Romans 3:21-24 “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed,
being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
Author Dallas Willard continues that the second basic element in evangelicalism is “Conversion”. This involves both reconciliation and regeneration. Romans 5:9-11 tells us, “Much more then, having now been justified by [Jesus’] blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. In Scripture, the word “reconciliation” is defined as the means by which sinners are reconciled and brought into a state of favor with God, after natural estrangement or enmity; the atonement; expiation. In today’s social gospel, we have lost the concept of reconciliation. Often all that is stressed in reconciliation is forgiveness – where even that has been replaced by Christ “meeting my needs”.
In John 3:3-7 the Lord Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, 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, “Most assuredly, 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.’” In theology, the word “regeneration” means new birth by the grace of God; that change by which the will and natural enmity of man to God and His Law are subdued, and a principle of supreme love to God and His Law, or holy affections, are implanted in the heart. Regeneration, born again, born anew, born from above, transformation metamorphosis, the resurrection of the spirit of man that died at original sin that separated us from God. Sometimes the doctrine of regeneration is totally absorbed in the doctrine of justification. Regeneration, or coming to have a new kind of life (“from above”), is central to conversion as is forgiveness. Indeed, forgiveness is even subordinate to it. You are given new life by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and in that process your sins are forgiven. You cannot live in God or God in you without regeneration, forgiveness and reconciliation.
1 John 1:1-7 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. Fellowship with Him and One Another. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
The third basic element in evangelicalism is “testimony”. Testimony differs from evidence; testimony is the declaration of a witness, and evidence is the effect of that declaration on the mind, or the degree of light which it affords. In a church service, a personal account, such as of one's conversion. It is an affirmation; declaration. An open attestation; a profession of faith. In Acts 1:8, the Lord Jesus told us, “you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Traditionally, testimony was treated as an integral of conversion; belief and confession were inseparable. Both are meant to be heard.
Hebrews 4:12-14 “For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.”
Willard points out that along with these three foundational elements of Christ-centered piety in evangelical tradition, there are disciplinary aspects – “disciplinary” because they are thought of as “means of grace” or ways of sustaining and developing one’s life; not as modes of punishments. Primary among these are the public ministry of the Word of God, individual Bible Study, prayer, and the ideal of a whole-life discipline and holiness. Evangelical piety, our entire life, no matter what we were doing, was to be a part of our faith in Christ. In the Priesthood of Believers, whatever any Believer was doing was supposed to be priestly and unto God. The Apostle Paul proclaims to us in Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that
from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
Let’s continue this message on the need for “evangelical piety” in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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