Monthly Archives: October 2022

Reformed Soteriology – Resource Recommendations

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Recommended Book Resources:

  1. For those new to the subject:

Why The Reformation Still Matters by Michael Reeves & Tim Chester

Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace? by James Montgomery Boice

The Doctrines of Grace by James Montgomery Boice

The Holiness of God by R. C. Sproul

Chosen By God by R. C. Sproul

What is Reformed Theology? by R. C. Sproul

The Potter’s Freedom by James White

Twelve What Abouts – Answering Common Objections Concerning God’s Sovereignty in Election by John Samson

The Five Solas – Standing Together, Alone by John Samson (also available in Spanish)

Website: monergism.com (the greatest content of theological articles/material I know of on the internet – I recommend using the ‘search” feature often)

2. For Further Study:

Foundations of Grace by Steven J. Lawson

Pillars of Grace by Steven J. Lawson

Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof

Reformed Systematic Theology Vol 3: Spirit and Salvation by Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley

You Must Be Born Again

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“The Spirit regenerates. How often have the clear words of Jesus been misunderstood! People universally re-write ‘You must be born again’ so that the phrase reads instead, ‘You must born yourself again!’ Not only does this mis-interpretation make no sense grammatically (an intransitive verb has no object); it makes nonsense of a profound spiritual truth. Just as you did nothing to cause yourself to be born into this fallen world, so you can do absolutely nothing to bring yourself into the divinely renewed world of redemption. You must be born ‘of the Spirit’ (John 3:5). You cannot even coerce the Spirit of God to effect your regeneration. The wind blows where it will — and it is the Spirit’s will, not yours, that causes a person to be born from above (John 3:3). Indeed, if your will is renewed by the regeneration of the Spirit, you will choose to cry out to God for salvation, just as the newborn baby cries out once born. But give the divine Spirit the glory He deserves! Your cry for salvation comes as a consequence of your new birth, and never could be the cause of regeneration. The Spirit Himself sovereignly does this great work of total renewal.”

– O. Palmer Robertson, “The Wind Blows Where It Wills”

“In the Old Testament, God promised this work of grace through the prophet Ezekiel: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Ezek. 36:25–27). The work of regeneration is further illustrated in Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones (Ezek. 37:1–14). Accordingly, theologians have commonly spoken of regeneration as spiritual resurrection. Reformation and revival occurs when the Spirit of God sovereignly moves to change the hearts of men, bringing them from spiritual death to spiritual life.”

– R.C. Sproul, “Regeneration”