first note that the basic idea in the kingdom of God (or heaven) was that of the coming of a heavenly Son of Man to judge the wicked and to redeem the righteous. "So every one who acknowledges [lit., confesses] Me before men, I also will acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 10:32). We must set this verse beside a similar one: "And I tell you, every one who acknowledges [confesses] Me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge [confess] before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God" (Luke 12:8-9). Jesus is thus destined to be the heavenly Son of Man of Daniel 7 The same fact is affirmed in Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin. "The high priest asked Him, 'Are You the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the Blessed?' And Jesus said, 'I am; and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven' " (Mark 14:61-62). It is notable that Jesus never advanced any claim to be the Messiah (Davidic King) throughout His ministry. However, when challenged directly, He admitted that He was the Messiah. But as the passage shows, He is the Messiah of the Danielic Son of Man type. In effect, Jesus said, "Today I am standing before the Sanhedrin being judged. But the day will come when you will stand before My judgment seat to be judged by the Son of Man." The same "eschatological" meaning of the kingdom of God is found in a parable Jesus gave His disciples near the end of His ministry. "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne" (Matt. 25:31). Before Him will be gathered all the nations of men to give account of how they have treated His "brothers," i.e., His disciples (Matt. 12:48). The wicked who have rejected and abused His disciples will be sent to the lake of fire "prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25: 41). To the righteous, who have welcomed Jesus' emissaries, He says, "Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34). The parable concludes, "And they [the wicked] will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matt. 25:46). Here it is clear that the kingdom awaits the glorious coming of the Son of Man, and the life of the kingdom is eternal life. We usually speak of the "second coming of Christ," but this is not a common biblical idiom and is found only in Hebrews 9:28. We will not here discuss the meaning of this parable – who the "brothers" of Jesus are or what form the kingdom of God takes. It is sufficient to emphasize that the kingdom of God comes only with the glorious coming of the Son of Man bringing eternal life to those whom God has chosen.

8

The same truth emerges in the discussion between Jesus and the rich young ruler, recorded in Matthew 19:16-30 and in Mark 10:17-31. The young man asked Jesus, "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" (Matt. 19:16). This question must not be thought of in light of the Gospel of John, but in light of the Old Testament. Unlike John, nowhere in the three synoptic Gospels is eternal life a present blessing. The young man was asking about the eternal life of Daniel 12:2: "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." Eternal life, like the kingdom of God, belongs to the future – to the day of resurrection. In His reply Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Matt. 19:23-24). The terms "kingdom of God" and "kingdom of heaven" are interchangeable here, especially since Mark uses "kingdom of God" in both parallel passages (Mark 10:23, 25). The disciples were amazed and asked, "Who then can be saved?" (Matt. 19:25). Jesus replied that this was beyond human ability, but it was possible with God. Then the disciples, who had left everything to follow Jesus, asked about their own fate. Jesus replied that they would experience blessings in this age, but "in the age to come eternal life" (Mark 10:30).

The Two Ages This truth is often obscure to those who read only the King James version of the Bible. The New Testament divides redemptive history into two ages: this age of mortality, death and sin, and the age to

come, when God's rule will be perfectly realized in all the world. The Old Testament does not make this division, though the idea is present. The two ages are divided by the coming of God in the person of the Son of Man. The day of the Lord will be marked by resurrection and judgment. In Matthew 18 and Mark 10, the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven, salvation and eternal life all belong to the age to come. The futuristic, eschatological character of the kingdom of God is further seen in the parables of Matthew 13. At the coming of the Son of Man the angels will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers (Matt. 13:41). Again in the parable of the net Jesus said, "The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire" (Matt. 13:49-50). The same theology occurs in Paul, though he uses the term "kingdom of God" infrequently. Writing about the resurrection, Paul speaks of Christ's resurrection as the first fruits, "then at His coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For He must reign [as King] until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death" (1 Cor. 15: 23-26).

