The quickening

[Rlee]

There is a point in some of our lives, if not all, when the message of the gospel hit us squarely between the eyes or pierced our hearts, and our physical body was pumping adrenaline like that of a marathon runner. I grew up in church hearing the gospel for years, as well as having it backed up by my mother in our private conversations. At fourteen years of age, it struck home. The questions poured out of me and mom would answer as best she knew how with help from scripture. The heart races and maybe even a cold sweat ensued at times. What would be an in-depth or theological explanation of this experience? Is this the point at which God is opening our eyes and the flesh is battling back? I realize that not all have an "experience" such as this and by no means does it lessen the significance of their salvation. I'm just looking for viewpoints from the brethren.

 

[Deacon]

I probably heard the gospel message for years before hearing the gospel for the first time.

I was invited to attend a Young Life group north of Chicago. I might have attended two or three times. The guy's name was Meryl. He presented a clear message. I'm not a hand raiser and so didn't respond.

But as I as walking to high school some time later I stopped beside a stream and settled things with God.
No questions, no quaking, no shivers. It wasn't an emotional reaction for me.
But I knew it was a big thing... I just didn't know how big a thing.


I was disappointed recently when I Google Mapped the site a while back and saw the stream was rerouted and a house was built over the place.

Rob

 

[Rlee]

I probably heard the gospel message for years before hearing the gospel for the first time.

I was invited to attend a Young Life group north of Chicago. I might have attended two or three times. The guy's name was Meryl. He presented a clear message. I'm not a hand raiser and so didn't respond.

But as I as walking to high school some time later I stopped beside a stream and settled things with God.
No questions, no quaking, no shivers. It wasn't an emotional reaction for me.
But I knew it was a big thing... I just didn't know how big a thing.


I was disappointed recently when I Google Mapped the site a while back and saw the stream was rerouted and a house was built over the place.

Rob

Sorry to hear about that precious site. I'm sure it was heartbreaking. I wasn't a hand raiser and in fact, that was probably unheard of in my little corner of the woods at that time. It just seemed that the more I began to seek God and what He wanted from me, the more intense the experience became. Perhaps because to me, the God of the universe was becoming so personal all of a sudden and that was hard for little old me to handle. I remember mom asking me if God was "dealing" with me. Of course He was, but I couldn't admit it for some reason. There was a fear and nervousness from what I suppose was conviction, that would subside at times if I just wouldn't talk about it. Eventually, I gave in and pleaded with Him to save me.

 

[HankD]

I was in the service in a barracks of rooms at Griffiss AFB in Rome NY.
I had heard the gospel at night on my radio in my room, It was from Wheeling WV.

But It was in the Gospel of John while I was reading it that I heard His voice, let go and submitted to the triune God Jesus Christ the Son of the living God.

My life was turned upside down. The guys were saying "Hey Hank got religion!".

I suppose, better yet, Christ saved me!

I told them but there was only one that even seemed to listen.

HankD

 

[JonC]

There is a point in some of our lives, if not all, when the message of the gospel hit us squarely between the eyes or pierced our hearts, and our physical body was pumping adrenaline like that of a marathon runner. I grew up in church hearing the gospel for years, as well as having it backed up by my mother in our private conversations. At fourteen years of age, it struck home. The questions poured out of me and mom would answer as best she knew how with help from scripture. The heart races and maybe even a cold sweat ensued at times. What would be an in-depth or theological explanation of this experience? Is this the point at which God is opening our eyes and the flesh is battling back? I realize that not all have an "experience" such as this and by no means does it lessen the significance of their salvation. I'm just looking for viewpoints from the brethren.

I remember such an experience when I was young (leading to salvation) but I can also recall a few other times in my life when God has opened my eyes in a "reviving" (if that is a good word to distinguish from a "rebirth").

While we are endowed with the Spirit and God never leaves us, I believe there are times in our life that the Spirit quickens (animates) an already quickened (made alive) spirit.

 

[Rlee]

I was in the service in a barracks of rooms at Griffiss AFB in Rome NY.
I had heard the gospel at night on my radio in my room, It was from Wheeling WV.

But It was in the Gospel of John while I was reading it that I heard His voice, let go and submitted to the triune God Jesus Christ the Son of the living God.

My life was turned upside down. The guys were saying "Hey Hank got religion!".

I suppose, better yet, Christ saved me!

I told them but there was only one that even seemed to listen.

HankD

Awesome story sir! The one that listened to you, do you know if it made an impact?

 

[Greektim]

Anyone else think of Highlander when seeing the thread title???

 

[Rlee]

I remember such an experience when I was young (leading to salvation) but I can also recall a few other times in my life when God has opened my eyes in a "reviving" (if that is a good word to distinguish from a "rebirth").

