As I have written, I recently finished reading a book by Charles Leiter entitled Justification and Regeneration. It is inexpensive on Amazon (link: Justification and Regeneration (Expanded Edition): Charles Leiter: 9780981732152: Amazon.com: Books). I believe this book is worth reading.
Chapter Fifteen is entitled “A Change of Realms from Adam to Christ.” The theme of this chapter is that regeneration can be described as a change from the realm of Adam (condemnation) to the realm of Christ (justification, regeneration, and every other good blessing). This chapter has seven headings.
The first heading is “Justified in Christ.” Galatians 2:17 (NET) reads:
17 But if while seeking to be justified in Christ we ourselves have also been found to be sinners, is Christ then one who encourages sin? Absolutely not!
The truth is the believer has perfect righteousness – the very righteousness of God. See Philippians 3:8-9.
The second heading is “New Creatures in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NET) reads (and says it all):
17 So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come!
The third heading is “A Dependent Life.” A believer is a new creature in Christ that apart from Christ can do nothing. The Christian life is a totally dependent life – dependent on Christ.
The fourth heading is “’In Adam’ vs. ‘In Christ’” All of human history can be summed up in terms of two men – Adam (100% human) and Jesus Christ (100% God and 100% human). Through Adam’s fall sin entered into the world. Christ came as the last Adam to begin a new human race. Those who are in Adam partake of all that was true of Adam. Those who are in Christ partake of all that is in Christ.
The fifth heading is “The Characteristics of the Two Realms.” Here, Pastor Leiter makes a list of fourteen contrasts between being “in Adam” and being “in Christ.” See page 126.
The sixth heading is “Christians Have ‘Died To’ the Old Realm.” Pastor Leiter cites Romans 6:9-11. He says that when Paul says a believer had “died to sin,” he is referring to something that really happened. The Christina has not “died to sin” in the sense that a Christian does not sin (affected by it), but he had died to in the sense that he no longer lives under sin’s reign. A Christian’s death to sin is a reality. ITS IS A FACT THAT a believer is dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
The seventh heading is “The Certainty of Life in Christ.” Pastor Leiter emphasizes the incredibly bright future ahead for a Christian. A believer’s union with Christ is powerful so as to secure eternal life!!! A believer’s eternal life is secure in Christ!!
I hope you have enjoyed looking at these posts. Hopefully, you have taken the time to read or will begin reading Pastor Leiter’s book.
If you are unsure about your salvation or are not a Christian, it is vital that you continue reading.
IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT YOUR SALVATION
If you are unsure about your salvation, you need to check out my book The Salvation Meter: Biblical Self-Diagnostic Tests to Examine Your Salvation and Spiritual Growth (book link at Xulon Press: https://www.xulonpress.com/bookstore/bookdetail.php?PB_ISBN=9781662828638 ). At Amazon the book link is https://www.amazon.com/Salavation-Meter-Biblical-Self-Diagnostic-Spiritual/dp/1662828632 . I also have a website in which I am updating the content in the book. The link to my website for the book is https://thesalvationmeter.com .
IF YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN
… please (1) read through “God’s Plan of Salvation” so you can understand what God did for you through His only unique Son, Jesus Christ, and (2), from the bottom of your heart, pray the “Sinner’s Prayer” meaning every word. If you do, you will be reconciled to God – saved – through Jesus Christ.
God’s Plan of Salvation
In the beginning, God, who is holy, created the entire universe. As a part of His creative actions, He made humans (male and female) in His image to know Him. For a while, everything was right between God and our ancestors, Adam and Eve. But Adam and Eve sinned, whereby sin was passed down to all of humankind so that we became sinners separated from God. Nothing we could do on our own could bridge that separation so that without God’s intervention, hell would be our eternal destination.
Fortunately for us, in His great love and mercy God provided humankind with the only means of salvation, which is through Jesus Christ who is God’s only unique Son. While retaining His deity, God the Son became a man in Jesus, lived a perfect life, and died a substitutionary atoning death on the cross, thus fulfilling the law Himself and taking on Himself the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever repent and trust in Him for their salvation. Jesus rose from the dead, showing that God the Father accepted Christ’s sacrifice and exhausted God’s wrath against every believer. He now calls all unbelievers to repent of their sins and trust alone in what Christ did to save them.
If we repent of our sins and completely trust in Christ alone that He died for our sins and rose to life from the dead, we are born again into a new life, an eternal life with God.
Scripture References: Genesis 1:1, 26, 31; Habakkuk 1:13; Genesis 2:7-25; Genesis 3:1-7, 22-24; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:19-20, 23; 5:17-19; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Colossians 1:15; 2:9; Matthew 1:18, 20, 24-25; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 2:17; 9:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 John 4:10; John 3:16-18; Mark 1:15; Acts 17:30; 26:20; Romans 1:4; 4:25; John 3:5-8; 1 Peter 1:3.
“Sinner’s Prayer”
Lord, Jesus Christ, the only unique Son of God, thank You for Your free gift of eternal life. I know I’m a sinner who cannot save myself no matter what I do, and I deserve to spend eternity in hell. But, I know that because You loved me so much, You voluntarily died on the cross for me taking my sins upon Yourself, and You physically bodily rose from the grave showing that Your sacrificial death was sufficient payment to give me eternal life in Heaven. I now repent of my sins and completely trust alone in what You did for my eternal salvation. Please take control of my life as I now receive You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You so much for saving me. I am now Yours forever!
(Scripture references: John 1:1-4, 11-14; John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:21-26; Isaiah 53:4-6; Mark 1:15; Acts 16:31; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9-10, 13; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; John 10:27-29).
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