Page 18 - January 2022 - Truth & Tidings

egeneration! The word breathes the sinner before they can believe. The
power and potential! It is one of phrase “dead in our sins” (Eph 2:1) is
Rthe many wonderful “salvation” explained to mean not just our total de-
words in the Bible and gives us a marvel- pravity but complete inability to respond
ous look at the role of the Holy Spirit es- in faith. R.C. Sproul put it this way: “God
pecially, in the mighty work that occurs at just doesn’t throw a life preserver to a
the moment of conversion and continues drowning person. He goes to the bottom
for a lifetime. of the sea and pulls up a corpse … takes
The Meaning & Miracle of Regeneration him up on the bank, breathes into him
Regeneration only appears twice in the breath of life and makes him alive.”
the NT, with the reference in Titus 3:5, Make no mistake, to be spiritually “dead”
“the washing of regeneration,” referring could not be a more serious and helpless
to personal salvation. The original com- condition. It describes our separation
pound Greek word is “again” and “birth,” from God and utter helplessness to save
and is similar to other biblical terms like ourselves. However, it is beyond what
“born again,” “made alive,” and “new Scripture teaches to say that an unsaved
creation.” Regeneration is the once-for-all person is completely devoid of any ability
cleansing from sin through new life, and to even believe and that they must first be
regenerated. Watch the Lord Jesus mas-
seems to focus on the whole new state of terfully and graciously interacting with
life and being into which the believer is
brought (2Co 5:17). The Bible informs us unbelieving individuals like Nicodemus,
that two divine powers accomplish this the Samaritan woman, and others in the
tremendous miracle: “the Word of God” Gospels. Before their conversions, He
(Eph 5:26; 1Pe 1:23) and the Holy Spirit draws upon their capacity to recognize
the spiritual aspects of His teaching and
(Joh 3:5-8). Regeneration is something works, even challenging them to use their
that God alone does by His Spirit and His moral judgment (Joh 10:37-38).
Word, and it will never be undone!
Thankfully, the Lord always takes the
The Uniqueness & Effect of initiative in salvation, but as well, each
Regeneration person has the responsibility and capabili-
No mere church ritual, personal im- ty to believe. The rest of Scripture confirms
provement or moral reform, regeneration this consistently. To the bitten Israelites,
is uniquely a divine work in the heart (Joh the message was not “Live and look!” but
1:12-13). It is the implantation of life that “Look and live!” (Num 21:8). Isaiah said,
brings a true and lasting change. Not only “Hear, that your soul may live,” not “Live,
is regeneration the immediate impartation that your soul may hear” (55:3). The Lord
of divine life but it is the sanctifying and Jesus “cried out,” and Lazarus “came out,”
renewing power of the indwelling Holy not vice versa! (Joh 11:43-44).
Spirit in our lives each day (Col 3:10). Unsaved people can hear God’s voice
The Necessity & Order of Regeneration and, by responding in faith, come to enjoy
Many hold that regeneration precedes in all its fullness God’s great regeneration
faith, and that God must first regenerate imparted by the Holy Spirit!

18 TRUTH kTidings January 2022