I respectfully disagree.
Being born again refers to that which God does to man. Regeneration is a monergistic act, which God alone performs on man, without man's aid. In regeneration God acts and man is passive.
There is no question on this, and you wont find either a non-cal (of which I am) nor an Arminian to disagree. And it is the very reason we states the act of salvation itself is strctly and only the work of God. While it is synergistic in that man must believe, our salvaiton was not obtained because there was some inherent value in that faith we offered to God by it. But that it was God's choice for Him to save those who would believe Him and cry out.
In salvation regenerated man becomes pro-active.
So you are contending that salvation is not monergistic but synergistic?
While regeneration is a monergistic act, confessing and believing unto salvation is a synergistic act.
Man does not trade his belief for salvation nor does believing add anything to the man for salvation. Man simply acknowledges what God says is true and cries out for mercy. Regeneration (being born) is the very act of salvaiton itself (Titus 3:5). Regeneration includes justification, sanctification, being righteous before God, being IN CHrist, and some reformed stated even indwelt with the Holy Spirit. - I AGREE WITH THEN ON ALL COUNTS.. however scripture states that none of these transpire in the life of man EXCEPT - by faith. We are justified by faith, we are sanctified by faith, and since both are needed to be declared righteous before God - that to is by faith, as well as being 'in Christ'. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit scripture states is.. by faith.
Even the very propitiation of Christ Jesus is only applied - by faith.
Therefore I submit that the monergistic act and the synergistic act can't possibly be referring to the same thing.
And I submit that when a person examines not only what regeneration does but how scripture states that it transpires, one can not come to any other conclusion but regeneration is in fact salvation itself. The old man is removed, done away with, seperated from us for ever, and behold - all things have become new (the new man), without spot, taint or stain. This refers to regeneration and in fact is the very defintion of salvation.
Regeneration and salvation are two separate theological terms which are both assigned different definitions from one another.
Acatully no. Scripture does not assign them two seperate difintions but the relate to the same thing just different wordings expressing either the specifics or general aspects. Salvation is an all encompassing word refering not only to the work of Christ in past and present but also the future things both of and to the believer. Thus it more accurately refers to the work as whole in a general sense combining all aspects at once.
However regeneration is more specific as it deals specifically with those aspects that acatully transpires/ed to makes a person new/saved and as such establishes them securely in that work 'because' it.
I do however believe that regeneration leads to salvation, but it is not in and of itself salvation. Regenerated man's pro-activity in the direction of acquiring salvation is described in the following Scripture.
Then I would encourage you to do a study NOT of what regeneration does, as I agree with the reformed view of what it does, but in looking at each of those aspects which reflect the 'borned' nature, how scripture states we obtained them. - justification, sanctificaiton, in CHrist, righteous, and even indwelt by the Holy Ghost - all equating to the 'new man'.
Once again regeneration is a monergistic action
If by monergistic you mean that God is the one doing the action, then so is salvation. Man can do nothing to save himself nor can he offer or contribute anything to help save himself. Therefore man is saved by God alone.
Acquiring salvation requires synergistic action
I agree, but not in the sense we help God or do something or trade something of value for it. But that we believe what God said is true, and in believing cry out for mercy. And God who is as rich in mercy as He is in grace chooses to reach out toward that man, of His own soveriegn will and choice, and save that person.
NOTE: However, all that aside - the force of the OP is directed to the passage of 1 John 5:1 being an iron-clad proof that regeneration precedes salvation and therefore even faith, and so as not be apart of derailing the thread anymore than I am I shall step away. Thanks for the interaction :thumbs:
