Thanks for bringing up John 1:12, James 1:18, 1 Corinthians 4:15, 1 Peter 1:23–25, and John 3:9–15. Let's look at the error of your
own interpretation of all these, but let's start with John 1:12.
Your heart's thoughts, as you have expressed in this thread, your dearly held treasure is that the order in John 1:12 dictates chronological occurrence, so you have "received" lead to "believe" lead to "born of God".
The Apostle John wrote "
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13).
Let's follow John's blessed chain linking these people:
- John starts with the full population of the planet "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him" (John 1:10) as he builds toward the source of holiness which is "born of God" (John 1:13).
- John narrows the population to Israel only "He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11).
- John further narrows the focus to a sub-population of Israel "but as many as received Him" (John 1:12)
- John equates the population of "but as many as received Him" (John 1:12) with the population of "children of God" (John 1:12) as he builds toward the source of holiness, that is, "born of God" (John 1:13).
- John further equates the population of "children of God" (John 1:12) with the population of "believe in His name" increasing tempo about the source of holiness being"born of God" (John 1:13).
- John arrives at the source of holiness for every single one of us saints (holy ones) which is being "born of God" (John 1:13).
John's Good Message narrows the focus then he further narrows the focus then he further narrows the focus then further narrowing onward, so we can expand the focus starting with John's primary foundational point moving toward the secondary larger point and then the tertiary broader point and so on.
John's primary foundational point is "
born of God" (John 1:13, John 3:3-8) which results in John's secondary point of "
believe in His name" (John 1:12, John 6:29) and "
children of God" (John 1:12, John 3:3-8) and "
many as received Him" (John 1:12, John 9) which has implications for John's tertiary point "
His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11) which arrives at John's opening, broadest point which is the fact that "
born of God" (John 1:13, John 3:3-8) does not include everybody in "
the world" (John 1:10).
Wrong all that believe are given the power to become the children of god
John 1:12 (ESV) — 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
Children is tekna (borns ones)
All that believe are given the right to become born ones of God
it is regeneration which makes one Child of God born from above or born again
(5) The “children of God.”—Those who are “begotten of God” are ipso facto “children of God” (tékna theoú,
Jn 1:12;
11:52;
1 Jn 3:1,
2,
10;
5:2).1
1 R. Law,
“Johannine, Theology, The,” ed. James Orr et al., The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia (Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company, 1915), 1703.
CHILDREN OF GOD. Persons in this category are only those who of the fallen race are regenerated as a result of faith in Christ1
1 Merrill F. Unger,
“Children of God,” ed. R.K. Harrison, The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1988).
Children of God (tekna theou). In the full spiritual sense, not as mere offspring of God true of all men (Acts 17:28). Paul's phrase huioi theou (Galatians 3:26) for believers, used also by Jesus of the pure in heart (Matthew 5:9), does not occur in John's Gospel (but in Rev. 21:7). It is possible that John prefers ta tekna tou theou for the spiritual children of God whether Jew or Gentile (John 11:52) because of the community of nature (teknon from root tek-, to beget). But one cannot follow Westcott in insisting on "adoption" as Paul's reason for the use of huioi since Jesus uses huioi theou in Matthew 5:9. Clearly the idea of regeneration is involved here as in John 3:3.
A.T, Robertson Word Pictures in the New Testament.
Vincent agrees
Sons (τέκνα)
Rev., more correctly, children. Son is υἱός. Τέκνον, child (τίκτω, to bring forth), denotes a relation based on community of nature
Word Studies in the New Testament.
John has the "born of God" as the first and primary position.
John indicates that God causes man to believe in Jesus in John 1:12-13 because neither "believe" nor "born of God" are "of the will of man (John 1:13).
nope God causes man to be born again when they receive Christ
it is man actively receiving Christ
Man does not even get the right to that until he recieves Christ
That right is conferred upon reception of Christ
And as the right precedes the granting the reception of Christ precedes the being born again
Paul shows this to be the case
Galatians 3:26 (KJV 1900) — 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
James 1:18 says not that man's believing proceeds man being born of God, so you adulterate "Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures" (James 1:18) into "Of his own will he brought us ACCORDING TO OUR OWN WILL BELIEVING the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures" (the heart of TomL).
That speaks of the act of regeneration
Men who believe are regenerated as unbelief does not benefit
Hebrews 4:2 (KJV 1900) — 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
and Paul already informed
Galatians 3:26 (KJV 1900) — 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 4:15 says not that man's believing proceeds man being born of God, so you adulterate "For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel" (1 Corinthians 4:15) into "For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you BY YOUR WAY OF YOUR OWN INITIATIVE JUDGING RIGHT TO CAUSE YOURSELF TO BELIEVE the gospel" (the heart of TomL).
sorry try again
The gospel presentation clearly precedes the being born of god
for as we saw
Men who believe are regenerated as unbelief does not benefit
Hebrews 4:2 (KJV 1900) — 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
and Paul already informed
Galatians 3:26 (KJV 1900) — 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 1:23–25 says not that man's believing proceeds man being born of God, so your own interpretation is deception.
sorry you are the source of the only deception here
It is through the gospel men are born again
not in unbelief for
nbelief does not benefit
Hebrews 4:2 (KJV 1900) — 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
and Paul already informed
Galatians 3:26 (KJV 1900) — 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
John 3:9–15 says not that man's believing proceeds man being born of God, in fact, every single mention of saving faith (believe) in John 3:9-15 is governed by the Christ of us Christians saying “
This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent” (
John 6:29), but you heart adulterates the very Word of God into your
own interpretation of:
Sorry you have been twisting that verse as even other calvinists show
John Calvin: “People who infer from this passage that faith is God’s gift are mistaken, for Christ does not show here what God produces in us, but what God wants and requires from us.” (The Crossway Classic Commentaries: John; Crossway Books; Wheaton, IL; 1994, p.393)
This is the work of God. This is the thing that will be acceptable to God, or which you are to do in order to be saved. Jesus did not tell them they had nothing to do, or that they were to sit down and wait, but that there was a work to perform, and that was a duty that was imperative. It was to believe on the Messiah. This is the work which sinners are to do; and doing this they will be saved, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth,
Ro. 10:4.11 Albert Barnes,
Notes on the New Testament: Luke & John (ed. Robert Frew; London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885), 244.
Verse 29
5. Men torment themselves in vain when they try to please God without faith.
g. That is, this is the work that God requires, that you believe in me, and therefore he calls them back to faith.
Geneva Bible Notes (1599). (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2003), Jn 6:28–29.
Your anti-contextual interpretation was clearly refuted here
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye CAUSE YOURSELF TO believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven EXCEPT MEN WHO JUDGE RIGHT IN THEIR OWN INITIATIVE TO BELIEVE IN ME AND he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever CHOOSES TO believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
(the heart of TomL (no longer the Word of God))
Jesus just answered Nicodemus, who asked how can these things be (how can one be born again)
His answer is to believe
John 3:14–15 (KJV 1900) — 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
You must pretend Jesus did not answer his question and twist the scriptures repeating the same refuted arguments