9

The book of Revelation is largely devoted to this theme. In chapter 19 the parousia or second coming of Christ is pictured, with Christ seen as a conqueror riding a white battle horse. He first destroys the antichrist, casting him into the lake of fire. He then turns upon the power behind antichrist, the devil, and destroys him (Rev. 20). In their interpretation of Revelation 20:1-4, evangelicals differ as to whether Christ's victory proceeds in two stages (premillennialism) or only one (amillennialism). But in both interpretations the goal or underlying theology is the same – the destruction of the enemies of God and man. In Revelation, as in Corinthians, the last enemy to be destroyed is death (Rev. 20:14). In summary, the Old Testament has the idea but not the idiom of the kingdom of God. It envisages a coming of God Himself, or of a conquering Davidic King, or of a heavenly Son of Man coming at the day of the Lord to establish God's reign in the earth. In addition, there is the idea of a Suffering Servant, apparently unrelated to the other ideas. The establishment of God's perfect reign on earth will mean the judgment of the wicked, the redemption of the righteous, and the transformation of the world by a mighty creative act of God. The New Testament also has the kingdom of God as a central theme. Its further revelation does not basically change the Old Testament concept. The New Testament divides redemptive history into two ages: this age and the age to come. These are divided by the day of the Lord and the coming of the heavenly Son of Man, with whom Jesus identified Himself. Again the kingdom of God means the perfect reign of God, destroying His enemies, and bringing salvation to the righteous. We may therefore define the kingdom of God as the perfect reign of God, destroying His enemies and bringing to His people the blessings of His reign. In the passages considered thus far, the kingdom belongs to the age to come and will be established only by a mighty, supernatural act of God in the coming of the Son of Man, usually spoken of as the second coming of Christ. However, in further study of the Gospels from an Old Testament perspective, we find an utterly unexpected phenomenon. Jesus taught that He, the son of Mary and a well-known inhabitant of Nazareth, already was the Son of Man. As the Son of Man, He claimed authority on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:10). As the Son of Man, He claimed to be Lord of the Sabbath, i.e., of the whole Old Testament law (Mark 2:28). This amazed and confounded people. When Jesus spoke of the coming of an eschatological Son of Man, their idea of what He meant was shaped by Daniel. But when He claimed that He Himself would be the heavenly Son of Man, they became confused. And when He further claimed to already be the Son of Man, their confusion deepened. For in the Old Testament the Son of Man is a heavenly figure who comes with glory, not as a man among men. The confusion of the Jews deepened even further when Jesus taught that He, as the Son of Man, would fulfill the prophecy of the Suffering Servant. "The Son of Man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). Here was mystery indeed. The Old Testament concepts of the heavenly Son of Man and of the Suffering Servant seemed to be mutually exclusive. But Jesus reinterpreted the Old Testament in terms of His own person and mission, i.e., the heavenly Son of Man had appeared on earth as a man among men to fulfill the redeeming task of the Suffering Servant. In the future He would fulfill the prophecy of Daniel by coming to earth again with glory as the heavenly Son of Man. In other words, Jesus interpreted His twofold mission in terms of the Son of Man. He had come as the suffering Son of Man to lay down His life to redeem men. In the future He would come as the glorious Son of Man to establish God's reign in the world. 10

The Two Dimensions of the Kingdom of God All the texts examined have dealt with two eschatological aspects of the future kingdom of God. Thus, the kingdom of God, like Jesus' messianic mission, has two dimensions. The reign of God will be perfectly and fully established in the world when He comes as the glorious, heavenly Son of Man. The righteous will be gathered together to enjoy the blessings of God's reign. All their enemies, even death and Satan, will be destroyed. But Jesus also taught that He was already the Son of Man and the Suffering Servant. Therefore the kingdom of God had already come to men. In Jesus' person and mission God was already acting to defeat His enemies and to bring to His people a foretaste of the blessings of His reign. This is most clearly seen in Matthew 12:22-32. One of Jesus' most characteristic miracles was the exorcism of demons from satanically plagued men. One day, after He had cast out a demon, the Pharisees said it was clear that Jesus had power, but He was in league with the devil and therefore His power was satanic (Matt. 12:24). Jesus replied that this was ridiculous, for a kingdom divided against itself could not stand. Then He uttered one of the clearest statements on the kingdom of God found in the Gospels: "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Matt. 12:28). The power Jesus had over demons was not satanic. It was the power of God Himself. The power of God's reign – the very power of the kingdom of God – resided in Jesus. Then Jesus uttered a difficult saying: "How can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house" (Matt. 12:29). Satan is the "strong man." His house is this present evil age into which Jesus has come (Gal. 1:4). His "goods" are people possessed of demons. Jesus here claims to have bound Satan. We must realize that "binding" is a metaphor. Satan is an evil, fallen spirit. No bond with which men are familiar could bind him. Jesus claimed to have invaded Satan's realm and to have broken his power. The evidence of this is the millions of men and women since Jesus' day who have lived under the power of God's reign rather than of satanic bondage. This has happened because Jesus first bound the strong man and rescued people from his evil rule. Bible students differ on when Jesus bound Satan. In my view the whole mission and ministry of Jesus consisted of binding him. The theme of Matthew 12 also appears in Luke 10. Jesus sent out seventy of His disciples to proclaim the message, "The kingdom of God has come near to you" (Luke 10:9). The disciples returned full of enthusiasm, saying, " 'Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!' And He said to them, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven' " (Luke 10:17-18). ”Binding" and "falling" are both metaphors. Like Matthew, Luke says that the power of Satan has been broken. He has been toppled from his place of power by the power of the kingdom of God. Without using the kingdom of God idiom, the book of Hebrews has the same theology of victory over Satan. "Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same nature that through death He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 2:14). The key to this verse is the meaning of "destroy." It does not mean to annihilate, to make nonexistent. Rather, the Greek word means to break the power, to render inoperative. Certainly Satan is not yet finally destroyed. This will occur only at the day of the Lord and the second coming of Christ. But by His coming – His incarnation – by His miracles, by His death and resurrection, Christ has broken the power of Satan. Men and women may now receive the kingdom of God – the reign and rule of God in Christ – and be delivered from bondage to Satan. No longer are we blinded by the "god of this age" (2 Cor. 4:4). Our spiritual eyes have been given sight. We see the power and glory of God embodied in Jesus Christ.

