Text: “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; which He shed on
us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.”
Titus 3:5.
Good morning Spiritually
regenerate Christian! You are a true
Christian because you are Spiritually regenerated. If you are not Spiritually regenerated, you
are NOT a true Christian! This is
vital. Check it out. Your immortal soul’s destination and Eternal security depends completely
on it.
So, what is Spiritual
Regeneration? If you learn no other
truth in life, please please let me teach you this vital one of Spiritual
Regeneration:
Definition
of the term: To regenerate is to
bring NEW LIFE to; to cause to be Spiritually reborn; to quicken (or give life
to) that which is DEAD; to impart a new nature from God (i.e. which means
believers have two natures when born again, the old nature and the new!).
(Ephesians 2:1)
Regeneration: This is a work of creation, performed by God alone in
the breasts of His elected people. (Ephesians 1:3-6) We are passive in this act of God’s
grace. As fallen creatures, we have no power to originate this miracle of new
life - "...Salvation is of the Lord!" Praise God for His grace!
(Genesis 5:3) (Jonah 2:9) (John 6:37;44) (John 15:16)
Mankind
was CREATED in the image of God - a tripartite being i.e. three parts.
We were created body-soul-spirit, just as God is Father-Son-Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:23) (Genesis 1:26-28)
The
body relates to the dust from whence it came. (Genesis 2:7) (Genesis 3:19) The soul relates to, or communicates with,
other like human souls i.e. each other. Created mankind’s spirit was the unique
part of Adam/Eve which enabled them to communicate with God the Creator - BEFORE
sin separated them from our Holy God. (Genesis 3:1-24) (Isaiah 59:1-2)
Born
Vs Created: Every person born of
woman (as opposed to being originally created by God), therefore, since that
time in Eden ’s Garden are born sinners; we
fall short of God’s perfect standard of righteousness. (Romans 3:10; 22-23)
(Psalm 51:5)
Why
is this so? Because God told our
forefather, Adam, that if he ate of the forbidden tree (nothing to do with
sexual relations!) on that very day, he/she would ‘...surely die...’. (Genesis
2:16-17)
Now,
we know that it was not physical death God spoke of here! How do we know? Because Adam lived after his
Fall from grace until he was 930 years old! (Genesis 5:5)
Therefore,
we realize that the Lord God spoke of SPIRITUAL DEATH. Adam/Eve were
smitten by spiritual death the very moment they sinned in disobedience to God
in Eden’s Garden. (Ezekiel 18:4) (Romans
6:23)
Sin
made them hide from God’s Holy Presence (Genesis 3:9-10) The DEAD human
spirit desires no fellowship with the Holy Lord God. (1
Corinthians 2:11-16) (Isaiah 53:2)
He
that was created SUPERNATURALLY became merely NATURAL due to
committing sin against his Creator God. (Romans 7:14-24)
Thus
it follows that, all BORN of Adam/Eve since then are begotten (born) in
Adam’s sinful image instead created in God‘s Holy image. (Genesis 5:3) (Job
14:4)
We
are born spiritually dead - a body; a soul; and a dead spirit! (Ephesians 2:1)
That
is why Christ taught us, "Ye must be born again!" We must be
Spiritually regenerated! We who are dead
in sin must be made alive in Christ! (Titus 3:5)
This
can only be done by God the Holy Spirit Himself. We are thus regenerated into Christ’s Body -
the true Spirit-born Church
Regeneration
is therefore seen plainly to be the free gift of God to Hell-deserving sinners.
We cannot WORK our way to Heaven! (Ephesians 2:8-10) (John 3:16)
God’s
Means of Showing Grace: (Acts 4:12)
(John 14:6)
The
means God has provided for us to be Regenerated (or saved) are two-fold -
prayer and the Word of God. (2 Timothy 2:1-5) (Jeremiah 33:3)
Prayer: No one can really PRAY unless the Holy Spirit enables
(or inspires) us to pray. (Romans 8:26) We can recite useless, ‘...vain
repetitions...’, but we cannot actually pray by God the Holy Spirit and
according to His will. God, therefore, makes His people’s prayers to be both
inspired and to be heard. (James 4:3) (Psalm 19:14)
God,
the Holy Spirit’s first ministry to us is to convince (or convict) the world of
sin, and of righteousness, and of Judgment to come. Prayer is thus our true
means of fellowship with God - we speak to God in prayer. (John 16:8) (Psalm 91:15) (Revelation 20:11-15)
The
Word: No one can be Regenerated,
‘born again’, without first reading, or hearing, God’s own inspired Word - the
Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) (2 Peter 1:20-21)
(Romans 10:17)
This
doctrine can be more clearly evidenced in the Old Testament illustration of
Ezekiel’s valley of dried bones. (Ezekiel 37:1-10)
The
dry bones represent all who are DEAD in sin and trespasses; all who are
unregenerate; all who are not ‘born again’ of the Spirit of God! Read how the Lord told Ezekiel to
"...prophesy upon these bones...". (Ezekiel 37:4) Paul reveals unto
us the fact that, "...faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of
God." (Romans 10:17) (Hebrews 6:1;6) Then, after the preaching of God’s
Word, the dry bones are breathed into and come alive! Hallelujah! (John 3:8)
This is the miracle of Spiritual Regeneration. We ‘hear’ God’s call due to God-given faith,
and receive Eternal Life as the gift of God’s grace. Conviction of sin, and our
desperate need to be saved, are revealed only through the Word of God contained
in our Bibles. God speaks to us by His Word.
(James 5:16)(Colossians 4:2)
We
are encouraged to preach the Gospel also!
(2 Timothy 4:1-5) (Mark 16:15-16) (Matthew 28:19-20)
Why
are we inspired to preach the Gospel? So that the Lord can use His means of
Regeneration grace to the full; and reward our labours for Him in the Salvation
of precious and immortal souls. (Daniel 12:3) (Proverbs 11:30)
What
a great and gracious Saviour! Amen! Hallelujah! These Bible truths surely make
us free! (Hebrews 7:25) (John 8:32)
Conclusion: This, therefore, is the great Scriptural doctrine of Spiritual
Regeneration. We receive a new nature from God which remains obedient to
His Commandments, and helps us daily to battle against the desires of our own
carnal natures; fallen natures which shall always be at enmity against God.
(John 14:15) (Romans 8:7)
The
Spiritual battle is continuous! But, the Victory has already been won for us at
a place called Calvary ; won by the all
righteous Christ Jesus, the Son of the Living Lord God. Amen. And praise be
always to His Almighty Name! Glory to God in Christ Jesus! (Exodus 17:8-16)
(Romans 16:27)
Thought: In the risen Christ Jesus we have Regeneration Life
Eternal.
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