Spirit Frist
Spirit first, We both can agree. Regeneration is through the operation of the Holy Spirit, in regeneration there is two elements that are distinguished,generation or the begetting of the new life,and bearing or bringing forth by which the new life is brought forth.Generation implants the principle of new life in the soul, and the new birth causes this principle to begin to assert itself in action.This distinction is of great importance for a proper understanding of regeneration. [palingenesia] found in Matthew 19:28 and Titus3:5, and only in this last named passage does it refer to beginning of new life in the individual Christian the idea of this beginning of new life is more commonly expressed by the verb gennao[with anothen in John 3:3], or in compositum anagennao, these words mean to beget, to beget again or to bear or give birth John1:13;3:3,4,5,6,7,8;also IPeter 1:23;IJohn 2:29;3:9;4:7;5:1,4,18 in James 1:18 the word apokueo to bear or bring foth is used there are many more proofs but these all prove a Travail starting with a begetting and ending in a bearing or birth. Man can not while in a dead state cleanse his hands, this would be done by some one who has the principle of life, until a person believes through the working of God's mighty power, all his works are not reckoned of Grace but of debt "A newheart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. Ezek.xxxvi" now notice the I's anyone who has been through this operation has a good honest heart, and when the sower comes to sow the seed it will bring forth, Eternal life is a gift that is not earned, it brings with it all the means to bring us to birth, to produce faith where with we can be justified, to bring about repentence it works the will and do in us, that we can fear God and work righteousness, I see how that you are using those verse but the letter was addressed to the twelve tribes these addressed were called brethern, or spoke to as members of the body, I cannot debate if their were people in travail there are not, or if the unsaved were there with them, what I can say they were called brethern in the eleventh verse, I think he was rebuking carnal, disorderly Christians , I have seen some of these same behaviors in the Old Regular Baptist during association meetings ,I have also seen churches befriending the world and dressing like the world, I have seen doubleminded ministers and members and yes I have seen sinners, were none of these people saved? Some of them are serving as moderators of churches and associations , Are they truly the world? If so why are they not excluded at once and removed, you must admit you have seen brethern killed right in your midst and you have seen the world creep in your own association, you have seen fightings and wars, all to the shame of the cause, you yourself have been attacked and mistreated for taking stands on issues not popular with the majority, the behavior looks too close to the church for me to say James was speaking to alien sinners, but I can be wrong and have been wrong before, and admit when I am, I told you before as long as you don't preach it as man doing something with out God, I would disagree with your interpetation, but not with the principle of repentence you are trying to bring forth. In Christian Love Bro,Mike