Regeneration: Walking as a New Creation

February 26, 2023 – John 3:1-8; 2 Corinthians 5:17 – Regeneration: Walking as a New Creation

John 3 begins by introducing us to a man named Nicodemus. We’re told that he was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. By this we understand that Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin. So he was an influential man. He held a seat on the council that functioned as the judicial authority over the Jews. They had a much different government structure than what we have today, so it’s difficult to make comparisons between the Jewish civil government and the American civil government, but the office Nicodemus held in Israel was something like what a senator holds in America. It was a high position of political power.

Verse 2 says that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. Many commentators have suggested that coming to Jesus at night indicates that Nicodemus was trying to be secretive about meeting with Jesus. Since most of the other members of the Sanhedrin were not fans of Jesus, Nicodemus choose to visit Jesus under the cloak of darkness in order to escape the notice of others. But it’s also possible that Nicodemus was just a busy man, and he knew that Jesus was a busy man, as well. So he came at night because that was the only time they could have uninterrupted conversation.

Whatever the case, you’ll notice that when Nicodemus came to Jesus, he was not coming as an enemy. He was not trying to trap Jesus with a trick question, as many other Pharisees were known to do. Rather, Nicodemus came earnestly and was genuinely complimentary to Jesus. He said…

“Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

Notice that Nicodemus esteems Jesus to be a teacher. Nicodemus was a teacher, as well. This is acknowledged a little later in the dialogue when Jesus asked him, in verse 10, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?” So this is one teacher coming to another to discuss a matter of personal interest. Yet there’s something lacking in Nicodemus’ perception of Jesus. He correctly esteems Jesus as a teacher who comes from God, but that’s all Nicodemus perceived Jesus to be. He didn’t say to Jesus, “I know that You’re the long-awaited Messiah who comes from God, because only the Messiah could do the signs You do.” No, at this point, Nicodemus only perceives Jesus to be a Rabbi who enjoys the blessing of God upon His ministry. So he comes to Jesus and politely acknowledges that He’s a teacher from God.

Jesus’ response is surprising. He immediately launches into an explanation about the necessity of being born again. The reason I say this is surprising is because Nicodemus never said anything about the kingdom of God. Nor did he even ask a question. At least, there’s no question recorded in our sermon text. Maybe Nicodemus did ask a question, but it’s been omitted from the biblical text. Or maybe Jesus discerned the question that Nicodemus was going to ask before he had the chance to vocalize it. Either way, what’s clear is that Jesus saw the opportunity to speak about the kingdom of God, so He did. Verse 3…

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

We can surmise from this that the question Nicodemus was bringing to Jesus had something to do with attaining eternal life. It’s very much like the question the rich, young, ruler brought to Jesus. In fact, there’s a minority view among biblical scholars that Nicodemus was the rich, young, ruler.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all write of the account where a rich, young, ruler came to Jesus and asked, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” John doesn’t record that conversation, but he does record the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus, who was a ruler in Israel, presumably rich, and may have been young.

In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus tells the rich, young, ruler to give all his possessions to the poor and then he’ll have treasure in heaven. When the young ruler heard this, he went away sorrowful because he was very rich. It’s suggested by some that that was Nicodemus, and what we’re reading in John 3 is the second conversation Nicodemus had with Jesus. It’s suggested that after he thought about what Jesus said in their first conversation, Nicodemus returned to follow up with Jesus.

I don’t think there’s enough biblical evidence to establish this connection between Nicodemus and the rich, young, ruler. It’s an interesting perspective, but it’s based in speculation. Nevertheless, it does appear that Nicodemus came to Jesus with a similar question to what the rich, young, ruler had asked because Jesus’ response directly addressed how a person can attain eternal life. He said you must be born again.

This was an unexpected answer to Nicodemus for a couple of reasons, one of which is that the Pharisees were always focused on outward behavior. They were always focused on keeping the law, so Nicodemus was probably expecting Jesus to say that he needed to do something to gain eternal life. But Jesus went in an entirely different direction. He spoke of being reborn. This confused Nicodemus. He asked…

“How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

It becomes evident from Jesus’ response that He was talking about spiritual rebirth. To be “born again” must be understood as a metaphor for spiritual regeneration. It’s what Paul is describing in our secondary sermon text from 2 Corinthians 5:17…

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Don’t let the variation of terms distract you from what the Scriptures are teaching you. Whether the Bible is using the term “born again,” or being made into “a new creation,” or being “renewed by the Holy Spirit,” all these terms are referring to the doctrine of regeneration. Jesus was talking to Nicodemus about regeneration, and Paul is writing to the Corinthians about that same regeneration. They’re just using slightly different terminology to describe the same thing.