11

The Kingdom of God in Christ's Parables The presence of the kingdom of God is taught in the parables of the kingdom (Mark 4; Matt.13). The presence of the kingdom is a "mystery" (Mark 4:11, KJV). The Revised Standard Version translates the word "secret," but this is not accurate. "Mystery" is a technical biblical word which designates a plan or purpose of God, long hidden in the heart and mind of God, but in due time made public (Rom. 16:25-26). A mystery, then, is an open secret, a newly revealed truth. This mystery is the truth that the kingdom has come to men in a hidden, veiled form before it comes in apocalyptic power. The glorious apocalyptic Son of Man has come among men in the humble carpenter of Nazareth, who fulfilled the mission of the Suffering Servant. The kingdom of God which will yet be disclosed to all the world in apocalyptic power has come to men in the meek and humble person of Jesus. In His person the kingdom which finally casts Satan into the lake of fire has come to render him a preliminary defeat. The parable of the four soils (Matt. 13:4-9, 18-23) reveals that the announcement of the kingdom's presence through the word of the kingdom is not always successful. There are hard hearts into which this word does not penetrate. There are superficial hearts in which the word of the kingdom cannot thrive. There are thorny hearts in which the word of the kingdom is choked out. But then there' are good hearts in which the word of the kingdom bears fruit in differing degrees. The word of the kingdom, present in Jesus, must have a human response to be fruitful. When the kingdom of God appears, it will bring salvation to the righteous and destruction to the wicked. Jesus placed this apocalyptic event in the indeterminate future. Meanwhile, the message and parable of the kingdom, present in His person, must be received to be fruitful. "Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it" (Mark 10:15). Present reaction to the kingdom in Jesus determines destiny in the day of the Lord (Matt. 13:24-30). The parable of the tares tells of the action of the kingdom in the world. "The field is the world" in which the word of the kingdom has come (Matt. 13:38). In the Old Testament the coming of the kingdom disrupts society and divides men into the righteous and the wicked. Jesus taught that this will happen at the time of harvest – at the day of the Lord. Meanwhile, though the kingdom of God is present, it does not disrupt society. Like tares in a wheat field, the sons of the evil one and the sons of the kingdom grow together until the harvest. Then the separation, the judgment, will occur. The parables of the mustard seed and the leaven teach the same truths. One day the kingdom will be like a great tree in which men – the birds of the air – may find a place. But like a mustard seed, the present manifestation of the kingdom is apparently insignificant. The presence of the kingdom in Jesus did not at once fill the earth. To outward appearances He was only a harmless Jewish carpenter and rabbi. One day the kingdom will be like a bowl filled with leaven. It will have no competition. "The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:9). But now it is rather like a handful of leaven buried in a bowl full of meal. Some are disturbed because ancient extrabiblical literature says nothing about Jesus. But so be it. To an ancient historian His mission was not significant enough to record. The parables of the pearl and treasure follow naturally. Even though the kingdom is present in a humble Suffering Servant, it is the kingdom of God and should be sought and received regardless of the cost. Jesus repeatedly told His disciples that if they would follow Him, they must take up their cross. A cross is an instrument of death. One should be willing to lay down his life for the kingdom's sake. The parable of the dragnet teaches that the presence of the kingdom in Jesus initiated a movement which, like a net drawn through the waters of the sea, catches "fish" both good and bad. The separation will occur at the coming of the Son of Man. Meanwhile, the people of the kingdom – the fish-will be a mixed lot. Some will enter the eschatological kingdom. Others will not. We will not see a pure fellowship 12

– a pure church – this side of the judgment. So the kingdom of God has two manifestations. In the day of the Lord the Son of Man will come in power and glory to bring God's rule openly to all the earth. Meanwhile, the same kingdom – the same rule of God – has come among men to deliver them spiritually from Satan's power and the fear of death. Whoever does not [now] receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it [tomorrow].—Mark 10:15.

