When I first began to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, I wrongly assumed that it would have an immediate saving effect on the elect of God who heard it for the first time.
However, as I consider what the Scriptures teach, I believe that the Lord has ordained a birthing process, much like physical birth. Although the Lord is able to convert a sinner at once upon hearing the Gospel, most often I find that the elect will listen for sometime before the Lord causes the Word to break through in saving power. I know that this was my experience, and one which I find repeated in Scripture.
In Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones, there were three particular phases in the regenerating of those bones.
1. The initial response to hearing the Gospel message was a "noise and shaking." Ezekiel 37:7.
The Gospel message is offensive to all who hear it. Many become unsettled and shaken in hearing it, get mad and run from it for awhile until the Lord arrests them and gives them faith to believe it. Others may not run from it, but continue to listen to it with very troubled hearts. There is a sifting process which goes on it the heart until the Light of Christ shines in the heart.
We cannot however confuse the noise and shaking with true conversion. Many a person who has heard the Gospel has known some conviction for awhile, but then continued on in their sin and unbelief.
2. The knowledge of the Truth as it is in Christ is essential to saving faith.
This is likened to the sinews and the flesh coming on the bones. Ezekiel 37:8. Don’t ever assume that just because you have correct knowledge of the Gospel that it means you are saved. Without true doctrine, none are saved, but, true doctrine itself is not salvation. It is just so much dead flesh attached to dry bones, "but there was is no breath in them."
3. The quickening work of the Holy Spirit is the only one which brings dead sinners to Christ.
He must first regenerate the dead heart. In so doing, the sinner will then "hear," "see," and receive Christ in truth. Ezekiel 37:10 says, "So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding army."
Such a work of the Spirit in the heart is essential to any saving work of God in the sinner. Otherwise, our profession is nothing more than the shaking and rattling of dead bones, covered with lifeless flesh.