REGENERATION: THE NEW BIRTH

We pick up the first act, if you will, of the work of salvation. This glorious work of the Triune God, in which fallen men and women are transformed from children of wrath to children of God, where their sins are forgiven through the person and work of Jesus Christ, and saved from the righteous wrath of God, where we will be completely free from the vestiges of sin and enjoy the perfect, intimate fellowship with the Triune God of our salvation!

This salvation is all the wonderful work of the Triune God, a truth which we will examine as we walk through the various aspects of salvation. But this all begins with regeneration.

In John chapter three we observe an interaction between God the Son and a Pharisee named Nicodemus. This interaction provides as with the perfect example of what regeneration is, in John 3:1-8.

As Nicodemus asks Jesus, “How can a man be born when he is old?” We will spend our time this evening examining the answer to this question.

The Baptist Faith & Message provides an succinct answer:

Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace.

Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour.

Regeneration is the wonderful work of God, and without regeneration you and I and every believer would never be saved. Tonight, we will spend our time examining this act of God and how it relates to our salvation. It is a wonderful truth that when God saves a man or a woman, He completely remakes them!

Let’s dive into this wonderful work of God with grateful appreciation.

I. REGENERATION IS A WORK OF GOD’S GRACE- John 1:12-13

Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace ...

The first thing we must note concerning regeneration is that it is all of God’s gracious work. Consider, briefly, Adam and Eve’s time directly after consuming the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They became aware of their nakedness (Gen. 3:7a) and attempted to craft their own covering (Gen. 3:7b). However, it was God’s gracious work that provided the skins of animals for garments (Gen. 3:21). Just as Adam and Eve were clothed through the gracious work of God, believers are reborn through the gracious work of God.

We learn from the New Testament book of Ephesians that God’s plan for this gracious work began before a particle of creation was spoken into existence.

Ephesians 1:4

Ephesians 1:4 ESV

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

Consider as well 1 Peter 1:20

1 Peter 1:20 ESV

He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

Now, in a sermon like this we simply fly over these verses, but their contexts must be considered in order to properly interpret them. As such, we learn from our Ephesians reference that our salvation is bound up in Christ, and from Peter we see that Christ’s sacrificial death was foreknown. Regeneration, then, is the gracious work of God.

The progression of Scripture demonstrates that regeneration is a gracious work of God. Consider how God called Abraham and made a covenant with him in Genesis chapters 12, 15, and 17. Or, consider how God continued to work through Abraham’s descendants, eventually expanding His work to the nation of Israel, providing the rich blessings of His covenant with them as a nation, including all of the Laws, rituals, and sacrifices pointing to the eventual fulfillment by Jesus Christ.

We must understand that salvation is completely, exhaustively, and exclusively the gracious work of God. This becomes apparent, I believe, when we consider Romans 3:10-17.

Romans 3:10–17 ESV

as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.”

One verse in particular stands out, verse 11, which is a quote from Psalm 14:2-3.

Psalm 14:2–3 ESV

The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

Notice what the Scripture is telling us: no one seeks after God—no one.

Regeneration must be the gracious work of God. Like stubborn children who insist that they do not need mommy and daddy’s help to tie their shoes, human beings are completely helpless to save themselves. Regeneration is the gracious work of God.

II. REGENERATION IS THE REBIRTH OF HUMAN BEINGS IN CHRIST JESUS- Ephesians 1:3-10

Ephesians 1:3–10 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus.

I reference this passage in Ephesians because it places this gracious work of regeneration in Christ Jesus. Regeneration takes place in Jesus. Now, keep in mind 1 Corinthians 15:22 as we work our way through this point. Adam represented all humanity in his act of disobedience, and so too, Christ, acting in all believers’ stead, provides the gracious work of regeneration in Himself.

Christ is the center of our redemption. The framework of Scripture displays this wonderful truth. The Old Testament points to and prepares the way for Jesus, the Gospels display Jesus, and the epistles describe and enflesh His work in the life of believers.

We have already discussed the meaning of regeneration, so now we are unpacking the various aspects of this regeneration. This truth roots the work of regeneration in the person and work of Jesus.

