Total
Restoration & True Conversion:
A
study on Soul Cleansing & Spiritual Transformation from
Ezekiel Chapter 36 & Psalm 51
(Excerpt
from the ongoing Bible Study Series True
Christianity:
What the Bible really teaches by Brandon M.)
Here are some basic questions addressed in
this study:
1) What really happens at
conversion?
2) How do I grow spiritually?
3) Explain a few core doctrines of the
Christian faith.
Conversion & Growth: How does this
happen?
Scripturally speaking; we see several
miracles during conversion, rededication and times of spiritual growth. These
can occur simultaneously, or as a believer grows in their faith. However,
Some miracles may be invisible; taking place in the spiritual realm. Therefore,
it is possible to be intellectually unaware of certain miraculous events taking
place within one's own self and inner being. We must remember that the miracles
which occur during a true conversion are all connected, and can only originate
with God. For Jesus Himself said, "No one can come
to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the
last day." John 6:44
So, it is by His Spirit, through His Spirit, and in His Spirit that an authentic conversion
takes place and genuine spiritual growth is accomplished. Scripture reveals the
ingredients for a genuine conversion, consistent spiritual growth, and ongoing
transformation throughout the Christian life.
"For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be
baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts
1:5
* Disclaimer:
Before we continue I must reference two of the core doctrines mentioned
in this study; The Baptism of the Holy
Spirit and The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit. These doctrines are linked to
a deep and precious reality that "God is
Spirit and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
(John 4:24). Our Lord would not allow His disciples to begin preaching the
gospel to the whole world until they first received the Holy Spirit in a new
and powerful way similar to how He did at His own baptism and the beginning of
His ministry (see Matthew Chapter 3, John 1, and Acts 1). Sadly, some
denominations and ministries disagree and debate over the details of this
Divine manifestation revealed in the second chapter of Acts during the Jewish
Feast of Pentecost. However, this study does not specifically interpret the
Baptism of the Holy Spirit according to any group or division of the universal
Church. Rather, it will leave the interpretation of this amazing miracle up to
the reader.
Truth
from God's Word
Let us "examine the Scriptures"
(Acts17:11) for these key elements of soul cleansing, renewal, and the
Indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God. I have highlighted multiple verses from
two parallel passages that each exemplify these three essential miracles
associated with conversion, rededication, and spiritual growth. The
passages for study are Ezekiel 36:25-29 and Psalm 51. Below are the highlighted
verses in context proceeded by an interpretation from the perspective of a New
Testament gentile believer.
In Ezekiel 36 he speaks
of...
(A) Spiritual cleansing (v25)
(B) Renewal or Regeneration (v26)
(C) The Indwelling of the Spirit (v27)
Salvation (v28)
Repentance (v31 & 32)
* (Passage 1) Ezekiel 36:22-32 reads, "Therefore say to
the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “It is not for your sake, O house
of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have
profaned among the nations where you went. I will vindicate the holiness of My
great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned
in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the
Lord God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. For I will take
you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own
land. (v25) I will sprinkle clean water
on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your
idols I will cleanse you. (v26) And
I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will
remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (v27)
And I will put my Spirit within you, and
cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall
dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and
I will be your God. You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers;
so you will be My people, and I will be your God. Moreover, I will save you from
all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will
not bring a famine on you. I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the
produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine
among the nations. Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that
were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your
iniquities and your abominations. I am not doing this for your sake,” declares
the Lord God, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways,
O house of Israel!”" Ez 36:22-32
In Psalm 51 David prays
for...
Forgiveness (v1)
(A) Spiritual cleansing & Repentance (v2, v7, & v14)
(B) Renewal or Regeneration (v10)
(C) The Presence and Anointing of the Holy Spirit
(v11)
Restoration (v12)
*(Passage 2) Psalm 51 reads, "Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your
lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my
transgressions. (v2) Wash me thoroughly
from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned And done
what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when you speak And
blameless when You judge. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin
my mother conceived me. (v6) Behold, You
desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me
know wisdom. (v7) Purify me
with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities. (v10) Create in me a clean heart, O God, And
renew a steadfast spirit within me. (v11) Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit
from me. (v12) Restore to me
the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. (v13) Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You. (v14) Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; Then
my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise. (v16) For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are
not pleased with burnt offering. (v17) The
sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God,
You will not despise. By Your favor do good to Zion; Build the walls of
Jerusalem. Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and
whole burnt offering; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar."
Psalm 51
The
following is a brief expository study verse by verse extracting truth from
these passages.
A:
The Miracle of spiritual cleansing & genuine repentance
1a) Ez 36:25 "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and
you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you."
2a) Psalm 51:2 & 7 "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And
cleanse me from my sin... ...Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I
shall be whiter than snow."
An interpretation for Gentile believers: The Lord's work
of sprinkling "clean water"
on His people and His Church to cleanse them
from sin, sickness, and oppression is later symbolized in the New Testament
through the Baptism of Repentance
(i.e. - public immersion in water). This practice was initiated by John the
Baptist, and later continued by the Lord Jesus and His Apostles. For John
proclaimed, "I baptize you with
water for repentance,"
(Matt 3:11a). Ezekiel shows us a reoccurring desire of God to cleanse His
people from idols and uncleanliness (sin and wickedness). But what Ezekiel
doesn't say in the passage is also important. Biblically speaking; God rarely
cleanses, heals and restores His people without also giving a call to
repentance, obedience, and faith. For even the Lord Jesus said, “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw
it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have
two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire" (Matthew 18:8). Therefore,
repentance is a greater miracle and lasts longer than purely physical
healing. Though we long for and are promised an increase in healing miracles,
signs and wonders throughout the Bible, eternal life only comes with
repentance. And it's only when we have personally undergone repentance
that we can appropriately proclaim the next section of this humble prayer in
verse 13, “Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be
converted to You" (Ps 51:13).
In the New Testament; Jesus healed, cleansed, and forgave
many people who were unaware of His power. And sometimes they didn't even ask
for His help. For example: He raised a dead teenager to life at his own funeral
[Luke 7], and restored sight to a man born blind [John 9]. Even though some did
not actually petition Jesus, most who received miracles had requested for His
help. Regardless of how God chooses between miracles, His teachings and
commands will always lead us to repentance. Jesus told people to prove
themselves "clean" (e.g.
-the cleansing of the 10 lepers [Luke 17]), and to "sin no more" (e.g. - the woman caught in adultery [John
8]). Truthfully, if we spend enough time with God, than we WILL be called to "turn from" sin (2
Chronicles 7) and "return to the
Lord" (Zech 1, Hosea 6, & Joel 2). God never says that we can earn
healing and deliverance, or cleanse ourselves through our own merits and
apologies. Even holy sacraments such as Baptism and Temple sacrifice are
dependent upon the mercy of God. The Bible teaches that repentance and
restoration (i.e. - cleansing) go hand and hand. David explains this later in
the highlighted Psalm, “For You do not delight in sacrifice,
otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The
sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You
will not despise" (Ps
51:16-17). Jesus also sheds light on this very thing by referencing
the prophet Hosea, "But go and
learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to
call the righteous, but sinners" (Matthew 9:13). In the case of the Israelites; whenever they
repented, God would restore His sustaining presence to their land. It is
evident that God cares more about repentance than lavish sacrifices. Consider
this verse: "If my people, which are
called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will
I hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
Consequently, when David repented of adultery and murder
during this Psalm he pleaded with the Lord multiple times for forgiveness, "Wash
me thoroughly... And cleanse me... Purify me... Wash me, and I shall be whiter
than snow" (Psalm 51:2,6-7).
So, we see that repentance is certainly intertwined with restoration. It is
clear that the miracle of repentance was already on God's mind long before John
the Baptist came preaching at the Jordan River. Ezekiel also speaks of
repentance throughout his writings as well. "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,
"Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all
your abominations.” (Ez 14:6)
The Apostles tell us that we have been
“redeemed" (1 Peter 1:19), and "washed in the Blood of the
Lamb" (as referenced in Revelation 7:14). We will talk more about
the renewal process in the next two sections; briefly covering the redemption
of the spirit, heart, and mind.