The Righteousness of God

James E. Hanson 2

But now the righteousness of God…is manifested. —Rom. 3.21

In studying the law of God it is necessary to have a clear definition of righteousness, for the law is the righteousness of God defined. Righteousness is one of the most interesting words in Scripture. In Greek the word is dikaiosune, which literally means equity of character. Equity of character is to possess all good qualities in perfection and perfect balance. The qualities of God are the attributes of God. His communicable attributes are love, justice, holiness, truth, mercy, wisdom, and power. He alone possesses these qualities or attributes in perfection and perfect balance. Therefore only God is righteous. The law of God, summarized in the Ten Commandments, is the expression of the righteousness of God. Thus the law stands or falls as a whole. James says, "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all" (James 2:10). The rich young ruler came to Christ with a commendable record of law keeping (Luke 18:18-23). Yet he obviously fell far short by his unwillingness to exchange his riches for the preeminence of God in his life. He therefore went sorrowfully away without the gift of eternal life. Because he lacked righteousness, the rich young ruler could not be accepted by a righteous God. True, he possessed some admirable qualities. But he did not possess all good qualities to perfection, and he did not possess them in perfect balance. We know how rare a balance of good qualities is in human life. A person succeeds in kindness but then becomes soft on evil. Another develops the fine quality of justice but then becomes rigid and lacking in compassion. Still another seeks love and tolerance but then infringes on the truth. Yet only those who possess all good qualities in perfect balance may properly be termed "righteous." Who then can be accepted of God?

2

James E. Hanson, a minister of the Reformed Presbyterian church, Evangelical Synod, is pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church, Takoma, Washington.

13

The Search for a Righteous Person The search for a righteous person is undertaken by the apostle Paul in Romans 1-3. First he looks at paganism. Here there is no profession of righteousness at all. …being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.—Rom. 1:29-31.

Next Paul searches the high echelons of Jewry with their great profession of righteousness. After viewing the inconsistencies among these teachers, he says, "Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?" (Rom. 2:21). Finally Paul looks at cultured Gentile society and says, "For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles…for as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law…for there is no respect of persons with God" (Rom. 2:24,12-11). Paul concludes his search by saying, "There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10-12). Thus the boasting of every mouth is stopped and the whole world is guilty before God. No person possesses all good qualities in perfect balance. Therefore no one properly qualifies as a righteous person. Reckless souls who think they come close need to know that with a holy God, "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point…is guilty of all" (James 2:10). This requirement is neither unreasonable nor harsh. Because righteousness is all virtues in perfection and perfect balance, any infringement threatens the collapse of the entire structure. God not only requires goodness, He requires righteousness. As holiness personified, God looks at man and declares, "There is none righteous, no, not one." As justice personified, God declares that the whole world stands guilty before Him. As truth personified, God declares, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezek. 18:4).

The Righteousness of God If God did what His holiness, His justice and His truth required, how could He be merciful? How could He be just and yet justify the one who has transgressed His law? If He meted out the penalty which His justice required, what would happen to His mercy? For as mercy personified, God says, "I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb. 8:12). To be righteous, God must keep all His attributes in perfect balance. Thus, God was faced with a problem. And it took the combined resources of the Trinity to solve that problem. As wisdom and power personified, God in Trinity designed the gospel. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). But how is the power of God in the gospel to be carried to mankind? There is yet another perfect element in the character of God. That element is love. "Love" in the Greek is agape. It is derived from the Hebrew root a-gaab, which means "to share breath." The basic word for "breath" and for "spirit" are the same in both Hebrew and Greek. Agape, then, literally means "oneness of spirit." Love is that element of character which is able to identify with others. God alone holds this attribute in perfection. God is love. God's love was the key to the puzzle. In her great hymn, "Love Found a Way," Avis B. Christiansen has written: Love found a way to redeem my soul, Love found a way that could make me whole; Love sent my Lord to the cross of shame, Love found a way, 0 praise His holy name.

