Definition Of Regeneration in the Bible
1) Regeneration in the Bible means “born again”.
Our first birth is our physical birth (birth to flesh), when we were born from our mother’s womb. When Jesus says “born again”, He is referring to the spirit, not the body. Our second birth occurs when our dead spirit is reborn (birth to spirit). An unsaved person does not get born again.
John 3:3-7 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”
2) Regeneration in the Bible is also called the “second birth”
When we believe in Jesus Christ our savior for salvation, we are then born of God.
“begotten of him”: God gave birth to us; we are begotten of God.
1 John 5:1 “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.”
When we are born again, we are born of God, and belong to God’s family and obtain eternal life. When we become a member of God’s family, we become a different and new creature.
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.”
The doctrine of regeneration is essential to a Christian.
Necessity For Regeneration
There are no exceptions. Every man must be born again to enter the kingdom of God.
John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:7 “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”
If we are not a new creature (regenerated) in Jesus Christ, then nothing avails no matter what kind of person we become. If we are not born again, it doesn’t matter what kind of church we go to or what kind of good, religious deed we do.
Galatians 6:15 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.”
It doesn’t matter how many good things a man does. He will still remain a sinner.
Jeremiah 13:23 “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.”
We don’t remember every time our hearts have sinned. The heart is so deceiving.
Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
No one can change their old sinful habits. The only thing that can take away those old sinful ways is regeneration. The only way to take away our old sinful nature is by becoming a new creature.
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.”
Nature Of Regeneration
1) It is not water baptism.
John 3:3-6 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.“
“Born of water” refers to the physical birth, while born of the spirit is the spiritual birth. There is no such thing as baptismal regeneration.
2) It is not reformation
Reformation is man doing works to change the old sinful ways. Notice in this verse that it is God doing the work to wash old sinful ways, not man.
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;”
3) It is a renewing and a quickening of the Spirit.
Renewing/quickening: make alive
Ephesians 2:1 : “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”
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;”
When we were physically born, our body had to be made alive; our first birth. Our second birth is the same thing, it’s where our spirit is passing from death to life. Then only, our spiritual life can begin.
Agents Of Regeneration
1) Word of God
The word of God is what made us born again.
James 1:18: “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
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.”
2)The Holy Spirit
John 3:5-8: “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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 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.”
Methods Of Regeneration
1) The divine side.
It is not the act of man, it’s all God.
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.”
It’s God that gave birth to the new creature in us.
James 1:18: “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
We shouldn’t call anyone our father except God because He’s the one who gave birth to the new creature in us.
Matthew 23:9 “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.”
2)The human side
When we receive Jesus Christ for our salvation, we become a member of God’s family.
John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
We technically can be called a father by those whom we’ve led to salvation. However, we’re not the one who gives the new birth. It’s God. It’s not man’s power, but God’s.
1 Corinthians 4:15: “For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
Evidence Of Regeneration
If a saved Christian doesn’t have the below 5 points, then he does not have evidence to prove to others that he’s saved (doesn’t mean that he’s not saved).
1) A born-again person would have a desire to live right.
1 John 2:29: “If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.”
2) A born-again person would hate sin.
When we were born again/regenerated, we became a new person. Once saved, there should be a change in us. Remember, regeneration washed away our old sinful ways. So, if we’re living in that the same old sinful lifestyle, then we lack the evidence of regeneration. Now we have the Holy Spirit in us, who wants to do right and hates sin.
1 John 3:9 “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”
3) A born-again person would love God and everyone around them.
1 John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”
4) A born-again person would live in victory, different from before.
Before we were saved, we always lived in defeat. The flesh would win against us again, and we would lose sin. But when we were saved, God made way for us to conquer our sins. Now we don’t yield to the desires of our flesh as much as before.
1 John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
5) A born again person would believe that Jesus is the Christ
1 John 5:1 “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.”
Security Of Regeneration
Regeneration assures us that our salvation is secure. This is the greatest proof for what is referred to as “once saved, always saved”.
1) If we’re not born again, we cannot go to heaven.
That’s the only condition. You cannot be unborn.
John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
2) A born-again person cannot commit sin.
Obviously, our flesh sins, but is our flesh born again? No! It was our spirit that is born again. Here, a born-again spirit cannot sin. Our flesh may sin a lot, but our spirit can’t sin. Our spirit is not the same as our flesh; it’s separated from our flesh. Satan cannot even touch us.
1 John 5:18 “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.”
3)We go to heaven no matter what
Even if the Father wants to kick you out of the family, it’s impossible because His biological seed is in us. We got seed of God the Father up in heaven in us.
1 John 3:9 “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”
For further reading,
– A saved Christian can still have bad fruit?
– What is wrong with irresistible grace?
https://archive.org/details/DeityOfChrist/Regeneration.MP3
You can get access to the audio via this link.