Consider these OT verses for further meditation on
repentance: "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God,
and there is no other." (Isaiah 45:22) "Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen that you may live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful
mercies shown to David." (Is 55:3) "Say to them, 'As I live!'
declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but
rather that the wicked turn from his way
and live. Turn back, turn back from
your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?' (Ezekiel
33:11).
B:
The miracle of spiritual renewal & regeneration
1b) Ez 36:26 "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the
heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."
2b) Psalm 51:6 & 10 "Behold, You
desire truth in the innermost being,
and in the hidden part You will make
me know wisdom... Create in me a clean
heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."
An interpretation for Gentile believers: The Lord reveals
His plans to renew His children from the inside-out. First He gives them a
tender "heart" and "a new
spirit." This is why our Lord Jesus was so upset when Nicodemus (a
teacher of the Law of Moses) couldn't quite grasp the divine mystery of rebirth
(John 3). Though Jesus describes spiritual renewal differently than
Ezekiel and David, someone familiar with the prophets and kings should
certainly recognize this obvious connection. The Lord said, "you
must be born again" (John
3:7) and "born of the Spirit" (John 3:6 & 8). When true
conversion occurs; the new believer will receive a portion of "the
divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4), a
renewed mind (Romans 12:1), a new
spirit (Ezekiel 36:26, Ps 51:10) and a new heart (also in
Ezekiel 36:26, Ps 51:10) in anticipation for "the redemption of our
bodies" (Romans 8:23 & 1 Cor 15:51-52). This is the beginning
of sanctification (i.e. - spiritual growth, inner healing and soul cleansing).
The Lord appropriately links this together with the "cleansing" of His people from spiritual adultery. For we
cannot stay clean and holy without partaking of the divine nature which gives
us new desires and “a right spirit
within.” Referencing King David in Psalm 51 yet again, we see a similar
pattern to Ezekiel's prophecy in his psalms. David repents, asks for cleansing,
and then makes some very profound statements. He speaks of his "inmost
being," and "the hidden part." Then he requests both a "clean
heart" and a "steadfast spirit within." During this heartfelt prayer, the Lord showed
David his deepest need. He needed a supernatural restoration of his heart and
spirit. He uses words like, "create, “renew," and "restore." Just as Ezekiel saw that ONLY the Lord
could renew His people, David also understood that the Lord was his only source
of healing and redemption. How long will we attempt change ourselves to no
avail? When will we 'let go, and let God?' The next set of verses will teach us more in regards to being "Born of the Spirit."
C:
The miracle of being filled & anointed with the Spirit of the Living God
1c) Ez 36:27 "And
I will put my Spirit within you, and
cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."
2c) Psalm 51: 11-13 "Do not cast me away from Your
presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me
the joy of Your salvation And sustain me
with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You."
An interpretation for Gentile believers: Most prophets
and saints in the OT were familiar with the Holy Spirit coming "upon"
them "in
power" and on a temporary basis (e.g. - Gideon and Samson in the
Book of Judges), but until the time of Jesus and John the Baptist, there were
few examples recorded of being "filled with the Spirit" or
having Him live "in" someone
through faith. Some call it the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, borrowing from John
the Baptist, but it is more than that. John the Baptist explained in
Matthew chapter 3 that there is a distinction between his Baptism of
Repentance, and Jesus' Baptism of the Holy Spirit when he said, “I
baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is
mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit
and fire." (Matt 3:11)
Remember how John the Baptist saw the Holy Spirit descend
and remained on Jesus in John chapter 1?
This confirmed that Jesus was bringing the Spirit of God on a permanent
basis. Once the disciples received “the Holy Spirit in power" on the Day of Pentecost, they would
have Him forever! It wasn't just His power. It was His tangible presence. The
Third Person of the Holy Trinity of the One and Only Triune God would live
inside of them and guide them throughout their natural lives and into eternity.
From then on their ministries included both the baptism of water as well as the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Baptism with water and with the Holy Spirit are
intimately connected.
The Book of Acts is filled with instances confirming both
the baptism of repentance and of the Holy Spirit fit together in God's plan.