While we are endowed with the Spirit and God never leaves us, I believe there are times in our life that the Spirit quickens (animates) an already quickened (made alive) spirit.

I can really relate to this. It seemed as if God called me in those young years and then later in life He opened my eyes to even more of Him. My mid-twenties is when true discipleship actually began to occur and my knowledge and thirst for Him increased. What an amazing God we have and how marvelous His works and timing!

 

[Rlee]

Anyone else think of Highlander when seeing the thread title???

It actually came to mind when I posted this, but of course I was thinking of Ephesians.

 

[HankD]

Awesome story sir! The one that listened to you, do you know if it made an impact?

I'm not sure, he was reassigned shorty after. I am a former Catholic. He was Catholic.
There is hope. The last time I talked with him he said - Hank I am so bad that only Jesus can save me - (Catholics are taught to pray to the saints for help). He was convicted of sin no doubt.

HankD

 

[Rlee]

I'm not sure, he was reassigned shorty after. I am a former Catholic. He was Catholic.
There is hope. The last time I talked with him he said - Hank I am so bad that only Jesus can save me - (Catholics are taught to pray to the saints for help). He was convicted of sin no doubt.

HankD

What a powerful statement. We will be in prayer for him.

 

[Van]

Hi Rice, you entitled this thread, "the quickening." That term is found in some translations, with the meaning of being made alive.

Jhn 5:21“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, G2227 even so the Son also gives life G2227 to whom He wishes.

Jhn 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; G2227 the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

Rom 4:17 (as it is written, “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life G2227 to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.

Rom 8:11 But 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 G2227 to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. G2227

1Co 15:36 You fool! That which you sow does not come to life G2227 unless it dies;

1Co 15:45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving G2227 spirit.

2Co 3:6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. G2227

Gal 3:21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, G2227 then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive G2227 in the spirit;

If you study these verses and ask yourself where does scripture say we are made alive, the answer you will find is "in Christ."

To tie a bow on it, look at Ephesians 2:5, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

If you are willing to accept scripture, we are quickened when God puts us spiritually into Christ, where we are made alive. Outside of Christ we are spiritually dead. We are redeemed when God transfers us out of the realm of darkness into the kingdom of His Son.

 

[Rlee]

Hi Rice, you entitled this thread, "the quickening." That term is found in some translations, with the meaning of being made alive.

Jhn 5:21“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, G2227 even so the Son also gives life G2227 to whom He wishes.

Jhn 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; G2227 the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

Rom 4:17 (as it is written, “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life G2227 to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.

Rom 8:11 But 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 G2227 to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. G2227

1Co 15:36 You fool! That which you sow does not come to life G2227 unless it dies;

1Co 15:45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving G2227 spirit.

2Co 3:6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. G2227

Gal 3:21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, G2227 then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive G2227 in the spirit;

If you study these verses and ask yourself where does scripture say we are made alive, the answer you will find is "in Christ."

To tie a bow on it, look at Ephesians 2:5, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

If you are willing to accept scripture, we are quickened when God puts us spiritually into Christ, where we are made alive. Outside of Christ we are spiritually dead. We are redeemed when God transfers us out of the realm of darkness into the kingdom of His Son.

That's exactly the reason I named this post what I did. To me, the Ephesians reference was the base for it with many of the others in support. The "to make alive" statement is powerful. I was dead in trespasses and sin, but I was made alive. I was made to see that I needed God whereas up until that time, my eyes were blinded to that need. It's one of my favorite words used in scripture.

 

[Van]

As I read your posts, I do not see you using your favorite word to mean to make alive, but rather to compel someone to believe in Christ. Not what the word means, as used in scripture.

 

[Van]

2Co 3:6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. G2227

Lets consider this verse. First to be effective ministers of the New Covenant, one must actually understand the New Covenant. Not the letter but of the Spirit is vague, but if you look at the next verse, the letter refers to the Law chiseled in stone. So if we (for the sake of commentary only) replace letter with Old Covenant, the meaning becomes clear. So the idea is they were made effective ministers of the life giving New Covenant, not the death of the Old Covenant.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

There is a point in some of our lives, if not all, when the message of the gospel hit us squarely between the eyes or pierced our hearts, and our physical body was pumping adrenaline like that of a marathon runner. I grew up in church hearing the gospel for years, as well as having it backed up by my mother in our private conversations. At fourteen years of age, it struck home. The questions poured out of me and mom would answer as best she knew how with help from scripture. The heart races and maybe even a cold sweat ensued at times. What would be an in-depth or theological explanation of this experience? Is this the point at which God is opening our eyes and the flesh is battling back? I realize that not all have an "experience" such as this and by no means does it lessen the significance of their salvation. I'm just looking for viewpoints from the brethren.

