~4 min read
GOD’S
TRANSFORMATIO
OF MAN
www.gbcaz.org
v20140904
THE UNREGENERATE MAN
(Unmixed, sinful condition)
- Who is a person is without Jesus
Ephesians 2:1-3, 12
Dead in sins
Walks in sins
Lives in the lusts of his flesh
Child of wrath
No hope
Without God
Colossians 1:13-14
In domain of darkness
Titus 3:3
Foolish
Disobedient
Deceived
Enslaved to lusts & pleasures
Spends life in malice & envy
Hateful
Hates others
Colossians 1:21
Alienated from God
Hostile toward God
Engaged in evil deeds
Romans 6:17-23
Slave to sin
Slave to impurity &
lawlessness, resulting in
further lawlessness
Penalty is death
Ephesians 4:17-19
Mind is futile
Darkened understanding
Excluded from life of God
because of ignorance within
All because/of hardness of
heart
Gives himself over to
sensuality
Practices every kind of
impurity with greediness
Philippians 3:18-19
An enemy of the cross
His end is destruction
His god is his appetite
Glories in his shame
Set his mind on earthly
things
Romans 5:6-10
Helpless
Ungodly
Sinner
Needs rescue from God’s
wrath
Needs justification
Enemy of God
Needs reconciliation
Needs salvation
Key descriptions of this old condition:
- An unmixed condition
- Unable not to sin; unable to please God
- No fight within (against sin or for Jesus)
- Dominated by and enslaved to sin
- Sin rules all faculties (thoughts, emotions, motives, actions)
- Unable to shepherd his heart away from sin and to God
- Under God’s wrath and judgment (Ro 1:18; 2:1-2; 2:5-8; 6:23; Ac 17:30-31; Ep 2:3; He 9:27; Rev 14:9-11; 16:1)
REGENERATION
EVENT
Accomplished by God in the Gospel
of Jesus Christ
The Gospel:
Theological summaries of the good news:
adoption through propitiation
penal substitutionary atonement
We get God through Jesus’ death in our
place!
Appropriated through repentance and faith.
Lk 24:45-47; Ac 20:21; Ro 10:8-10; Mk 1:14-15;
Regeneration EVENT Components
(Once-for-all-time events, accomplished by God for the believer at conversion)
- New birth, new life, new creation: Jn 3:3-8; 2 Co 5:17; Ep 2:4-5; Tts 3:4-7
- Positional sanctification (set apart unto God): 1Co 1:2, 30; 6:11
- Justification (declared righteous): Ro 3:21-25; 5:1, 9; 1Co 6:11; Ga 2:16; Tts 3:7
- Imputation (believers credited with God’s righteousness, Jesus credited with believers’ sin): 2Co 5:21; Ph 3:9
- Adoption: Ro 8:14-17; Ep 1:5; Ga 4:4-7
THE REGENERATE MAN
(Mixed condition) - Process of progressive renewal
The mixed condition of the regenerate man is characterized by:
- The unchanging realities accomplished at regeneration
- The pervading benefits of regeneration
- The new identity in Christ:
1Co 1:30
- The fruit of the Holy Spirit:
Ga 5:22-23; Jo 14:17
- Good works:
Ep 2:10; Tts 2:14
- An ability to obey God:
Ph 2:13; Ro 5:21;
6:4; Ga 5:16
- Proneness to sin:
Ga 5:17; He 12:1-2; Re 2:4;
Ep 4:30; Co 2:20; 2Co12:20-21
- Ongoing repentance:
1Jn 1:8-9
- Ongoing faith:
Ga 2:20
- Progress in Christ-likeness:
2Co 3:18; 4:16
The mixed condition of the regenerate man requires:
- God’s relentless transformation of the believer:
2Co 4:16; Phil 2:12-13;
- The believer’s diligent pursuit of holiness:
2Pe 1:3-8
