the absolute necessity of regeneration

In the past couple of days i have been reading and listenting 

to christian apologetics. 

Apologetics argue as evidentialists - meaning, that it is the least problematic - taking reason or logic to believe in a God 

or they argue as presuppositionalists, showing that the non-believer actually is inconsistent in his thinking and not believing in the God of the Bible is a worldview which does not carry any foundation of the intelligibility of knowledge, meaning and life. 

At the end, it more or less comes from different directions whereas the arguing of the evidentialist 

is definitely more problematic than the argument of the impossibility of the contrary - meaning there cannot be not a God therefore God is. 

In any case, it is only the regeneration of the Holy Spirit that is the prerequisite of the being saved 

The non-believer will be frustrated either way (by both apologetic approaches) but nevertheless will not be able to save him self 

as it is said in Romans, there is none who understands and there is none who is wise. 

So at the end, arguing with the unbeliever makes sense when we defend our faith, but will never regenerate him. 

Song from Horatius Bonar, 1861, alt.

Not what my hands have done
can save my guilty soul;
not what my toiling flesh has borne
can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
can give me peace with God;
not all my prayers and sighs and tears
can bear my awful load.

Thy work alone, O Christ,
can ease this weight of sin;
thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,
can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God,
not mine, O Lord to thee,
can rid me of this dark unrest
and set my spirit free.

Thy grace alone, O God,
to me can pardon speak;
thy pow'r alone, O Son of God,
can this sore bondage break.
No other work, save thine,
no other blood will do;
no strength, save that which is divine,
can bear me safely through.

I bless the Christ of God;
I rest on love divine;
and with unfalt'ring lip and heart
I call this Savior mine.
This cross dispels each doubt;
I bury in his tomb
each thought of unbelief and fear,
each ling'ring shade of gloom.

I praise the God of grace;
I trust his truth and might;
he calls me his, I call him mine,
my God, my joy, my light.
'Tis he who saveth me, 
and freely pardon gives;
I love because he loveth me,
I live because he lives.

Apologetics 2 Greg Bahnsen

from Podcast Greg Bahnsen (kind of paraphrased) 

Discussion with the unbeliever 

Unbeliever: As a christian you cannot presuppose God or the authority of the scripture

because you are arguing in circles 

Believer: What is your ultimate authority ? 

Unbeliever: Reason 

Believer: What is your final standard to determine what your ultimate authority is ?

Option 1

Unbeliever: Reason 

Believer: You are arguing in circles yourself 

Unbeliever: No i am just being consistent within the argumentation 

Believer: So am i ! that is why i am presupposing God and the ultimate authority of the scripture 

Option 2 

Unbeliever (appeals to something else) 

Believer: If you are appealing to something else: How can "reason" be the ultimate authority ? 

-------------

This is frequently cited by Bahnsen 

Proverbs 26:5 

"Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes."

--
David An

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