And many people in the Bible (especially the NT) are mentioned to have been "filled
with the Spirit." These precious saints were usually described as
humble individuals and who possessed great faith. For why would God give His
Spirit to those who reject and rebel against Him? The Holy Spirit's leads us to
an earnest state of repentance where he can then "wash" us. Once
we have been "redeemed" (1 Peter 1:19), and "washed
in the Blood of the Lamb" (as referenced in Revelation 7:14), the
Spirit of God can abide in us FOREVER! Being restored unto holiness is for the
Holy One Himself to "dwell in our hearts" through faith (Ephesians 3).
We now see that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is connected to the Indwelling
of the Holy Spirit; a doctrine established through the teachings of Jesus and
the Apostles of how the Spirit of God will dwell "in" those who "know"
and recognize Him [John 14:16-17]. Here is an example of being clothed with
power in the Old Testament: Samson was clothed with the Spirit's power in a
unique and miraculous way. God had given him supernatural strength in order to
defeat Israel's enemies and convey His wrath on the Philistines (Judges 14:19).
However, we see the Holy Spirit in more detail that Samson did. His presence
for believers is not simply for miracles and wonders, but to build each one of
us into a "temple" (1 Cor
6) and a "dwelling
of God in the Spirit.” (Eph 2).
This could be one of the reasons Jesus told the Jews, "Your father
Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” (John
8:56). Not only would the people of
Christ's day see the Incarnation of God in the flesh (John 1), but an infilling
and indwelling of God's Spirit in a new and powerful way was about to
begin. Consider this verse: "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away,
the Helper will not come to you; but if
I go, I will send Him to you." (John 16:7) Would there have
been anything better than walking with Jesus so many centuries ago? Yes.
God revealed to Ezekiel a wondrous truth that would was later completed in
Christ, and astounds us to this very day. God's "Spirit within" us is
even better than having Him with us in the flesh. Meditate on that for all
of eternity.
These verses confirm
that His “Spirit" (Ez 36:27) is our source for power, and enables
or "cause(s)" us (also in verse 27) to walk in His ways.
By embracing this journey of regeneration and renewal, we experience God in
ways that many prophets such as Ezekiel and patriarchs like David never fully
understood. Jesus said, “For truly I say
to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and
did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
(Matthew 13:17) And Peter wrote, “Concerning this salvation, the prophets,
who spoke of the grace that was to come to you made careful searches and
inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them
was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to
follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but
you, in these things which now have
been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy
Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.” (1 Peter
1:10-12) Though many of them obviously spoke about these miracles through
Divine Revelation, much of the details were hidden until the day of Pentecost
when the Church was born. Therefore, if you claim to be a Christian than you
should pray about God's plan for the total restoration of your "innermost
being" (Ps 51). If you attempt to spread the Gospel and expect people to
be "born again" (John 3), as defined by the Lord Jesus, than these
core doctrines and Scriptures as essential to help enlighten one's
understanding of true conversion,
genuine repentance, and the work of the Holy Spirit of God in the life
of every believer. We must look for these 3 miracles of faith in our own lives
as well as the lives of others who claim the Name of Christ. For Jesus Himself
said, "So then, you will know them by their
fruits." (Matt 7:20) and ..."flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is
in heaven." (Matthew 16:17b).
In Conclusion:
Ezekiel and David are both examples of restoration and transformation by God’s Spirit and grace. These miracles of God how
the Gospel is far more than someone joining a religious organization or even
attempting to pious and religious. “For
I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to
everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Rom 1:16) In reality, Christianity
is about having a real encounter with the Living God. There is no turning back
once the process of cleansing and spiritual transformation has begun. God does
not expect you to be holy on your own. Not only does He give us a new nature,
but comes to dwell in us forever! So, prepare your hearts "that the King of Glory may enter in" (Ps 24:9).
If the greatest miracle is the miracle of conversion, than we are
obligated to pray about, live out, teach, and preach what the Bible really says
regarding this doctrine. As mentioned in the first section of this study, many
are unaware of the invisible miracles of God, but the Lord will reveal His
presence and power to us throughout our lives as we walk with Him by faith. I
did this study to grow closer to the Lord, and to clarify some essential truths
of the Christian faith for those who believe and who are curious.