14

Love found a way whereby God could retain His holiness, justice and truth, and yet show mercy. His wisdom designed that way. His power brought it forth to man. The incarnation was the way. As love personified, God would so identify with man that His righteousness could be fully put to man's account. Man could thereby be called "righteous." In the person of Jesus Christ, God came to man in complete and perfect identification. God is righteous. So that man might have righteousness or be righteous, God gave Himself to man in the person of His Son. The Son of God became the Son of Man so that He might redeem the sons of men. In the person of the Son of God, "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven" (Ps 5:10-11). When Paul declares that the whole world stands guilty before God, he immediately proceeds to say, "But now the righteousness of God…is manifested" (Rom. 3:19, 21). This righteousness of God was manifested in the person of Jesus Christ. Because Jesus Christ was God manifest in the flesh, His coming was the perfect equity of character coming to man. The first task for the righteousness of God, come to earth in the person of Christ, was to atone for sin. This Christ could do because He was the author of the law which had been broken. This He could do because He Himself was without sin. He that was without sin became sin for us, "that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). Here at last is that righteous Person for whom Paul is searching. "Christ Jesus…is made unto us…righteousness" (1 Cor. 1:30). The only righteous person is the one with whom the righteous God has identified. Apart from this identification there is no righteous person. God has identified with man completely and perfectly in the person of Christ. It is upon this basis that the people of God bear the title, "The Righteous" – a title previously belonging only to God. "The righteousness of God…is by faith [lit., the faithfulness] of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference" (Rom. 3:22). God does not simply "declare" one righteous who is not. Declared righteousness is the result of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. The only true righteousness upon earth is imputed righteousness. And imputed righteousness is the imputed Christ. One is righteous through the effectual grace which brings him into perfect identification with the righteous Son of God. It is upon the basis of this identification that one is "declared" righteous. He is righteous in Jesus Christ.

The Place of Law From the biblical definition of righteousness it is evident that any attempt to achieve righteousness by keeping the law will end in failure. This is not a fact that was discovered after the law was tried. It is taken into account in both the Old and New Testament.

15

The law is the righteousness of God defined in terms of human understanding. God spelled out His righteousness in the law so that men in all time might understand and appreciate the purpose for the coming of Christ. Paul said, "I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet" (Rom. 7:7). If one has not known sin, he has not known a Saviour. And if he has not known a Saviour, he has not known the grace of God. A person will grow in his understanding and appreciation of the work of Christ in proportion to his knowledge and appreciation of the law of God. As historically "the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Gal. 3:24), so personally the law is a schoolmaster to convey to us that same lesson. The righteousness of God, defined in the law, is manifest in Jesus Christ and imputed to the individual by faith. The Holy Spirit then undertakes the blessed work of making righteousness a practical reality in the life. He writes the law of God on the hearts of God's people. He conveys to believers the spirit of that same law which is defined in the Old Testament. God is not one thing in the Old Testament and another thing in the New. The evangelical church desperately needs to return to Old Testament definitions and backgrounds if she is to recapture her sense of direction. The Christian gospel declares Jesus Christ crucified, risen and coming again. In response to that gospel, His people ask how they may honor Him. Christ is honored as He is shown forth from the lives of His redeemed people in happy compliance with those principles which are the righteousness of God defined. When obedience to this law is the response of love, the Christian life has its true form. Blessed is the man…[whose] delight is in the law of the Lord…He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.—Ps. 1:1-3, 6.

The False Gospel of the New Birth Geoffrey J. Paxton

Introduction The leading world evangelist recently declared that "The greatest news in the universe is that we can be born again." 3 For many evangelicals the new birth is the distinguishing mark of true Christianity. With them it has uncontested centrality. It has become their gospel. Raising any questions about the centrality of the new birth is regarded as virtually denying it. "The false gospel of the new birth" imagines that the new birth refers primarily to what happens in the believer and that this is the greatest news in the world.4 This is classical Roman Catholicism. It teaches that a good thing is the best thing, that the work of the Spirit is greater than that of the Son. It takes the fruit of the gospel and elevates it over the root, which is the gospel. It confuses the effect of the gospel with the gospel itself. This approach to the new birth is incredibly introspective and self-preoccupied. Such evangelical "navel 3 4

Billy Graham, How to Be Born Again, p.10. John Wesley White, What Does It Mean to Be Born Again?

