. (I Timothy 3:16). By regeneration we become "an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession" in whom divine virtues, "the excellencies of him who called you" (1Peter 2:9), are manifested. It has been said that George Whitfield preached more than three hundred times using John 3:3-7 as his text. The Holy Spirit is a gift, not given discriminately to some believers, but rather to all believers, as the following passages teach: John 7:37-39; Romans 5:5; I Corinthians 2:12; II Corinthians 5:5. A person can have an intellectual concept and give mental assent to a truth or doctrine, yet never become born again. Our Lord used it in its widest sense, of the restoration of all things, at His Second Advent to the earth. It is not possible for a Christian to die to self. When asked why he preached so frequently from these verses, he replied solemnly, Because ye must be born again. This is a Divine imperative. WebRegeneration Is the Start | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at Ligonier.org | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at Ligonier.org As we mature in Christ we will find Dr. Chafer said, Even if Sanctification were limited to the field of human experience, there would never be an experience that could be proven to be its perfect example, nor would any human statement of that experience exactly describe the full measure of the divine reality. He needed not to be justified since He was already holy and just. There were disputes and divisions among the brethren. All three Persons in the Holy Trinity are active in the justification of sinners. That He (God) might be just, and the Justifier of him who believeth in Jesus (Romans 3:26). Jesus said, And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you (John 14:16, 17). The flood washed away the iniquity of the world "in the days of Noah," when "eight souls were saved through water: which also after a true likeness (the Revised Version margin "in the antitype") doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation (the Revised Version margin "inquiry," "appeal") of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection (-life) of Jesus Christ" (1Peter 3:20,21). Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (I Corinthians 6:19). Apart from the mediate dealings of God with man through word and sacraments, there is therefore an immediate communication of life from God to the regenerate. Its varied usages in the New Testament shows shades of meaning far removed from the idea of sinless perfection. For example, the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, Brethren, be not children in understanding; howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men (Gr. He said, The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit (John 3:8). obedient children, or children who ought to obey. The English word regeneration is the translation of palingenesia, from palin (again) and genesis (birth). Is regeneration a result of salvation or does regeneration result in salvation? His Epistle is rather ethical than dogmatical in tone, still his ethics are based on the dogmatical presuppositions which fully agree with the teaching of other apostles. 6:46, 13; Eph. Water baptism points to the promise of the new creation. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. I am not suggesting that there is no experiential aspect in Sanctification in which practical holiness will manifest itself in the Christians life. Now this process of Sanctification goes on during the present life here on earth, but it will be perfected at (Greek en), not until, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is supposed that regeneration in this sense denotes the final stage of development of all creation, by which God's purposes regarding the same are fully realized, when "all things (are put) in subjection under his feet" (1Corinthians 15:27). Remember, we could never open the way nor introduce ourselves to God. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to the believer; the sin of the unbeliever is imputed to Christ as if that sin were Christs. And again the point should be made that this fellowship is a spiritual one, having its roots in Jesus Christ (I John 1:3). The classical expression of this conviction is found in the prayer of David: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right (margin "stedfast") spirit within me. Regeneration is Gods making a person spiritually alive, as a result of The turning of Israel to God was necessarily meant to be an inward change of attitude toward Him, in other words, the sprinkling with clean water, as an outward sign, was the emblem of a pure heart. And what was that divinely provided means? See ESCHATOLOGY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, IX. This is incorrect and therefore misleading. This plain statement of fact should be followed up with the solemn warning, Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall (I Corinthians 10:12). For usage information, please read the Baker Book House Copyright Statement. Paul wrote, For ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (I Corinthians 3:3). The meaning of these words is always objective, not subjective. Perfect (or ultimate) Sanctification is that aspect of Sanctification related to the final perfection of the children of God. This is Perfect Sanctification. Each believer plays an important role in his own Practical Sanctification as he finds and follows and finishes Gods will for his life. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). When one is born again he instinctively is drawn to those persons of like precious faith. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (I Corinthians 10:13). God is life. The change is so radical that it is possible now to speak of a "new creature" (2Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15, margin "new creation"), of a "new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth" (Ephesians 4:24), and of "the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him" (Colossians 3:10). would prevent them from accepting it. Some weeks before my acceptance of Jesus Christ I passed through a real struggle, restless and troubled because of a sense of guilt. It is without controversy, that is, beyond all question and doubt. But what did our Lord mean by being born of water? He sees the believer just as if he had never sinned. They are the spiritual birthmarks of the born again ones. Hitchcock's Bible Names. It is Gods gift to every regenerated man (Romans 5:17). Someone may ask, How can you take such an attitude toward your troubles? Charles Hodge has said, Since our relation to God is changed, the relation of all things to us is changed. And that is the answer! The First Corinthian Epistle contains some pregnant passages on this theme. The preparatory work has been going on for some time according to Divine plan, but now that work becomes effective in the life of the individual person. If we had it now we would not be waiting for it. The regeneration of the elect in time is the first fruits of the recreation of the cosmos on the last day. Somewhere I heard or read of a tragedy at sea in which a young fisherman was washed overboard and lost. . We are made partakers of the word by having received the spirit. The clearest assertion of it and the explanation of the doctrine of regeneration is found in the conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus (John 3). The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to every believer; therefore, every believer has been positionally sanctified permanently. The Apostle Paul testified, But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (I Corinthians 9:27). Men have varying standards of righteousness, and they are sometimes sincerely zealous, but not according to knowledge. Ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him (I John 2:29). . Here Peter is saying the same as Jesus said in John 3:5. Tis everlasting peace, Sure as Jehovahs name;Tis stable as His steadfast throne, For evermore the same. You cant train a bird to crawl, for the same reason you cant train a snake to fly. The opening statement in the Bible says, In the beginning God created . In addition to individual regeneration, Scripture speaks of the regeneration of creation (Acts 3:21). Many theologians believe that Jesus alludes to Ezekiel 36 when teaching Nicodemus about his need for the new birth. It takes place in the sphere of subconsciousness. The "implanted (the Revised Version margin "inborn") word" (James 1:21; compare 1Peter 1:23) stands parallel to the Pauline expression, "law of the Spirit" (Romans 8:2). Even though, as Saul of Tarsus, he waged a fierce warfare against the church, the Lord ruled and overruled, bringing him to the place where Paul himself knew that God had a plan for his life. There is a divine initiative And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. In the Latin version the word freely is gratis, being justified gratis. Gods method of justifying men gives us a glorious demonstration of His sovereign grace. Nicodemus answered and said unto Him, How can these things be? (John 3:9). For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all (James 2:10). "Entry for 'REGENERATION'". It happened in December 1927, and it has been blessedly real. Now I am aware of the fact that this attempt to expound Sanctification places me on controversial ground. When they were saved they were set apart through the operation of the Holy Spirit. When a man says he has been justified by God, his fellowmen have a right to expect him to prove his faith by his good works. The Epistle of Jude commences and concludes with a similar emphasis. From the human viewpoint this is an insurmountable problem, one for which there is no solution. Every saved person is as much a saint now as he ever will be in time or eternity. WebLearn what Regeneration means and it's Biblical definition including verses and verse references on the topic of Regeneration using Bakers Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Those who are justified by faith can take pleasure in tribulation (II Corinthians 12:10), for we know that it is but for a moment, and that it worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (II Corinthians 4:17). This I say then, Walk in (by) the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). The New Birth produces some glorious effects in the believers life. Let us make certain that by faith we are justified before God. Here the Apostle is drawing a contrast between children and adults, exhorting them, not to sinless perfection, but to show forth the kind of understanding that would be expected of mature adults. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2). The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9).