To understand what regeneration is, it can be helpful to first understand what it’s not. Regeneration is not making a decision to follow Jesus. Nor is it something that happens to a sinner after he repents of our sins. Regeneration is not an act of faith; it’s not what a person believes, or trusts, or commits himself to. It’s not God’s declaration that a sinner is righteous in Christ. That’s the doctrine of justification and that comes after regeneration. Nor it is God’s work of conforming His people into the image of Jesus Christ. That’s the doctrine of sanctification and that comes after justification.

While all the things I just mentioned are essential parts of the process of salvation, regeneration precedes them all. It precedes sanctification, it precedes justification, it precedes repentance, it precedes faith itself. Regeneration is defined as the instantaneous change when God brings elect sinners from spiritual death to spiritual life. It’s the quickening work of God acting upon elect sinners who are dead in the trespasses of their sins. It’s a spiritual resurrection. It’s the beginning of a new life. It’s when the sinner is born again unto eternal life. It’s when he becomes a new creation. Paul described God’s activity of regeneration in Ephesians 2:1. He wrote…

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins

Then he reiterates again in the next sentence…

God, who is rich in mercy, … made us alive together with Christ

Notice the mention of God’s mercy. Regeneration is God mercifully bringing people who are spiritually dead to spiritual life. In Romans 8:2, we’re told that regeneration causes the sinner to be freed from the law of sin and death and to come under “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.” This is not just a change in the person’s status with God, but it’s a change in that person’s nature. Ephesians 4:24 says that the regenerate people receive a “new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” That’s a very important point to understand. According to Ephesians 4:24, the regenerate people receive a “new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Whereas the old nature that we’re born with is corrupt and held in bondage to sin, the new nature that God gives to those He regenerates makes all things new. So the regenerate person has a new perspective on God. He has a new perspective on the person and work of Jesus Christ. He has a new perspective on sin, on holiness, on the world, on the gospel, on the life to come, and so on, and so on.

But it’s more than just having new perspectives. Because the regenerate person has received a new nature, he has also received new abilities. For the first time in his existence, he’s not only able to know and understand the truths God has revealed as necessary for salvation, but he’s also able to walk in them. Because he’s been brought from death to life and given a new nature that’s created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness, he’s able to walk in the glorious light of God’s revealed truth. To really appreciate what God accomplishes in the new birth, we need to appreciate man’s condition prior to the new birth. Here I’m referring to the doctrine of original sin.

One of the scriptures that gives me a lot of encouragement and hope for the bride of Christ is Ephesians 4:13. This verse says that God has given apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry and to edify the body of Christ until… until what? There’s a time reference in Ephesians 4:13. God has not given these ministers of the word to equip the saints and edify the body of Christ forever. He has given these ministers of the word for a specific period of time, and Ephesians 4:13 tells us when that time will end. Do you know what it says? It says…

till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God…

The fullness of this unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God will reach its completion at the second coming of Jesus, but between now and then, we can expect to see Christians increasingly becoming more unified in the faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God. In other words, we can expect to see Christians from all the different branches and denominations of the church of Jesus Christ coming to greater agreement and solidarity on the doctrines of the Christian faith.

Right now, there are a lot of difference between Christians on secondary doctrines. For example, within the universal church, there are discernible differences between Calvinists and Arminians. There are regenerate people in both of these groups, but there are several doctrinal disagreements between these groups. Which is to say, we have not yet come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God. There’s still progress to be made. One of the areas where we can expect to see progress is in the doctrine of original sin. Calvinists say that when Adam ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, all humanity fell into a state of depravity such that every aspect of man’s being came under the dominion of sin. His soul, his body, his intellect, his affections, his will; the totality of man’s nature came under the dominion of sin.