16

watching" does nothing to commend robust Christianity to non-evangelicals or to those outside the church. It assaults the tender consciences of believers. It robs Christ of His glory by putting the Spirit's work in the believer above and therefore against what Christ has done for the believer in His doing and dying. It is, in fact, anti-Christ. This will shock many fellow evangelicals. But what we are saying is not prompted by blind antagonism. The Reformers charged Rome, and in particular the pope, with being the antichrist. Calvin knew that this judgment seemed to be slander and railing. Nevertheless he maintained his position. It was clear that the Roman pontiff had shamelessly transferred to himself what belonged to God alone, and especially to Christ. For Calvin the tyranny of the Roman pontiff was all the more serious because it did "not wipe out…the name of Christ or of the church but rather misuses a semblance of Christ and lurks under the name of the church as under a mask." 5 The very goodness of the pope made this judgment appear harsh and ruthless. "Hence Protestants have done penance by removing the offending passages from the Creeds and theologies. This reaction is understandable enough, but it misunderstands the primary point that Calvin was making." 6 We have said that seeing the new birth as fundamentally something that takes place in the believer and regarding this as the greatest news in the world is anti-christ. Like the Reformers' accusation against the pope, this charge sounds harsh and ruthless. But the point we are making is the same point Calvin made when he called the pope antichrist. Antichrist puts something good in place of the best. The ultimate evil…might not be the denial, but the corruption, of the ultimate truth. This is the point which 7 the Protestant Reformation made in leveling the charge of Antichrist against the church itself.

We are not saying that the typical evangelical approach to the new birth is an outright denial of the truth. Rather, it is the corruption of the ultimate truth. It confuses a good effect with the best cause. It puts a good fruit in place of the best root. Many who do this are good people whose Christian status and integrity we do not question. But that is the alarming thing about the new birth craze. Submission to sola Scriptura demands that we apply the message of Scripture to all our traditions and teachings and to the ministry of good men. Our minds must be held captive to the Word of God. We therefore offer the following observations on the relation of the new birth to the gospel.

1. Preoccupation with the new birth as the great act of God which saves us is more Roman Catholic than Protestant. For the Reformers, being born again was neither the gospel nor that which justifies the believer unto life eternal. Being born again was the fruit of the gospel. It was an effect of the gospel. But Rome either equated the new birth with the gospel of Christ's righteousness or regarded the new birth as that work which justifies a person before God. Many modern-day evangelicals also equate gospel and new birth. "Ye must be born again" is their gospel. This is not Protestant. 8 When he asserts, "This was the miracle of new birth, and this remains the very heart of the Gospel," Major Ian Thomas is in harmony with Roman Catholic theology. 9 Like Rome, Thomas regards the doing and dying of Christ as subordinate to the inner life of the Spirit. Reconciliation of the sinner is "but the beginning of the story." 10 The more sophisticated New Testament scholar, C.H. Dodd, also equated the gospel and regeneration of the sinner.11 Vincent Taylor does the same. 12

5

John H. Leith, "Soil Deo Gloria," New Testament Studies in Honor of William Childs Robinson, ed. J. McDowell Richards, p. 118, quoting John Calvin, Institutes, lv.7.25. 6 Leith, pp.118-19. 7 Reinhold Niebuhr, quoted in Leith, pp.118-19. 8 Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent; John Calvin, Antidote to the Council of Trent. 9 Major Ian Thomas, The Saving Life of Christ, 1964 ed., pp. 11f. 10 Ibid., p.12. 11 C.H. Dodd, The Epistle to the Romans, pp. 15f., 53, 58f., 84, 99; idem. The Meaning of Paul for Today, pp. 106f. 12 Vincent Taylor, Forgiveness and Reconciliation.

17

In equating the gospel and the new birth, both sophisticated scholarship and popular piety stand squarely in the tradition of Rome. While some would not formally equate gospel and new birth, they fall into this error on the level of piety. They refer to the new birth as the authentic sign of true religion. "Are you a born-again Christian?" "He is a born-again believer." But why point to the new birth as the authenticating sign? There are certainly more biblical ways to speak of true religion.

2. Regarding the new birth as the great saving act of God places the emphasis on the internal rather than the external. It elevates the subjective to the status of the objective. Making the new birth our emphasis elevates what God does in us to the level of what He does for us. Or it subordinates what God does for us to what He does in us. The language of faith is the chief work of the regenerating Spirit. Faith always points away from the believing subject to Christ, the Object of faith. Instead of saying, "I am born again," faith says, "Christ lived and died for me." Rather than saying, "He is a born-again believer," it is more biblical to say, "Jesus is his Lord." "He trusts in the doing and dying of Christ." Faith is not directed to what has happened in the believer but what has happened for the believer. Faith looks out and not in, up and not down (Col. 3:1-3). If we live by faith, we shall speak the language of faith. If we do not speak the language of faith, we will not help people live by faith. We will disturb tender consciences and rob God of His glory.

