Devotion for September 12, 2008

Regeneration Implants an Abhorrence of Sin which Is the First Phase of Salvation

“The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate” (Proverbs 8:13 NKJV).

Have you realized this great transformation in you? Those who are born again are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God, and that indwelling has its affect on the believer. This is called regeneration.

Without regeneration having first taken place God would be justifying someone who loves sin and hates God. This is completely inconsistent with Scripture. For the Bible clearly teaches that before regeneration all loved their evil ways. It is not until faith is exercised that one in declared justified.

“How long, O you sons of men, [Will you turn] my glory to shame? [How long] will you love worthlessness [And] seek falsehood? Selah” (Psalms 4:2 NKJV)

“The LORD tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.” (Psalms 11:5 NKJV)

“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge.” (Proverbs 1:22 NKJV)

“You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah” (Psalms 52:3 NKJV)

“He who kills a bull [is as if] he slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, [as if] he breaks a dog’s neck; He who offers a grain offering, [as if he offers] swine’s blood; He who burns incense, [as if] he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations,” (Isaiah 66:3 NKJV)

“I found Israel Like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers As the firstfruits on the fig tree in its first season. [But] they went to Baal Peor, And separated themselves [to that] shame; They became an abomination like the thing they loved.” (Hosea 9:10 NKJV)

Faith proceeds justification. The bible does not say sinners are justified and then they believe. No it says they believed then they were justified. Surely one can see this order in the following passages.

“and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:39 NKJV)

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:1 NKJV)

Again “In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD [one] departs from evil.” (Proverbs 16:6 NKJV) This happens because “. . . the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5 NKJV)

The gospel suffers great harm when well meaning gospel witnesses proclaim justification to unrepentant sinners. It is a serious error to call men and women to a promise of life without first calling them to repentance. They must first see their need for forgiveness. Yes they must feel their need for forgiveness for unless they are gripped by the knowledge that they love sin they can never repent of that sin.

My dear friend unless you have be regenerated by the Holy Spirit, all of your pleading, all of your crying, all of your desire to be free of the penalty of sin is of no avail. How then can one know if he is regenerated?

You may know you are regenerated by looking to the workings of God’s Spirit as it relates to sin. The Scriptures say “. . . the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another. . .” (Galatians 5:17 NKJV) There is a war raging in every believer, a war between the flesh and the Spirit. While the war may wax and wane it remains throughout the life of the believer. If there is ever a time when sin is not hated (not just the consequences of sin) you can be sure you do not know the Lord.

This is not to say that sin will not have its victories. It may be confusing to realize that sin sometimes seems more enticing than other times. However, for the true believer, sin will remain loathsome as a principle at work in his life.

“And you [hath he quickened] , who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:1-5 AV) [emphasis added]