True, but the word paliggenesia, translated "regeneration" from the Greek, only appears twice in the New Testament, and it is in none of the passages you cite.
I agree, and you will never see the word regeneration used to teach that a man must be regenerated to have the ability to believe, this is a man-made doctrine. Show me where the scriptures ever say a man must be regenerated to have the ability to believe, you can't do it.
The word for "alive again" here is anazao and literally means "live again."
Do you know what the word "again" means? If Jesus said the prodigal son was alive "again", that means he was alive "before". If we are born dead in sin as Original Sin teaches, then no man could be said to be alive "again", but this is exactly what Jesus Christ himself said twice. Jesus's words are so simple and plain that a child could easily understand. The only ones who do not understand are those whose minds have been deceived with false doctrine.
Where the word "regeneration" is used (Matthew 19:28, Titus 3:5) speaks of the regeneration of the spirit through the power of the Holy Spirit, but in so doing refers not to our own regeneration, but to a restoration of our soul and spirit as they were in Adam before the fall. We are indeed dead of spirit, and therefore born with a sin nature, because Adam's sin condemned all men until such time as that restoration takes place through salvic faith in Christ.
I believe Mat 19:28 is speaking of the resurrection, when our physical bodies will be resurrected or made alive again.
Titus 3:5 is speaking of when our sins are forgiven. This is when a man is quickened or regenerated spiritually. No man can be spiritually alive until his sins are forgiven, and no man is forgiven his sins until he first believes.
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by
the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Regeneration is when our sins are washed away, which only occurs after we believe, we are justified by faith.
Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he
quickened together with him,
having forgiven you all trespasses;
To be regenerated is to be quickened, which happens when all our trespasses are forgiven, which happens AFTER a man first believes.
True, and being born with Adam's nature means we are dead in spirit, not alive.
False, God says every man shall die for his own sin, and that the son shall not bear the iniquity of his father.
Eze 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
You cannot show me any scripture that says men are born dead in Adam's sin, but I can show you scripture that says the son shall not bear the sin of his father.
They did not even fully know who He was before He was crucified. They could not believe on Him for saving grace without knowing Who He was.
This is easily refuted, they knew the OT scriptures and knew of the promise of the Messiah or Christ.
Jhn 1:41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him,
We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
Jhn 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him,
We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
Jhn 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him,
Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
The disciples clearly knew and understood that the scriptures promised the Son of God would be born among men, and Nathanael declared Jesus to be the Christ the very first time he met him.
Yet again, even that miracle did not provide any "knowledge" that provided saving faith. That came only when they realized Who He was, after His crucifixion, death, and resurrection.
Baloney, the scriptures say they "believed on him". Their knowledge was incomplete, but they believed God's promise and were therefore forgiven their sins. But they did not have the indwelling Holy Spirit which proves natural men have the ability to believe.
They cannot believe without the presence of the Holy Spirit within them. They cannot open themselves up to Him unless He calls them to do so. They cannot even consider Who He is until He draws them near. Faith saves, absolutely true. But faith is not possible without the Holy Spirit.
This is question begging, this is the very issue up for debate. The scriptures clearly show hundreds, if not thousands of persons believed on Jesus before they received the Holy Spirit.
Jhn 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit,
which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
This scripture is directly speaking of persons who "believed on him" but had not yet received the Holy Spirit. This verse utterly refutes the false doctrine of Total Inability.
As I've just said, no he does not.
Anybody that teaches that regeneration precedes faith is teaching the exact opposite of scripture. I can show you a half dozen scriptures right now that ALL say a person must first believe to have spiritual life.
Jhn 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That
whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
Jesus compared believing on him to when the children of Israel were bitten by fiery serpents in the wilderness. The serpents represent sin that causes death. Moses was instructed to put a brass serpent on a pole, this represents Jesus being made sin for us. Any man that was bitten, when he looked in faith to this brass serpent was healed and lived.
Num 21:8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that
every one that is bitten,
when he looketh upon it, shall live.
9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten
any man,
when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
This passage refutes Calvinism in so many ways it is not funny. First, "any man" and "every man" could look in faith, which refutes Limited Atonement. Any man who was bitten when he looked in faith lived. Calvinism teaches that a man must be healed or made alive to have the ability to look in faith, scripture teaches the exact opposite, that any man who was bitten could look in faith, and if he did so was healed.
Then Jesus directly says whosoever believes shall not perish "but have" (following or future tense) everlasting life. Scripture ALWAYS shows faith precedes regeneration.
Scripture does not say men are born sinners.
Rom 9:11 (For the children being not yet born,
neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; )
Paul said Esau and Jacob had done no evil in their mother's womb. If Original Sin were true (it isn't) then they would have been guilty of Adam's sin, just as if they had participated in his sin themselves.
Ecc 7:29 Lo, this only have I found,
that God hath made man upright; but
they have sought out many inventions.
Scripture says God has made man upright, which means without sin. The word "they" points right back to the word "man" and shows this is speaking of all men, not just Adam. Men are made upright, but all men when they mature go out and sin and spiritually die as the prodigal son did.
Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
In Romans 7 Paul descibes when he came to know what sin is, he said he would have not known lust except the law said "thou shalt not covet". Paul said he was spiritually alive until he learned the law. When he learned the law he was convicted as a sinner and spiritually died.
I have showed you all this scripture that supports man is not born dead in sin, now you show me even one verse that says man is born dead in sin. You can't do it.
