REGENERATION: GRACE'S ULTIMATE GOAL

John 3:3
Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Regeneration. How familiar are we with this word? If we are united to the Lord of Glory we ought to be able to define what regeneration is. Regeneration is the essence of the gospel and exclusively what Jesus came to do in the heart of sinners! This is what the cross of Jesus Christ is all about, rescuing, delivering and truly saving sinners from sins, vices, and chains!!

Regeneration separates Christianity from all other religions, especially when it comes to reaching man's final destination! Without regeneration there is no hope of gaining heaven! The gospel is about good news, and the good news is that Jesus has come to make us new. Regeneration is the work of God, a supernatural work by which God, through the cross and the implanting of the Holy Spirit into the life and soul of the believer, RADICALLY transforms the unbeliever's life!!

Here is a good time to stop and ask yourself this eternal question. Is my life radically different than my neighbor's who does not profess Christ to be his deliverer? Is the same power that raised Christ from the dead alive and at work within your very own soul (Romans 6)? To be wrong about this issue is absolutely no joke! Eternity hangs in the balance.

Christianity is not a feel good religion, however, there is no greater joy and peace than to be saved by Christ! Salvation (regeneration) is not based upon what man can do but is totally dependant upon what JESUS HAS DONE. Hallelujah! The work of Christ is finished! We must remember that the one who claims to have been regenerated (born again) by the Holy Spirit has a peculiar phrase attached to his or her new identity as a Christian. Regeneration means to be IN CHRIST! Over 6o times this identity is attached to the one who has been regenerated. "In Christ" is who and what we are!!

While we acknowledge that a large amount of the people who claim to be Christians live and act no differently than those outside of Christ, this reality should cause us to ask a most important question. Where does the fault lie? Is the power of the gospel deficient in it's ability to transform the sinner? No way! To say that the gospel is deficient, is to say that God is not omnipotent. The prophet Jeremiah clears this issue with these words found in

Jeremiah 32:17-19

"Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. 'You show loving-kindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them -- the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 'You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings."

The work of regeneration, in which God calls a sinner out the dominion and slavery of sin, is a power which liberates the believer!! The gospel is the power of God unto Salvation (Rom 1:21). So, to say the gospel can't transform or has the inability to do the job is to call into question the omnipotent power of the One True and Living God, which is ludicrous! The scriptures are absolutely clear about regeneration. The apostle Paul presents this truth in

2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

Can we say with honesty that we are a new creation? The question is not are you are a perfect Christian, because there are none, but is our life largely lived out with Jesus Christ being our most treasured possession? May Him who came to redeem move within our hearts to consider the solemn call to forsake all to follow Him who is worthy of our every affection! Praise God we can rejoice with Paul in

1 Timothy 1:15 15

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

Regeneration. Are you in Christ? Is that grace which God chiefly gave in the giving of His Son, living and active within your heart?