3. Preoccupation with the new birth in much evangelical thinking does not do justice to the Bible. Much evangelicalism gives the impression that God accepts a person on the ground that he is born again. But this is not biblical. Evangelicals desperately need to properly relate the doing and dying of Christ to the work of the Spirit. The subordination of the work of Christ to the work of the Spirit is all too common. Much of our teaching here has more affinity with Rome than with the Reformation. The sole ground of acceptance with God is the doing and dying of Jesus Christ alone. Whatever we say about the new birth must never qualify this fact. Most evangelicals think that being born again primarily means individual regeneration. But the Bible says little about this. When it speaks of regeneration, its overwhelming preoccupation is on corporate or collective regeneration (e.g., "new creation," 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; "new man," Eph. 2:15; 4:24; Col. 3:10 "made alive with," Eph. 2:5; Col. 2:13; James 1:18; Gal. 3:26; 1 Cor. 15:45; Jer. 31:31f; Ezek. 36:26f.). Regeneration must not be restricted to a private work done in the individual. It includes the whole church and the whole new creation (cf. esp. Matt. 19:28, where regeneration is as comprehensive as the new world to come). This broader perspective is dominant in the Bible. It ought to be dominant for us as well.

18

We do not deny the regeneration of the believer. But the believer is not the primary locus of the new birth. The primary locus of the new birth is Jesus Christ. Regeneration in Christ, not in the believer, is the fundamental focus of the New Testament. In John 3 Jesus tells Nicodemus that the old order, represented in Nicodemus, needs total transformation if it is to see the kingdom (v.3). Nicodemus thinks Jesus is suggesting that man must transform himself (v. 4). Jesus replies that this is not a matter of self-effort but of the Spirit (vv. 5-8). Nicodemus then asks how the Spirit can do such a thing (v. g). Jesus, in turn, upbraids the old order ("you people," v. 11) for not knowing the prophetic ("teacher of Israel," v.10) message of the Old Testament. He then declares where and how this transformation takes place. It is not by man's ascension into heaven (moral evolution and its Babel-like arrogance) but by the Son of Man who comes down from heaven (vv. 13-14). Jesus does not point fundamentally to the inside of Nicodemus at all. Rather, He points to the gospel as that in which and by which the new birth takes place. The new birth is primarily the activity of the Son of Man – His coming down and His being lifted up. Indeed, the regeneration of the world takes place in the regeneration in Christ (v.16). When Paul speaks of the "making alive" and the "regeneration" of believers, his focus is also on the gospel. God made us alive in Christ (Eph. 2:5). God seated us in heavenly realms in Christ (Eph. 2:6). The focus is not on the believer but on the gospel of Christ. In Titus 3:3-7 Paul shows the necessity of talking about the subjective aspect of regeneration in the setting of the objective gospel. He speaks of the appearance of the kindness and love of God our Saviour (v. 4). He refers to the salvation of God which is wholly of grace (v.5). And when he mentions "the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit," he quickly adds, "through Jesus Christ our Savior" (vv. 5-6). Paul then speaks of justification by grace (v.7). Although he mentions the subjective element of regeneration, his focus is on the objective action of God in the gospel (v.4, incarnation; v. 5, justification by grace alone; v. 6, propter Christum, because of Christ; v.7, justification by grace again). Because of their widespread disregard for the perspective of the whole Bible, many evangelicals have failed to honor its objective thrust on regeneration. Regeneration and related aspects of God's work in the New Testament must be put in the context of the unfolded plan of God in the entire Bible. It is easier to escape preoccupation with individualistic regeneration when this perspective is maintained.

In the old dispensation, regeneration is promised for creation itself (Isa. 4:2;11:6f; 27:6; 32:15; 44:3f; 61:1f; 63:11-14; Ezek. 11:19;18:31; 36:26f; 37:14). But many evangelical expositions make the comprehensive regeneration of creation serve a fundamentally individualistic emphasis. 19

The exciting new era fulfills the Old Testament promise. But this fulfillment is not primarily what God does in the hearts of men and women. It is what He does in Jesus Christ. Jesus of Nazareth is the fulfillment of comprehensive regeneration. This is the fulfillment of the Old Testament hope (Acts 2:23, 30; 3:13; 5:30f; 10:36-43; 13:32-33; 15:14-18). This is the preoccupation of the New Testament (Luke 1:30f; 2:2532; 3:15-17, 21f; 4:1,14, 16-19; Rom. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15; Acts 2:33; John 3:13-16). Thus, the New Testament can say, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation" (2 Cor. 517). The primary focus of regeneration and re-creation is the gospel. God has recreated and regenerated the world in Jesus of Nazareth (Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:10,15; 4:24; Co. 3:10-11; 1 Cor. 15:45). Where is this emphasis in evangelicalism? Just as we have allowed inner renewal to swallow up imputed righteousness, so we have allowed our subjective regeneration to swallow up objective regeneration in Christ for us. Anthropocentricism triumphs again!

