SF873 - Regeneration - (John 3 3)
John 3:3, Ephesians 2:8-10
Introduction
To understand the perseverance of the Saints we must first understand the nature of salvation.
Inherent in any discussion of salvation is the question of what is the source and nature of our salvation.
Theologians refer to this doctrine as the doctrine of regeneration.
For our purposes we will define regeneration as "An inner re-creating of fallen human nature by the gracious sovereign action of the Holy Spirit (Jn.3:5-8)
1A. The Need of Regeneration (John 3:3)
The verse is better translated, "Unless one is born from above he cannot see the kingdom of God," or "reborn from above."
The word "Again" is the Greek word anothen and is used in verse 31, "He who comes from above ( anothen ) is above all."
Our Lord is stressing to Nicodemus the necessity of being reborn from above, from Heaven, even to see (understand) or enter the kingdom of God.
John 6:44 (NASB) 44“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.
John 6:65 (NASB) 65And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”
No man can come to God because we are all sinners.
2A. The Nature of Regeneration
1B. Three views of regeneration
Either God alone is the author of regeneration, man and God are coauthors of regeneration, or man alone regenerates himself.
The last view most Christians will recognize as false. The second view, that God and man are co-workers in regeneration, is known as synergism .
The first view, that God alone is the author of regeneration, meaning, God regenerates whom He pleases without the cooperation or consent of the one whom He chooses to regenerate, is known as monergism
2B. Regeneration is all of God
Monergistic means that we are entirely passive in regeneration--We contribute nothing.
This does not mean that God does His work, then it remains within our ability whether to be reborn or converted: "Rather, it is an entirely supernatural work, one that is at the same time most powerful and most pleasing, marvelous, hidden, and inexpressible work, which is not lesser than or inferior in power to that of creation or of the raising of the dead" (8). In other words, God alone regenerates, and He does so without the help, cooperation, or consent of those He chooses to regenerate. This is proven by:
Consider the three most used images of regeneration in Scripture: "a new creation," "the new birth," and "a resurrection to life."
Our Lord indicates that regeneration is monergistic. (John 3:7-8)
Ephesians 2:1-5 – Dead men do not cooperate with God’s grace
3B. Regeneration illustrated (John 11:38-46)
Lazarus was completely dead.
Lazarus responded only after life was given.
Ø This is call operative grace, any cooperation we may demonstrate will follow regeneration.
3A. The Necessity of the Doctrine of Regeneration
1B. Regeneration demands that Jesus is Lord of our life.
1 John 3:9-10 (NASB) 9No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
2B. Since regeneration is wrought by God we must trust God alone to save men.
Our call is to share the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leave the results to God.
3B. If what has been said about regeneration is true, then believers cannot lose their salvation.
Since the sin question is answered in the atonement, then the only way one could lose their salvation is to stop believing.
Yet in order for the believer to stop believing one must change their nature.
Since they could not change their nature in the first place, then they certainly cannot change it afterward. True believers cannot stop believing for that is against their nature.