For you consideration, this was posted on the Predestinarian Yahoo Group:
The new birth is just that - another BIRTH. The first was "of the flesh and IS flesh;" the second is of the "Spirit and IS SPIRITUAL." Man has NOTHING to do in THAT process which is of the Spirit. And this spiritual Life is an absolute necessity to hear, see, believe, and/or LOVE the Lord Jesus Christ and rejoice in His Gospel. All the preaching in this world together, and all the books on the Gospel are of no lasting benefit in the ABSENCE of this divine life.
The quickening and birth of this Spiritual man is often in the absence of the presentation of the Gospel, but no one has good reason to assume because one understands a birthing process, and that such is exclusively in the grace of God Himself, that we do NOT believe all of God's elect will be "sanctified by the Spirit AND BELIEF OF THE TRUTH." I will add, in the absence of BELIEF OF THE TRUTH, there is no evidence of any spiritual birth, for that TRUTH is what makes manifest the presence of a spiritual nature.
An Arminian in arrogant faith is not showing any sound evidence of being born of the Spirit; and a Calvinist knowing he is saved and bound for heaven and immortal glory because he believes five points of the historic Christian faith is showing no evidence of an experimental relationship with Christ. God's dear children are born of God, "not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God that liveth and abideth forever;" he is such a one as has the presence of his corruptible flesh still, with the warfare between that which is born of Adam's seed and that which is born of Christ' seed, and therefore must of necessity at times be full of fears and doubts, and fiery trials to test his faith, and at times a feeling of joy and rejoicing in the sweet blessings of his Lord. He is one that is anointed of God, and this anointing teaches him all things; it is the unction of the Holy Ghost, and belongs ONLY to one born of God by the instrumentality of His blessed Spirit. I see NO evidence of anything spiritual in a mere head-knowledge Christianity that has no living fruit of spirituality.
BUT, let's not put God in a strait-jacket to work as WE would wish Him to work! Many elect doubt their salvation because they were born of God at an early age prior to their memory of it; many physically deaf, or "hearing impaired" individuals are born of God and WILL NEVER HEAR THE GOSPEL PREACHED - many of us on this forum know of such personally; and many at Antioch Church at Cleveland, Texas know of such! Only God Himself knows "them that are His," and it was David's sin to "number the children of Israel," because he did not pay a price of redemption for each that he dared to number.
Some of us grew up in religious institutions that loved NUMBERS, posted them on boards behind their pulpits, published them in their Minutes, and bragged on how many they got saved, etc. In such a setting, NUMBERS are important, and we just have to find some format to number them as correctly as we can. But it is a sin! My cats are NOT named by other people- they are MINE! and my bank-account is nobodies business but my own! God's people are HIS, and it "ain't none of our business who they are," or how many they be! It is enough to know that ALL of those in seed-substance in Eternal Election in Christ are saved by Him in His humiliation, obedience, suffering and death while on earth, and they will in time be called, regenerated and converted and kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation in Christ to immortal glory.
To me, I found that once I saw that what Christ did WHILE HERE ON EARTH to "save His people from their sins," (as the angel told Mary,) and once noticed that each thing He accomplished has an "ed" (past tense) on each word, the whole confusion of what the gospel did, versus what God did, came to an end. So, notice that He ransomedus; He reconciled us to God; He IS the propitiation of our sins; He saved us; He washed us in His blood, etc. Isn't that what the angel said? "Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save HIS PEOPLE from their sins." And HE DID! " I came not to do mine own will, but the will of (My Father) which hath sent Me;""Who hath SAVED US, and called us with a holy calling." "Which were born, not of blood or the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:13.
The gospel is for the edification of those who are believers; it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth - but not to any unbelievers. The word "salvation" does not invariably mean "receiving divine life" in all cases: in many instances it is a "deliverance," and "instructive" to save from error, the chastening rod, etc.
Yours, Stan Phillips