4. Failure to let the gospel dictate our understanding of regeneration has led us to speak about it in wrong categories. There are long-standing controversies over regeneration. There is the matter of justification and regeneration. Does God give His Holy Spirit to one who is not yet justified, or does God justify before He gives His Holy Spirit? Further, what is the precise nature of the change which regeneration brings? Is it a "physical" change? Then there is the controversy over the relation of faith and regeneration. Do we believe and then become regenerated, or are we regenerated in order that we may believe? In much of our discussion of regeneration we have descended to the level of psychological examination. But the way the Bible speaks about the new birth that took place in Jesus Christ – the new birth for us – should guide us in speaking about the new birth of subjective experience. It is instructive to place Matthew 1:18f. and Luke 1:26f. alongside John 3. The following aspects of regeneration then emerge: First, the sovereignty of God in the matter of regeneration is incontestable. Both Mary and Nicodemus ask, "How can this be?" And both Gabriel and Jesus point to the sovereign operation of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35; John 3:5-8). Mary's song recognizes the sovereignty of God in the miracle of the new creation in Jesus Christ (Luke 1:46-55; cf. "He" in vv. 51-54). Second, neither Gabriel nor Jesus gives psychological descriptions of what happens in regeneration (Matt. 1:18f; Luke 1:26f; John 3:3f). Gabriel does not explain to Mary how God is going to pneumatically impregnate her. Mary is simply and tastefully informed, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you" (Luke 1:35). Jesus promptly refers Nicodemus to the ineffable and mysterious operations of the Holy Spirit: "The wind blows wherever it pleases…You cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit" (John 3:8). Once again the focus is on the mighty acts of God and not on physiological or psychological processes. Third, much evangelicalism is preoccupied with the internal and inside rather than the external and outside. Generally speaking, this dichotomy is not biblical. The elevation of the internal over the external aspect of a person is fraught with theological and philosophical difficulties. The healthier holistic emphasis of the Bible should guide us here. No doubt the announcement of Gabriel to Mary concerned delicate and internal issues. But notice Gabriel's emphasis: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you" (Luke 1:35). This language is anything but internalistic. Mary's song concentrates on the historical perspective of God's operations (esp. Luke 1:55). The focus of John 3 is not on the internals of Nicodemus but on the serpent of Moses and the lifting up of the Son of Man (John 3:13-15). Internalism in the matter of regeneration is another instance of evangelical fixation with gratia infusa over against the solo Christo of the gospel. Soteriology and anthropology go hand in hand. We need to view ourselves in the light of the gospel. We need to say with Mary, "Let it be to me according to Your Word." 20

Conclusion Regeneration must be seen in the context of the promise and fulfillment schema of the Bible. Our doctrine of regeneration must focus on the renewing and recreating activity of God in Jesus Christ. This is "objective regeneration." If we are to be biblical – especially when writing a book on what it means to be born again – we ought to focus on the gospel. It is here that God has given us new birth and new creation. Then, with the focus on objective regeneration should go the teaching of "comprehensive regeneration" —the regeneration of the whole church and of creation itself. Comprehensive regeneration does justice to the length and breadth of the biblical doctrine. It enables us to escape a narrow individualism. Next, there is the biblical teaching on "subjective regeneration." In its truest biblical perspective subjective regeneration is my being caught up in the great purpose and plan of God in Jesus Christ. Even when I speak of the change in my heart, I must do so in the context of the objective regenerating activity of God in Christ. The chief mark of subjective regeneration is its focus on objective regeneration. Faith is the chief work of the regenerating Spirit. Nothing shows that a person is born again more than his trust in the doing and dying of Christ. This perspective has been missed in popular evangelical literature. Much evangelicalism stresses the new birth as an instantaneous activity. But although being born again is a definite experience with a real beginning, both the Scriptures and the Reformers emphasize the continuing nature of regeneration. Hence, we may speak of "continuing regeneration." Calvin rightly taught that being born again is a lifelong process. Finally, there is "consummative regeneration" (Matt. 19:28). The whole world is moving toward the conclusion of the plans of God from the beginning. In an age of ecological and economic disintegration this would be a welcome emphasis in evangelicalism. We hear much about here-and-now new birth. We need also to hear of the coming final regenerative action of God. Here, then, are the essential biblical elements in regeneration. The objective regeneration in Christ is also a comprehensive regeneration. The subjective regeneration of the individual is a continuing regeneration as well. We look forward to consummative regeneration, when God will conclude His purposes for this universe.

21