Three Stages in the Christian Life
Ephesians 2:1-10

Chapter 2

1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

A. The penalty of sin is death. Spiritual death.

 Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Spiritual death means seperation from God.

Revelation 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

B. Regeneration means the Holy Spirit convicting andconverting the lost sinner and transferring himor her from th erealm of deathto the realm of life.

Romans 6:23

23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

See text verse 1 above.

1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Colosians 1:13

 13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.

C.There is no other way.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten          Son of God

A.Means to be set apart to live for and serve God. 1 Corinthians 6:11

11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

B. Regeneration is not a long proicess requiring a number of steps to go through to obtain it, but sanctification is a process. 

It is called  "Growing in Grace, becoming more Christ like"

EXAMPLE: It took God only a short time to get Israel out of Egypt, but it took Him forty years to get Egypt out of Israel.

C. Before one is saved he/she sees nothing wrong with a self centered life, and sinful

 practises, but after one is saved he begins to see things in a new light,

 and the things he once loved he now hates, and the things he once hated he now loves.

A.This is that glory stage when we are raised in his likeness.

 1John 3:2

. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.