"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in
order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his
glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for
us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19
Reference Scriptures: PLEASE PRAY AND STUDY ON YOUR OWN FOR MORE.
-A brief word study through the New
Testament with these terms and concepts reveals truth about the Gospel and a
genuine conversion.
- Repentance: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand." (Matt 4:17a)
- Old Testament example
to for context:
"Cast away from
you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a
new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no
pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live." Ez 18:31-32
- Some New Testament
examples for further mediation:
"In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the
wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt 3:1-2
"From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand." Matt 4:17
"Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee,
proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the
kingdom of God is at hand; repent and
believe in the gospel." Mark 1:14
"And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need
of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous
but sinners to repentance."
Luke 5:31-32
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the
mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth
and ashes." Luke 10:13
"And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans
were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this
way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent,
you will all likewise perish." Luke 12:2-3
"Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke
to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law
of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened
their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is
written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,
and that repentance and forgiveness of
sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from
Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the
promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."
Luke 24:44-49
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose
sandals I am not worthy to carry. He
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in
his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the
barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." Matt 3:11-12
"And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and
for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God
calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to
exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those
who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three
thousand souls." Acts 2:38-41
"Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of
refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the
Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for
restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy
prophets long ago." Acts 3:19-21
"God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior,
to give repentance to Israel and
forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to
those who obey him." Acts 5:31-32
"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he
commands all people everywhere to repent,
because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by
a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by
raising him from the dead." Acts 17:30-31
"Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.
And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together
and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and
found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord
continued to increase and prevail mightily." Acts 19:18-20
"Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the
elders of the church to come to him. And when they came to him, he said to
them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first
day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears
and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did
not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you
in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in
our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by
the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in
every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me."
Acts 20:17-24
“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the
heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and
throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing
deeds in keeping with their repentance."
Acts 26:19-20
"Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and
forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you
to repentance?" Romans 2:4
"And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind
to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents
with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come
to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by
him to do his will." 2 Tim 2:23
"Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ
and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of
instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the
dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is
impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have
tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted
the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then
have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance,
since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and
holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls
on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated,
receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is
worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned." Hebrews
6:1-8
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse
your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double- minded. Be
wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your
joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."
James 4:8-10
"If we confess our
sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If
we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in
us."
1 John 1:9
"Having purified
your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love,
love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of
imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;" 1 Peter 1:22-23
"Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent,
and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your
lampstand from its place, unless you repent." Revelation 2:5
"Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to
die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember,
then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake
up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come
against you." Revelation 3:2-3 -
_________________________________________________________________________________
- Regeneration:
the renewal of the inner self (i.e. -"you must be born again" (John 3)
and become a "new
creation In Christ "(2
Corinthians 5).
- Old Testament context
for regeneration and the phrase "born again."
"And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of
stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my
statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I
will be their God." Ez 11:19-20
"Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have
committed, and make yourselves a new
heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no
pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and
live." Ez 18:31-32
- Old Testament with all
three examples:
"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your
uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new
spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from
your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And
I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and
be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your
fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. " Ez 36:25-29
- More New Testament
examples for further mediation:
- "Born of the
Spirit" and "born again."
"Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless
one is born again he cannot see the
kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old?
Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born
of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is
born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again. ’ The wind
blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it
comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." John 3:5-8
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
According to his great mercy, he has
caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled,
and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded
through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 1
Peter 1:3-5
"Having purified
your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love,
love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of
imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;" 1 Peter 1:22-23
- Believers are given a new nature and have put on a "new
self.":
"His divine power
has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through
the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he
has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is
in the world because of sinful desire." 2 Peter 1:3-4
"But that is not the way you learned Christ! — assuming
that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,
to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is
corrupt through deceitful desires, and
to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created
after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." Eph
4:20-24
"Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off
the old self with its practices and have put
on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its
creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised,
barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all." Col
3:9-11
"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is
wasting away, our inner self is being
renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us
an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things
that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen
are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
2 Cor 4:16-18
- Become a "new
creation in Christ Jesus."
