GREAT BIBLE WORDS
REGENERATION
John 3:1-7
Introduction:
Regeneration is a spiritual birth. Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:4, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” We have become partakers of the divine nature of God by faith in Jesus Christ.
That is what the Lord Jesus was saying Nicodemus needed – the new birth. He needed to be born of God.
That is what the Lord Jesus was saying Nicodemus needed – the new birth. He needed to be born of God.
I. REGENERATION IS PICTURED AS BEING “BORN AGAIN,”
A. The concept of being “born again” = “FROM ABOVE.”
1. This is not a fleshly birth, v. 4; John 1:13, “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
2. It is a spiritual birth, vv. 5-6, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6- That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
a. The water of the Word of God, v. 5; 1 Peter 1:23, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
b. He is washed with the Word, Ephesians 5:26, “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,”
c. The fallen sinner CANNOT regenerate himself; he needs a divine operation by the Spirit of God, v. 6; Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
1) He has made us fit to partake of God’s inheritance, Colossians 1:12, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:”
2) He has written our names in the Lamb’s Book of Life, Revelation 21:27, “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
B. The concept is of God TRANSFORMING the heart, 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
1. By implanting a NEW principle of DESIRE, v. 17b. Old thoughts, old principles, and old practices, are passed away. Psalms 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
2. By implanting a NEW principle of PURPOSE, Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
3. By implanting a NEW principle of ACTION, 1 Corinthians 13:11, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
C. This TRANSFORMATION made great differences in SAUL of Tarsus.
1. He believed the message of the gospel and was identified by faith with Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”
2. He believer that he had been raised from the death to walk in NEWNESS of life, Romans 6:3-4, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4- Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life,”
3. He believed that Christ LIVED in him, Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
4. He GLORIED in the Cross of Christ, Galatians 6:14, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”
5. He switched from a PERSECUTOR of Christ to a PROCLAIMER of Christ, Acts 9:5, 20-22, And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 20- And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. 21- But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? 22- But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.”
II. FRUITS OF REGENERATION
C. The former manner of life, Ephesians 4:22, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;”
D. Faith and love are seen, 1 John 4:7-8, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8- He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
E. Holiness is the fruit and proof that one is born of God, 1 Peter 1:15-16, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16- Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
F. Righteousness the fruit and proof that one is born of God, Ephesians 4:24, “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
CONCLUSION
Regeneration is a transition from spiritual death to spiritual life. Paul said in Ephesians 2:1, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”
Regenerating grace creates a new world in the soul; all things are new. The renewed man acts from new principles, by new rules, with new ends, and in new company.