Arminians say that’s too strong of a declaration. They agree that Adam’s sin affected every human being, but not to the degree that every aspect of man’s nature is under the dominion of sin. This is most apparent when it comes to the consideration of the natural man’s will. While the Calvinist says that the natural man’s will is so enslaved to sin that he cannot choose to receive the free offer of salvation in Jesus Christ, the Arminian says that he can. The Arminian says that the natural man’s will is not enslaved to sin, but is free. This is what is meant by a “free will.” The debate is whether the natural man’s will is in bondage to the power of sin or is free from the power of sin. If you say that the natural man does have a free will, then you’re taking the Arminian side. If you say that the natural man does not have a free will, then you’re taking the Calvinist side.

You might think that because this debate has been going on between Calvinists and Arminians for 500 years, that this must be one of those areas of doctrine where the Bible is ambiguous. But I don’t believe the Scriptures are unclear on this point. For example, Ephesians 4:18 describes the natural man as being alienated from the life of God because his understanding is darkened due to the ignorance and blindness of his heart. When you unpack each of those terms, there’s no room for the Arminian assertion that the natural man retains the ability to discern his need for Christ and choose to believe upon Him for salvation.

Another example of a passage that directly refutes the Arminian position on man’s will is 1 Corinthians 2:14. We looked at this passage several weeks ago when we first began this sermon series…

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

We might ask the Arminian to explain how the natural man can freely choose to receive the gospel when he cannot receive the things of God, nor can he discern the things of God, because they’re all foolishness to him.

Romans 8:5-8 speaks about the carnal mind, which is another term for the natural man’s understanding and will. It says that the carnally minded man is spiritually dead and at enmity with God. Then it goes on to say that the carnal mind cannot be in subjection to God, nor can it please God. So we have to ask ourselves, how can the Arminian say that a carnally minded man can freely choose to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ when Romans 8 says that this same man (1) is dead in his sins, (2) is at enmity with God, (3) is unable to subject himself to God, and (4) is unable to please God? There are many more passages that can be cited, but I think the three I just cited sufficiently demonstrate that the biblical teaching on original sin is that the natural man’s will is so enslaved to sin that he cannot choose anything but sin.

So how is this doctrine of original sin relevant to the doctrine of regeneration? Very simple. If the natural man is incapable of understanding the spiritual things of God and choosing to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ, then some radical transformation has to happen to him if he’s able to enter the kingdom of God. He needs to be born again. He needs to be made a new creation. He needs a new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Only then can the sinner call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.

When you read all the Scriptures have to say about regeneration, you’ll notice that they often highlight just one characteristic of the new creation God has created. For instance, that’s what Jesus did in our sermon text from John 3. He said in verse 3 that unless a person is born again, he cannot even see the kingdom of God. Two verses later, in John 3:5, Jesus made a similar statement, saying that a person cannot enter the kingdom of God unless he’s born again. This was not a redundant statement. Jesus was not saying the same thing twice. To enter the kingdom of God is to be adopted into the family of God. Or as Colossians 1:13 puts it, it’s to be delivered by God from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. But to “see” the kingdom of God focuses our attention on the new eyes that are given to the born again person.

Have you ever witnessed Jesus subduing His enemies in this world? Have you ever used the spiritual weapons of our warfare to pull down strongholds and cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God? Have you ever prayed for wicked people’s thoughts to brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and you saw it happen?

In Luke 10, when Jesus sent the seventy disciples two-by-two into all the cities, verse 17 says they returned with joy, saying to Him, “even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” Jesus responded by affirming their observation. “Yes,” He said, “that’s because I’ve given you power and authority over the enemy.” Then He prayed…

“I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes.”

And after He finished praying, He said to the disciples, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see.” We learn from this that the seventy disciples were given the eyes to see how the authority of Jesus was exercised upon the demons. But there were other people who witnessed the same events as these disciples did, but they came away with different interpretations of what they saw. The so-called “wise and prudent” people of this world didn’t have the eyes to see the kingdom of God, so they didn’t perceive how Jesus was exercising His authority over the demons. God had hidden that from them. But for the disciples, they could see the kingdom of God because God had given them the eyes to see.

To perceive the power and authority of Jesus in this world requires new eyes. This is what Jesus meant when He said to Nicodemus, “unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” To see the kingdom of God advancing in this world, exercising power and authority of the enemy, requires the eyes that come with being made into a new creation. You have those eyes, brothers and sisters. If you’re a new creation, then you have those eyes. You just need to make sure you open them so that you can see the kingdom of God.

For example, every four years we have a presidential election in our country. In the months leading up to the election, we talk about the presidential candidates. Inevitably, people start asking, “But who’s going to turn this nation around? Who’s going to rescue us from the corruption in Washington? Who’s going to reverse all the bad policies the previous administration put in place?”