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ
reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is,
in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their
trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of
reconciliation."
2 Cor 5:17-19
"For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor
uncircumcision, but a new creation."
Gal 5:15
"And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am
making all things new." Revelation 21:5
_________________________________________________________________________________
- Reception: "Receive
the Holy Spirit "(John
20:22b) & "Be filled with the Spirit "(Eph
5:18b)
- Old Testament Context:
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in
those days I will pour out my Spirit."
Joel 2:28-29 & Acts 2:17-21
- Old Testament with all
three examples:
"I will
sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and
from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within
you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a
heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit
within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my
rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall
be my people, and I will be your God. " Ez 36:25-29
- Some New Testament
examples for further mediation...
- "Receive the Holy
Spirit" and being "given the Spirit."
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose
sandals I am not worthy to carry. He
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in
his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the
barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." Matt 3:11-12
"And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him.
He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim
liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those
who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke
4:17-19
"Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this,
that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure."
John 3:33-34
"On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood
up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever
believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers
of living water. ’” Now this he said about the
Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus
was not yet glorified." John 7:37-39
"And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said
to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold
forgiveness from any, it is withheld." John 20:22-23
"and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ
should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his
name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these
things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in
the city until you are clothed with
power from on high." Luke 24:44-49
"And while staying with them he ordered them not to
depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he
said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not
many days from now." Acts 1:4-5
"He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or
seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:7-8
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off,
everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he
bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this
crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there
were added that day about three thousand souls." Acts 2:38-41
"God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior,
to give repentance to Israel and
forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to
those who obey him." Acts 5:31-32
"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing
that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and
character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love
has been poured into our hearts through
the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
Romans 5:3-5
"The Spirit
himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,"
Romans 8:16
"Likewise the Spirit
helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us
with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the
mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit
intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." Romans
8:26-27
"I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my
conscience bears me witness in the Holy
Spirit" Romans 9:1
- Filled with the Spirit:
"May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."
Romans 15:13
"For I will not venture to speak of anything except what
Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word
and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all
the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of
Christ." Romans 15:18-19
"Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the
will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery,
but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for
everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting
to one another out of reverence for Christ." Eph 5:17-21
"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That
he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with
might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by
faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to
comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and
height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the
fulness of God." Eph 3:14-19
"For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
and you have been filled in him, who
is the head of all rule and authority." Col 2:9-10
- He will be "in
you."
"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom
the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you
and will be in you." John 14:16-17
"You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who
does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is
dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from
the dead dwells in you, he who
raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you."
Romans 8:9-11
"In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."
Eph 2:22
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have
from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought
with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."1 Corinthians 6:19-20
"To them God chose to make known how great among the
Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him
we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we
may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his
energy that he powerfully works within me" Col 1:27-29
"But the anointing
that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as
his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as
it has taught you, abide in him." 1 John 2:27
"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them,
because the one who is in you is
greater than the one who is in the world." 1 John4:4
-
_________________________________________________________________________________
Other verses for study:
"And not only the
creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan
inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes
for what he sees" Romans 8:23-24
"Such is the
confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming
from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be
ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the
letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Now if the ministry of
death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites
could not gaze at Moses 'face because of its glory, which was being brought to
an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there
was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must
far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to
have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was
being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have
glory." 1 Cor 3:5-11
"And Jesus came and
said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
you. And behold, I am with you always,
to the end of the age." Matt 28:18-20
Ephesians 1:13
English Standard Version
(ESV)
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the
promised Holy Spirit,
Isaiah 4 The Branch of the Lord Glorified
2 In that day the branch of the Lord shall be
beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor
of the survivors of Israel. 3 And
he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone
who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, 4 when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the
daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a
spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. 5 Then theLord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion
and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming
fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. 6 There will be a booth for shade
by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.
"Now these Jews
were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all
eagerness, examining the Scriptures
daily to see if these things were so." Acts 17:11
"So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and
alive to God in Christ Jesus." -
Romans 6:11
“All these people were
still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised;
they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were
foreigners and strangers on earth.”
Hebrews 11:13
