52 COMPLETE YOUNG PEOPLE'S PROGRAMS By George F. Santa The popularity of his earlier book of monthly programs has inspired the author to present this series of proved weekly programs. Assitred of wide use. 224 pages. Illustrated. Only $2.50 52 WORKABLE YOUNG PEOPLE'S PROGRAMS By Theo. W. Engstrom Vital, interesting and enthusiastic! Young people eagerly participate. Equally effective for large or small groups — an invaluable aid. A full year’s program. 160 pages. Only $2 WORKABLE PRAYER MEETING PROGRAMS By Theo. W. Engstrom Abundant practical material to make the prayer meeting one of the best programs of variety and interest. 150 pages. Only $2.00 IDEAS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE'S PROGRAMS By K. Anderson & M. Carlson 140 programs especially designed to pep up and enliven any youth group. Surprising in number and variety. 64 pages. Paper cover. 60c IDEAS FOR BOYS' AND GIRLS' PROGRAMS By K. Anderson & M. Carlson For groups large or small. Effective and workable suggestions to which junior age groups respond enthusi astically. 64 pages. Paper cover. 60c IDEAS FOR MUSICAL PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE'S GROUPS By K. Anderson & M. Carlson Young people like to participate. Here is their chance. Varied, differ ent and usable ideas in the musical line for everyone. 64 pages. Paper cover. 60c
Doctrinal pointers by Gerald B. Stanton, Th.D. Prof, of Systematic Theology, Talbot Theological Seminary Regeneration
stow eternal life. Regeneration is wholly a work of God for man. The Scriptures make it clear that all three persons of the Trinity work together in the bestowal of divine life, for it is God, rich in mercy, who hath quickened us (Eph. 2:4, 5 ), but also “ it is the Spirit that quickeneth” (John 6:63) and the Last Adam (Christ) that is “ a quickening spirit” (1 Cor. 15:45). However, John 3:1-7, the major passage on individual regeneration, makes it clear that the two primary agencies in the miracle of the new birth are the W ord of God and the Spirit of God. “ Jesus answered, Ver ily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be b om of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the king dom of God” (John 3 :5 ). It is futile to argue that this “ water,” this “ washing of regeneration and re newing of the H oly Ghost” (Titus 3:5 ) is anything less than the appli cation of the W ord of God by the ministry of the H oly Spirit to the human heart. Baptism does not avail to cleanse the human soul of its de filement, but Jesus did say: “ Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3). “ Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). The c h u r c h has b e e n sanctified and cleansed “ with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:26). No won der James (1:18) records that the Father “ begat he us with the word of truth,” while Peter, in the second most important passage on the new birth, declares that we are “ bom again . . . by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet. 1:23). In connection with the second agency in regeneration, note that in John 1:12, 13 those who become sons of God must needs be “ b om of God,” while in 1 Cor. 12:3, “ no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the H oly Ghost.” Man’s answer to the sin problem is reformation by “ turning over a new leaf.” God’s answer to the sin prob lem is regeneration, which, through Christ, is the implanting o f a divine nature and a new life. END.
MTot to an outcast, drunkard or crim- • li n a l, but to law-abiding Nicode- 1mus, zealous Pharisee and ruler in Israel, Christ addressed the command: “ Ye must be b om again” (John 3 :7 ). In order to have God as your Father, in order that heaven might be your home, in order to become a son of God and enter the fam ily of God, there must be the new birth. W ith out that spiritual renewal, that re generation, it is impossible to know God or to enter the kingdom of God. It is said that George Whitfield preached over 300 times with John 3:3 as his text. When asked why, he solemnly answered, “ Because ‘except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ ” Entrance into the fam ily of God is by an act of faith in. the Son of God. When a sinner at the end of his own resources casts himself upon Christ for the salvation of his soul from sin, believing that the death of the Just One is sufficient to bring him, the unjust, into an acceptable relation ship with God, there is wrought with in him the transforming miracle of the new birth. He is “ saved” ; he is “ born again” ; he is “ regenerated.” There are two main issues in regen eration: (1 ) he who was dead in sin receives the gift of God which is eternal life (Rom. 6:23 ), and (2 ) he is granted a new standing, member ship in the fam ily and household of God (Eph. 2:19; 2 Cor. 6:18). A c cordingly, we may define regenera tion as that act of God whereby He grants the believer life in place of his death and position in God’s fam ily in place of his former alienation (Eph. 2:12). In brief, regeneration is birth into G od ’s fam ily by the im- partation of divine life. “ Except a man be b om from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” So reads Goodspeed, Rotherham, M of fat and others. Scofield and the Amer ican Revised Version acknowledge the rendering, but place it in the margin. Regeneration is a miracle which only God can accomplish. No church, no priest, no lofty human ethic or agen cy can remove the root o f sin, nor implant the divine nature, nor be
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■FREE, Descriptive Christmas Folder No. 705 I (lists programs, helpers, cantatas, carol | books, dramas, piano numbers) | NAME__________________________________i_____________ I ADDRESS___________________________________________ I C ITY . .STA TE. j LILLENAS PUB. CO. • Kansas City 41. Mo.
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O C TO B ER , 1955
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