Regeneration is the gracious work of God anchored in Jesus Christ. We just celebrated Easter, in which we observe the betrayal, torture, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our salvation, beginning with regeneration takes place in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

III. REGENERATION BEGINS WITH THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT- John 16:7-8

It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin

We notice thirdly that regeneration begins with the work of the Holy Spirit. Given our natural hatred of God (though manifesting itself differently with each individual), we see clearly that unless God works on our behalf we are destined to doom. However, this Triune God graciously opens our eyes to our need for a savior. Remember how the Psalmist and Paul describe us? We do not seek after God, we deny God’s existence. In other words, we are blinded to sin and the Judge. We do not think we do anything wrong!

Think of a child when caught in the act of stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. They deny that they had a cookie (or two-or-three). They have crumbs on the face, their hands were in the jar, and chocolate smudges by their mouths. They are guilty but they deny it! It is almost as if they fail to see the truth.

In a similar way, you and I, left to our own, fail to see our sin. That is one of the roles of the Holy Spirit (a sermon preached before). He convicts us of sins. Our Scripture from John 16:7-8 shows one of the roles of the Holy Spirit, particularly in regeneration.

Let’s look at another verse that is helpful, Titus 3:5-7.

Titus 3:5–7 ESV

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Do you see the work of the Holy Spirit? He provides the conviction and regeneration/renewal (notice the new birth language). This comes through Jesus Christ. Regeneration is brought about through the work of the Holy Spirit. This is played out in Lydia’s life in the book of Acts 16:14, “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.”

IV. REGENERATION INCLUDES THE RESPONSE OF MAN- Romans 10:8-13

to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace.

Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour.

We have seen that regeneration is the gracious work of God, planned in, founded upon, and procured by Jesus, initiated by and provided through the Holy Spirit. However, Scripture teaches that the vehicle by which this new life is given to human beings is through repentance and faith. We have many examples of this in the Scriptures. Let us briefly mention a few.

Cain- Genesis 4:3-7

Achan- Joshua 7

David- 2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 32

Isaiah 55:6-7

Romans 10:8-13

This gracious work of God, planned in, founded upon, and procured by Jesus, initiated by and provided through the Holy Spirit must be responded by humans with repentance and faith. This is a truth of Scripture.

PRACTICAL CONCLUSIONS

What practical conclusions do we get from this? Remember, all doctrine (teaching) has practical applications. It is not an ambiguous truth that floats around in our minds, but a real life, anchored doctrine that has many implications for us today.

Because regeneration is wholly the work of God, we depend upon Him for our own salvation.

When we consider the Scriptures that regeneration is the work of God, we relish the wonderful love of God! We do not depend upon our works which relieves us from any feelings of inadequacy. Jonathan Edwards, my favorite pastor-theologian, says,

“You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.”— Jonathan Edwards

Because regeneration is wholly the work of God, we depend upon God’s grace as we evangelize the lost.

There are several results from this. First, this helps relieve us of feelings of responsibility when people do not get saved the first time we discuss the gospel with them. We realize that this is a work of God (2 Timothy 2:25). Second, this helps form our evangelistic efforts, both as a church and as individuals. As a church, we do not rely on fog machines, emotional music, or eloquent words. It is the work of the Holy Spirit, His gracious work whereby we are renewed. We are faithful to preach and live the Gospel, but God is the one who provides the results. This is exactly what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7.

1 Corinthians 3:6–7 ESV

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

The same ideas apply individually. We are free from the burden that “if only I said...” or “what if that was the last time they would hear the Gospel?” are phrases that contribute more to spiritual and emotional abuse than they do the work of God. Let us rid ourselves of this arrogant and prideful thinking and return to a dependence upon the gracious work of God.

Because repentance and faith are required, we must do more than simply tell the Gospel.

In his farewell speech to the Ephesians elders (churches in the New Testament called their pastors elders and predominately had a plurality), Paul describes his ministry in Acts 20:21.

Acts 20:21 ESV

testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul’s consistent ministry was communicating the Gospel and then calling people to repent and place their faith in Jesus. He never simply communicated the truths of the Gospel (1 Cor. 15:3-5). He called people to repent and believe the gospel!