Besides Replacement, Restoration, and Reformation Theology, There is Regeneration

Submitted by Bryan Runnels (United States), Aug 5, 2009 at 06:41

I finally figured out what to call the theological paradigm that I've been teaching for three or four years. It's Regeneration Theology.
Some one mentioned Restoration Theology and I looked that up because it fit, sort of. However, the Campbellites took that title and they were cessationists.
More recently, some other group (one that believes in the gifts of the Spirit) started using the title. However, that group tends to boast in the flesh of men in a way against which Paul warns. Because of that, they can not emerge as a holy nation in any real way. They are locked into, either, a business model or an academic model, both of which depend on the tax deductible organization status granted by the gentiles.
In some respects, restoration according to the second group is OK except that they seem to believe that Christians replace Israel and that Israel means Jews.
Regeneration applies to us who have entered into relationship with the Maker of all things according to the New Covenant in Christ Jesus, and, considering the way that Jesus uses the term, it, also, pertains to the twelve tribes.

Quote:

Mt 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration <3824> when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration <3824>, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

The twelve tribes of Israel did not include Judah. Nevertheless, after David (who had already been King of Judah for seven and a half years) became the King of Israel, the twelve tribes of Israel became sheep in the house of Judah.
Near the end of the reign of Solomon, God had a prophet take ten tribes away from the tabernacle of David, and give them to Jereboam, son of Nebat. Thus, a new house (point of accountability before God) was created, and the twelve tribes were divided into two houses, Israel and Judah.
God dissolved one of the houses- Israel- by divorcing her and driving her children into exile (under the Assyrian) among the gentiles where they became gentiles just as Jacob prophesied over Ephraim who was the head of Israel.

The Lord married Judah and remained married to her until He came in the flesh.The, she turned Him over to the gentiles for execution. At that time, the chief priests dissolved the second house of Israel- Judah- by saying "We have no king but Caesar".
Pilate received the kingdom from Judah and gave it to Jesus when he wrote the accusation, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews", and had it placed over the head of Jesus on the cross.
After this, Jesus drank the fruit of the vine and regenerated the house of Israel under the New Covenant and the temple, the body of Christ, was rebuilt three days later.
This is the only way to reconcile the writings of the Old Covenant with the writings of the New Covenant. Every other theology requires one to assume the redefinition of way too many words and the fulfillment of way too many prophecies.
Regeneration Theology, also, has the potential for uniting Christians into the holy nation as we respond to a call, in a literal and observable way, to come out of Babylon and be separated into a community that operates as is described in the first 4 chapters of Acts.

Quote:

2 Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
7:1 ¶ Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Re 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

The fact is that the prophets prophesied two returns of Israel (not to be confused with Judah) to Zion. The first, according to Paul happened in his day. Thus, the first return was the actual regeneration of Israel in Jerusalem when the New Covenant was ratified.
The second will, interestingly enough, be accompanied by the complaint that there is not enough room for the returnees.

Quote:

Isa 49:20 The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.

Zec 10:10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.

The eschatological implications of this paradigm are not very clear, yet. However, we know that the second return of Israel will be characterized by harmony with Judah.

Quote:

Is 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.

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