Quotes by Ben Peays
Ben Peays — Gründungsdirektor von The Gospel Coalition (TGC) · Reformiert-evangelikal · USA
Der US-amerikanische Theologe und Verbandsmanager Ben Peays war von 2007 bis 2019 der erste geschäftsführende Direktor des reformiert-evangelikalen Netzwerks The Gospel Coalition. Er trug maßgeblich zum organisatorischen sowie medialen Aufbau der Plattform bei und vertritt eine schriftzentrierte Theologie im reformierten Rahmen. Bibellesern begegnet er heute vor allem durch theologische Kurzbeiträge und Impulse zu Themen wie Gnade, Wiedergeburt und Gemeindeleitung.
Era: Today
Recurring topics: Grace & Redemption, Faith & Trust, Meaning & Identity, Guilt & Forgiveness, Discipleship
Quotes by Ben Peays
Unfortunately, many Christians think of salvation only in terms of getting into heaven and avoiding hell. Christ becomes not a way unto life, but merely a way to avoid death, reduced to a get-out-of-jail-free card or – even worse – fire insurance (you’ve seen those bumper stickers). This leaves many Christians understanding what they are saved from, but not having a good understanding of what they are saved into. One danger of evangelism that reduces Christianity to making a decision between heaven and hell is that it overlooks the value of the new birth for our earthly life.
Ben Peays
Repentance and faith infallibly and inseparably flow from regeneration. True repentance takes place when God enables a heart to turn away from sin. This does not mean believers will not still struggle with sin, but rather they are aware of their sin and they feel sorrow and conviction before God. Faith is more than intellectual assent. It is a God-given, unmistakable holding on to Christ and a total surrender to God’s authority (Rom. 3:21-31). This change from rebellion to submission, from unbelief to intelligent trust, is the unambiguous fruit of regeneration.
Ben Peays
Here is how it happens. When the Spirit of God works savingly through the Word of God in a person’s life, God regenerates the heart (i.e., He gives him new birth), making him a new creation. As a new creation this newborn Christian recognizes his sin and turns to God for forgiveness. God enables Him to believe the Word. This is always the case (John 6:37). This belief is what God uses to bind or unite someone to Christ. It is through this union that we then experience the benefits of Christ’s work. We are considered righteous because we are now able to inherit Christ’s righteousness. It is imputed to us or considered effective in our life. We are not just innocent, but positively righteous. Moreover, since Christ is life (John 14:6), once we are united to Christ, we inherit abundant, eternal life from Him (John 6:39-40).
Ben Peays
Regeneration and faith in Christ should be seen as taking place in the same instant. From a human perspective, it may seem like faith precedes regeneration. But from Gods’ perspective, regeneration precedes faith. We cannot believe unless we are born again. The important factor is that God, in His grace, has enabled both regeneration and faith despite your sin. You believe because God has enabled you to do so. Belief is actually an evidence that someone has experienced the new birth. “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God” (1 John 5:1).
Ben Peays
Sources: thegospelcoalition.org, trivium.global, brentdetwiler.com
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