Those kinds of questions are not consistent with eyes that see the kingdom of God. Eyes that see the kingdom of God are not looking for help from the man who sits in the oval office because they know that our help is in the name of the Lord, who sits enthroned in heaven. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to King Jesus. That’s exactly what He said just prior to His ascension into heaven. Acts 1 tells us how the apostles stood on the mountain in Galilee and watched as the resurrected Jesus was taken up and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Then two angels inform them that Jesus is going to return in a like manner.

The prophet Daniel tells us about Jesus’ ascension, as well. 700 years before it actually happened, Daniel had a vision of Jesus ascending into heaven and he recorded that vision in Daniel 7. But unlike the apostles who witnessed the ascension from a mountain in Galilee, Daniel saw the ascension from the vantage of heaven. He begins by describing the heavenly throne room…

…the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels were a burning fire. 10 “A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him; thousands upon thousands were attending Him, and myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; (NASB)

Then Daniel describes what happened when Jesus ascended into this throne room…

13 “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed. (NASB)

Brothers and sisters, Christ is enthroned in His kingdom. He’s the King of kings and Lord of lords. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away and shall never be destroyed. That’s the present reality which is revealed to us in the Scriptures. Because you’re a new creation, you have the eyes to see His kingdom. You have the eyes to perceive the power and authority He has over His enemies. You understand, therefore, how futile and insignificant it is to put any amount of trust in a presidential candidate. Psalm 20:7 addresses this very point. It says…

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

And Psalm 146 addresses this point, as well. Beginning at verse 3…

3 Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. 5 How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6 who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; 7 who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free.

Now listen to this. Verse 8…

8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; (that’s referring to regeneration) the LORD raises up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous; 9 the LORD protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, but He thwarts the way of the wicked. 10 The LORD will reign forever—Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD! (NASB)

You cannot say “Amen!” to Psalm 146 unless you have the eyes to see the kingdom of God. For those who do not have the eyes, Psalm 146 is nothing more than wishful-thinking, pie-in-the-sky. It’s empty pep talk. It’s Christians trying to convince themselves that things are not as bad as they seem. But for us who have been born again, the truths expressed in Psalm 146 are some of the many reasons why we know our lives are secure and we sing praises to Christ our King.

Having the eyes to see the kingdom of God, however, is not the sum total of being born again. That just happens to be the characteristic of regeneration that Jesus chose to focus on when speaking to Nicodemus. In other parts of the Bible, a different characteristic might be highlighted. For example, in John 10:3-4, Jesus focused on regenerate ears. In speaking about shepherds, He said…

The sheep hear [the shepherds] voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

Then Jesus said…

14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. … 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

There are many competing voices that are calling out to you today, demanding your devotion. There are individuals and institutions that claim to be your shepherd, but they’re really just thieves and robbers. What Jesus is saying in John 10 is that when God regenerated you, He gave you new ears that are finely tuned to voice of the good Shepherd. You’re regenerate ears are able to distinguish Jesus’ voice from that of strangers. So when the situation comes where you’re presented with an invitation to depart from your Savior and follow a counterfeit shepherd, your response will be similar to Peter’s response in John 6:68-69. You’ll say to Jesus…

“You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

In other parts of the Bible, the focus of regeneration is on the new mouth God’s people receive when they’re born again. This new mouth is extremely different than the one we had before our new birth. Romans 3:13-14 describes the unregenerate mouth…

"Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips"; 14 "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”

And Psalm 40:3 describes the new mouth God gives to those He regenerates…

He has put a new song in my mouth-- Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD.

Psalm 34:8 tells us the new taste buds God gives to those He regenerates…

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Likewise, Psalm 119:103…

How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

God told us through the prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah about the new heart we received when were born again. He said in Ezekiel 36:26…

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

And in Jeremiah 24:7…

`Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.

These are just a few examples of how the Scriptures highlight specific aspects of the radical transformation God accomplishes in the lives of those He regenerates. But remember that it’s not just new eyes you received when you’re born again, and it’s not just new ears, or a new mouth, or new taste buds, or a new heart, but it’s being made into a completely new spiritual creation. You’ve been brought from death to life. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. You have new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. So walk in the newness of life that you have in Jesus Christ, and give all praise, glory, and honor to Him who regenerated you.