I agree with this.
There is a difference between the 'quickening' of John 6:63, and the 'new birth' of, say, 1 Peter 1:23. It is surely the difference between the conception of a child and its eventual birth. We read in Acts 16 that the Lord opened Lydia's heart. This was an entirely monergistic act. The result of that initial 'quickening' was that first she heeded the words of Paul and Silas and then she believed them. The 'gestation period' here between quickening and new birth was very short. In other cases it is much longer. According to his autobiography, John Bunyan was under conviction of sin for around 18 months before coming to faith.

An important text is 2 Corinthians 3:6. 'For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life [ie. 'quickens'].' The 'letter' here is clearly the O.T.law, and it 'kills' in the sense of killing all hope of making oneself right with God. But although one may despair of one's own righteousness, no one will come to Christ unless the Spirit of God quickens them (cf. John 6:44).

 

[Van]

LOL, nowhere in scripture is the word translated quickening used to opening a person's mind or heart to the gospel. It is a misuse of the word to try and pour a myth into scripture. If someone does not understand something, such as something in scripture, and someone presents it in an understandable way, that is all that "opening the heart or mind" of someone means.

Next we get "initial quickening" as opposed to the "quickening" found in scripture, where we are made alive together with Christ. Do a search for "initial quickening" and you will find it is an invention of men, but is found nowhere in scripture.

And finally we get the outright bogus claim - "no one will come to Christ unless the Spirit of God quickens them (cf. John 6:44)."

What about the men of Matthew 23:13? Why did Jesus speak in parables in Matthew 13. Why did God need to harden the hearts in Romans 11? No answer will be forthcoming.

Does John 6:44 support "initial quickening?" Nope! "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. Scripture says we must be drawn (persuaded/attracted). If we behold Jesus high and lifted up (dying for us on the cross) we will be drawn by Him. God draws by showing us His lovingkindness.

 

[The Biblicist]

I agree with this.
There is a difference between the 'quickening' of John 6:63, and the 'new birth' of, say, 1 Peter 1:23. It is surely the difference between the conception of a child and its eventual birth. We read in Acts 16 that the Lord opened Lydia's heart. This was an entirely monergistic act. The result of that initial 'quickening' was that first she heeded the words of Paul and Silas and then she believed them. The 'gestation period' here between quickening and new birth was very short. In other cases it is much longer. According to his autobiography, John Bunyan was under conviction of sin for around 18 months before coming to faith.

An important text is 2 Corinthians 3:6. 'For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life [ie. 'quickens'].' The 'letter' here is clearly the O.T.law, and it 'kills' in the sense of killing all hope of making oneself right with God. But although one may despair of one's own righteousness, no one will come to Christ unless the Spirit of God quickens them (cf. John 6:44).

I think there is a difference between the natural conviction by the Word and conscience that is worldly sorrow until the Spirit quickens which produces godly sorrow unto salvation. However, I do not believe there is a difference between quickening and new birth or a time lapse between quickening and conversion.

I think many mistake "kicking against the pricks" or the natural convicting power of the word for quickening by the Spirit. Quickening simply means make alive and born of the Spirit refers to the union of our spirit with God's Spirit which is life.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

I think there is a difference between the natural conviction by the Word and conscience that is worldly sorrow until the Spirit quickens which produces godly sorrow unto salvation. However, I do not believe there is a difference between quickening and new birth or a time lapse between quickening and conversion.

I think many mistake "kicking against the pricks" or the natural convicting power of the word for quickening by the Spirit. Quickening simply means make alive and born of the Spirit refers to the union of our spirit with God's Spirit which is life.

The problem, if I may say so, with the view that there is no difference between quickening and the New Birth is that it effectively obliterates the need for Gospel preaching. Either someone is dead in trespasses and sins and cannot respond to the Gospel, or he is already born again and doesn't need the Gospel. IMO it is far better to pray that there are in our congregations those whom God has awakened to the Gospel but who have not yet responded in repentance and faith, and that He will use our poor words to bring them to salvation.

 

[Yeshua1]

The problem, if I may say so, with the view that there is no difference between quickening and the New Birth is that it effectively obliterates the need for Gospel preaching. Either someone is dead in trespasses and sins and cannot respond to the Gospel, or he is already born again and doesn't need the Gospel. IMO it is far better to pray that there are in our congregations those whom God has awakened to the Gospel but who have not yet responded in repentance and faith, and that He will use our poor words to bring them to salvation.

Or could say that God quickening upon a sinner will than result in them receiving Jesus and now getting saved, as both seem to be happening to us at the same time!