Bob Josey - 7 The Other Comforter Lesson #2- Feb 27, 2022

SLIDES

Thriving in Jesus

Chapter 7 The Other Comforter - Lesson 2

Regeneration

Introduction

How many of you has never experienced a time when you got into your vehicle and it would not crank and the problem was a dead battery? Usually, a battery dies because it is worn out or there is a problem with the alternator not recharging the battery.

In reality alternators actually just regenerate or recharge the battery. When the battery comes from the manufacture to put in a vehicle, it is charged or generated. When the battery is placed in the vehicle and the vehicle cranked the first time with the battery, the battery begins to be used and continually needs to be regenerated or recharged. Just as we see a connection between generation and regeneration of a battery, today we are going to study and discuss the connection between generation and the regeneration of man.

There is a close correspondence between the reality found in Genesis 1 and the reality found in John 1. In Genesis 1 we see the Holy Spriit involved in regeneration of the earth and we also see in John 1 the Holy Spriit involved in the regeneration of man.

In Genesis 1:1 we see God creating the heavens and the earth out of nothing.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The only thing that existed before God created the heavens and the earth was God. Nothing existed materially. We see this in John 1:1-3.

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

So, at the creation or generation the earth, it was formless, void, and dark as we see in Genesis 1:2a. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep…

This was a condition of desolation and waste to its fulness and order. Darkness in the Bible usually represents evil, sin, and death. It certainly not conducive to life. So, after the initial part of creation or generation of being formless, void, and dark, we find the Holy spirit being involved in the regeneration of the earth in Genesis 1:2b.

…and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of he waters.

The word translated moving over is an interesting one. It means to move gently or as in Deuteronomy 32:11 to hover over or to brood of young birds like an eagle. The Holy Spirit began to move about on the earth and within six days, as an eagle broods over her young, He regenerated the earth from darkness and uninhabitably to a place where sea life, land animals, vegetation, and human being could live. The earth will be regenerated again after the second coming for Messianic Kingdom. We see this in Matthew 19:28

28And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

As the Holy Spirit regenerated a dark earth that was void of life in Genesis 1:2, He will again for the Messianic Kingdom after the tribulation period. He has been regenerating men and women for 2000 years who were void of any spiritual life by being dead in their trespasses and sins. The classic verse for this is in Titus 3:5.

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit…

The word regeneration means that God gives or imparts new life which is of course eternal life to those who trust Christ as Savior. Paul wanted to make it crystal clear that regeneration is by the mercy of God just as salvation was by the grace of God as seen in Ephesians 2:8-9. It’s all of God and nothing of man. Man contributes nothing to the work of regeneration by God. We also see this in John

1:12-13.

But as many as received him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Back to Titus 3:5. Did you notice that washing is involved in this work of regeneration. Many times, of course, washing is used in the physical sense of removing dirt, grime, or filth on the body with water. But many times, particularly in the Old Testament, it is used as a ceremonial ritual cleansing. It is a symbol that represents spiritual cleanings. The priests who ministered in the Tabernacle were to wash in the laver that was placed in front the Tabernacle before they went into the Tabernacle or Temple. Even some imamate objects had to be cleansed with fire or water to make them ceremonially acceptable. Israelites on certain occasions had to be ceremonially cleansed. The only thing required was that the body of water had be clean and not stagnant and that the entire body could be emersed. They usually did it in creeks or rivers. Later, they began using a stepped bath called a mikvah. If you have been to Isarel, you have seen many.

Recently in Jerusalem a road was excavated that went from the Pool of Silom to the Temple. Israelites would take a ritual bath in the Pool of Silom before going up the steps from the to the Temple to worship God. The call the road the Pilgram Road or the Shalom Road.

In John 3:1-8 about the story of Nicodemus visiting Jesus, we find Jesus talking about spiritual cleansing for Israel. In this story Jesus compares the birth of human being to the birth of the spirit within man. The life imparted at physical birth is the same kind of life possessed by the parents; the life imparted by spiritual birth is in reality God’s life and is therefore eternal. To be born physically is to be brought into a human family, and to be born again spiritually is to be made forever a part of God’s family.

As we read this profound story, please remember that Jesus was talking to Nicodemus about the requirement for Isarel to enter the Messianic Kingdom, not heaven.

1Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;

2this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

3Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

4Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”

5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and 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.

