Regeneration Before Faith Proof Texts (VIII)

Eph. 3: 6-7 (Proof Text #11) 

"...that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power." (Eph. 3: 6-7 nkjv)

In order to become a "fellow heir," and a member of the "body" of Christ, and a "partaker of his promise in Christ," one must come to hear and believe the gospel. In order that a sinner "should be" such, he must come in contact with the gospel message. But, if becoming a partaker of Christ and God's "promise in Christ" is through the gospel, then one must believe that gospel. No one is partaker of salvation who is an unbeliever. Further, this "promise" is the promise of salvation, which must include regeneration or rebirth.

"These words are best taken as qualifying all the three former terms. The joint-heirship, membership, and participation had their objective ground and reason in Christ Jesus, and were made the actual possession of these Gentiles by the medium or agency of the Gospel that was preached to them." (Expositor's Greek Testament) 

The gospel presents Christ and the plan of salvation. When sinners hear this message and believe it, they become heirs, members of the body of Christ (union with Christ), and partakers of the promise of salvation. Said another commentary:

"in Christ] Only in vital union with Christ was the promise to be inherited. It was inextricably involved in Him." (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) 

Yes, salvation results from vital union with Christ. The preaching of the gospel is the means of bringing about this union. This is because it is the medium for producing faith.

Now, let us notice some other passages that are similar to the above verses from Ephesians, particularly from the Galatian epistle.

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Gal. 3: 13-14)

The "promise of the Spirit" is the supreme "blessing." The Abrahamic promise certainly included the promise of life eternal. To receive the Spirit is to receive Christ and "the spirit of Christ." This is when and how union with Christ is effected. So Paul asked in verse one of this chapter:

"This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Gal. 3: 2)

In both these passages we see the word "receive." Believers "receive the promise of the Spirit" and "receive the Spirit." The word is in the active voice in the Greek. Also, there are added the words "through faith." The Spirit of God and spiritual life are "received through faith." The Spirit of God and/or the spirit of Christ is the "spirit of life." There is no spiritual life apart from receiving the Spirit of life. Said the prophet Job: "The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life." (Job. 33: 4) The Lord Jesus also said:

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." (John 6: 63)

When one receives the Spirit and "the words" of Christ he is quickened. By receiving the words of Christ one receives life. There can be no life to a sinner who has not received the Holy Spirit, and "the Spirit of Christ," and "the words which are spirit and life."

The apostle Paul spoke of "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," saying that it is such Spirit that makes believing sinners "free from the law of sin and death." (Rom. 8: 2) Deliverance or redemption from spiritual death comes through receiving the Spirit and the words of Christ. Till the moment of faith a sinner is held as a prisoner to "sin and death." 

In this same chapter Paul also states the following:

"But the Scripture has shut up all men under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe." (Galatians 3: 22)

Whatever "the promise" is in this verse (and in this chapter) it is "by faith" and only given to "those who believe." What will the regenerated before faith advocates do with such verses? If they hold on to their man made propositions, they will force themselves into affirming that "the promise" or "the promises," of this epistle, exclude quickening (regeneration or rebirth). They have to do this, not because it is contextually warranted, but because they must so interpret it in order to preserve their proposition. But, what they should rather do is to discard their proposition (that says life comes before faith) and accept the plain statements of scripture instead. 

Even in the above singular verse, we see how spiritual life, yea, eternal life, is not excluded from being included in the promise. Before receiving the promise by faith, as a believer, the sinner is "shut up under sin." That is in keeping with what we just observed from Romans 8: 2. Sinners, before they believe and receive are held in bondage to spiritual death, under the power of "sin and death." Notice also these words of the apostle relative to receiving the promise of salvation.

"And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise." (Galatians 3:29) 

So, how does one become a possession of Christ? When does he possess us and own us for his own? Is it not when one possesses Christ and takes Christ as his own? As the believer takes possession of Christ, Christ in return takes possession of the believer. Belonging to Christ is a term that speaks of union with Christ. That Christ takes possession of the believer when the believer receives Christ, the Spirit, and the words of Christ, is the clear teaching of this chapter and epistle. One passage that entails the act of Christ in taking possession of the believer concerns being "sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." Wrote Paul:

"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." (Eph. 1: 13)

The Good News Translation captures the idea of "taking ownership" in "sealing," giving us this free translation:

"And you also became God's people when you heard the true message, the Good News that brought you salvation. You believed in Christ, and God put his stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit he had promised."

We "belong" to the Lord through being "sealed with the Spirit." It is when we believe that we are marked as the Lord's property. It is then that we belong to Christ. In some passages we find the words "they who are Christ's." (I Cor. 15: 23) When does Christ own us and make us his "peculiar people" (or "special possession" - I Peter 2: 9 & Titus 2: 14)? It is when we are "sealed" upon believing. In regeneration God takes ownership of us, or seals us. Therefore, as sealing follows believing, so too does regeneration or rebirth. While in unbelief and spiritual death we do not belong to Christ, but rather are "slaves" or the property of, sin and Satan. We might also say that death owns us. But, when we are saved by faith we become Christ's property, his blood bought or redeemed slaves.

Notice also from the text that the sealing of the Spirit is connected with obtaining "the promise." He is received as "the Holy Spirit of promise." The promise of spiritual and eternal life is included and cannot be excluded.

Membership in the Body of Christ

The phrase “the Body of Christ” is a common New Testament metaphor for the Church or for all who are truly saved. The Church is called “one body in Christ” in Romans 12: 5, “one body” in 1 Corinthians 10: 17, “the body of Christ” in 1 Corinthians 12: 27 and Ephesians 4: 12, and “the body” in Hebrews 13: 3. The Church is clearly equated with “the body” of Christ in Ephesians 5: 23 and Colossians 1: 24.

One must become a member of the body of Christ, or his church, to be saved or born again. Membership in the body of Christ denotes vital union with Christ, "the head of the body." There is no life outside of the body, outside of union with Christ. When one is united to Christ by faith he is then incorporated into the body of Christ. This body is not the local church, although it is presumed that members of the visible church or body of Christ are also truly joined to Christ. If they are not, then, though they be in the visible body, they are not really in the body. 

As we cannot know for sure who is truly a saved member of the visible body, for there are many pretenders, so we cannot fully see the true body of which the local church is a type. Thus, we refer to the "mystical body of Christ" or "the invisible body." The visible body is the group of all professed baptized believers. The invisible body is the group of all those truly joined to Christ in heart and spirit, or by faith union. 

The union of the believer with Christ is not only symbolized by the metaphor of a human body, but also by the marriage union. (Rom. 7: 4; I Cor. 6: 17) It is in the marriage union that both the husband and wife take possession of each other, when they own each other as it were. Marital life and communion follow marital union.

So, in conclusion, we see how the promise of new life in Christ is the result of faith.