- The believer’s wariness about indwelling sin:
Jer 17:9; Mk 7:14-23; Ja 4:1-4; Pr 28:26
- The believer’s serious perseverance:
2Pe 1:10;
He 3:12-14; 10:23-27
Key descriptions of this new condition:
- A mixed condition
- Able not to sin; able to please God
- A fight within (against sin and for Jesus)
- Enslaved to God, righteousness, and obedience
Ro 6:16, 18, 22
- Residual sin AND regeneration are evident in all faculties (thoughts, emotions, motives, actions)
- Able to shepherd his heart away from sin and to God
- Not under God’s wrath or judgment
“Unrighteous”
- Union with Christ:
Ro 6:3-14; Ga 2:20; Ep 2:5-7
- Expiation (sin removed): Jn 1:29; Co 2:14; He 9:26-28
- Propitiation (wrath satisfied): Ro 3:25; He 2:17; 1Jn 2:1-2; 4:10
- Redemption (bought with Jesus’ blood): Ga 3:13; 4:4-5; Ep 1:7; Co 1:13-14; 1Ti2:5-6; Tts 2:14
- Reconciliation (at peace with God): Ro 5:10-11; 2Co 5:18-20; Co 1:21-22
- Forgiveness: Eph 1:7
- The “old man” crucified:
Ga2:20 Ro6:6
“Declared Righteous”
“Being Made Righteous”
DEATH
Departing the land of the
dying and going home
- Disintegration of inner and outer man: 2Co 5:1, 8
- Safe journey home:
2Ti 4:18
- Unseparated from Jesus:
Ro 8:35-39
- The believer is still alive:
Jo 11:25-26
- Often called “sleep”:
1Th 4:13
- Precious to God:
Ps 116:15
- Gain for the believer:
Ph 1:21
RAPTURE
- Bypass death to be with Jesus 1Th 4:13-18
- Instantaneous physical transformation 1Co 15:51-52
RESURRECTION
Integration of perfected inner
man and glorified body
- New, physical glorified body: 1Co 15:42-58
- Dead in Christ first, then raptured saints: 1Co15:51-52; 1Th 4:15
Regeneration EVENT Benefits
(Unchangeable, objective realities, secured by God for the believer at conversion)
- Loved by God:
Co 3:12
- Indwelt by the Holy Spirit:
Ro 8:9; 1Co 6:19
- Indwelt by Christ:
Ga 2:20
- A member of Christ’s body:
1Co 12:27
- Members of one another:
Ro 12:5
- Confident access to God:
He 4:16
- Under grace:
Ro 5:2, 21; 6:14
- Saved from God’s wrath:
Ro 5:9
- Free from condemnation:
Ro 8:1
- Unable to be separated from Christ: Ro 8:35-39
- Peace with God:
Ro 5:1
- The fruit of the Holy Spirit : Ga 5:22-23
- Citizenship in heaven:
Ph 3:20; Ep 2:6-7
THE HEAVENLY MAN
(Unmixed, Sinless condition)
“Made Righteous”
The heavenly man:
- Is at home with the Lord: 2Co 5:8
- Resembles Jesus: 1Jn 3:1-3
- Is seen for what he really is in Christ: Co 3:4
- Blameless and full of joy: Jd 24
- No death or sadness: Rev 21:4
- No curse or night: Rev 22:3
Key descriptions of this future condition:
- An unmixed condition
- Unable to sin; unable to displease God
- No fight within
- Perfectly enslaved to God
- Perfect righteousness in all faculties (thoughts, emotions, motives, actions)
- No need to shepherd his heart away from sin and to God
- Enveloped in God’s Joy
DEATH
Inner Man
REGENERATION
THE UNREGENERATE MAN THE REGENERATE MAN HEAVENLY MAN
Members
(i.e. body, physical man)
Accomplished once and for all by God... but being renewed day by day in progressive sanctification. 2Cor 3:18; 4:16
No Body
(Raptured saints skip this stage; most believers (OT, NT) experience this step)