7“Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

8“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodmeus realized that Jesus was sent from God because of the miracles He was performing. The word sign means a miracle that demonstrates or confirms something. In Jesus’ case, the signs demonstrated or confirmed that He was the promised Messiah. In verse 3 the term born again can be translated that or can be translated born from above. One who is born again is born from above. For one to be born again, regenerated, one must have approval from the Father in heaven for the Holy Spriit to do his work. The kingdom of God is not heaven. He is not talking about people in the church age. At this point in Jesus’ ministry, He, John the Baptizer, and the disciples were preaching about how to enter the Kingdom of Heaven or the Messianic Kingdom. We see John preaching that Message in Matthew 3:1-2.

1Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The phrase for the kingdom of heaven is at hand means that the promised Messiah was now among the people of Israel. He was ready to establish the Messianic Kingdom, but first Isarel as a nation had to repent and accept Him as the Messiah. In verse 7 Jesus changed from talking about individuals who must be regenerated to enter the Kingdom to Israel as a nation. The you in verse 7 in plural and represents Isarel as a nation. In verse 8 Jesus emphasizes that it is the Holy Spirit who regenerates a sinner. Let’s camp on verse five a few minutes,

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

We have already discussed that it is the Holy Spirit who regenerated an Israelite so they could enter the Messianic Kingdom. But what does being born of water represent? For years I thought that being born of water represented the natural human birth from the amniotic fluid in a mother’s womb. That is a very common interpretation. About six months ago Debbie Norton sent me an article to read that had a different interpretation of the water in John 3:5. After reading the article and ruminating on the verse, I came to the conclusion that the person who wrote the article make a lot of good points that being born of water was not about amniotic fluid but something that I have touched on today - Spiritual cleansing.

As we discussed earlier, throughout the Old Testament water was used to represent spiritual cleansing. God told Isarel in Ezekiel 36 that one day after Isarael had regathered as a nation, He will cleanse them with water and put a new heart in them at the second coming of Jesus. This is referring to the regeneration of Isarel. In Psalm 51:1 & 7 we see King David personally asking for spiritual cleansing.

2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity

And cleanse me from my sin.

7Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Therefore, I think it’s better to interpret “born of water” as representing spiritual cleansing by the Holy Spirit at the time one trusts in Jesus for salvation and “born of the Spirit” as regeneration. The new birth is so radical a change in a person’s life that it is described as a “washing” which means a bath, a complete immersion. Salvation is so dramatic it is just like the washing away the old life and the receiving a new life.

One further thing about Jesus’ meeting with Nicodemus. Jesus gave him the requirements for entering the Messianic Kingdom that Isarel rejected. However, the requirements for entering heaven are the same today. When one trusts in Jesus as their Savior today, the Holy Spirit spiritually cleanses them and regenerates them.

The word renew used with regeneration in Titus 3:5 is used as a synonym to emphasize that the person being totally transformed, thus he or she is indeed a new creation as seen in 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

We studied during our last lesson when we trust Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit places a believer in Christ and Christ is in God which makes us doubly secure. At the same time, we are renewed and regenerated and become a new creation. The word new means something new in time that has just come into existence or was just made, like a new car. Therefore, the new creation in Christ is not like someone who made a new year’s resolution to change, turned over a new leaf, or has been brainwashed by a cult, but one who has been 100% transformed from within by receiving a new nature.

After the Messianic Kingdom and the White Throne Judgement, God will renew the earth to the condition it was in after the six days of creation, perfect. The world will be cleansed anew by fire. Sin and wickedness will be totally eradicated. Peter writes in 2 Peter 3:13 that, “According to His promise (in the Old Testament) we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” The word new sued twice means something new in time that has just come into existence or was just made.

Regeneration is solely an act of God. After an individual trusts in Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirts imparts at least 33 different blessings on the believer. The new birth is a spiritual birth, the birth of a new power and spirit in life. It is not reformation of the old nature. It is the actual creation of a new birth within—spiritually.

So, let’s now sum up the blessing of regeneration.

1. Regeneration occurs immediately after one trusts in Christ as Savior. It is instantaneous.

2. All new believers in Jesus are regenerated.

3. Regeneration means a complete change of life. It is a rebirth.

4. Regeneration is totally the work of God.

5. Regeneration comes from the mercy of the Father, as the result of the death of the Son, and is accomplished by the Holy Spirit.

6. Regeneration is also described or pictured as a new birth, being born again. a spiritual resurrection, a spiritual transformation, a new creation, impartation of a new heart, impartation of a new mind, impartation of new spirit, impartation of new nature, renewal, and a spiritual transformation.

7. When God regenerates a spiritually dead person, the new believer is truly spiritually alive for the first time and is able to understand and feed on God’s Word.

Questions and comments

Pass out notecards. Ask the class the following question.

“Since you are a you are a new creation in Christ, how has your life changed practically since you were regenerated?”