#2 - The New Birth (Regeneration) Born Again

If any doctrines within the whole compass of Christianity may be properly termed fundamental, they
are doubtless these two, the doctrine of justification, and that of the new Birth: The former relating
to the great work which God does for us, forgiving sins; the latter, to the great work which God does
in us, in renewing our fallen nature. In order of time, neither of these is before the other; in the
moment we are justified by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in Jesus, we are also
born of the Spirit; but in order of thinking, as it is termed, justification precedes the new birth.
(John Wesleys Works, Vol. 6, page 65)

Ephesians 2:10 KJV

(10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in them.

1. Regeneration Defined

Regeneration may be defined to be that moral change in man, wrought by the Holy Spirit, by which
he is saved from the love, the practice, and the dominion of sin, and enabled, with full choice of will
and the energy of right affections, to love God and to keep his commandments. (Wakefields
Christian Theology, Volume 2, page 425)

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

(17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,
all things are become new.

2. We need to be born again because the human race is dead in sin.

Genesis 3:1-4 KJV

(1) Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
(2) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
(3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat
of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
(4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Genesis 5:5 KJV

(5) And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

Ephesians 2:1 KJV

(1) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

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3. Your church affiliation will not save you. You must be born again!

Galatians 6:15 KJV

(15) For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new
creature.

4. Before you are born again, you cannot understand the Bible or spiritual things.

1 Corinthians 2:14 KJV

(14) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto
him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

5. The new birth is the impartation of a new nature, even Gods own nature, to the one who
is begotten again.

2 Peter 1:4 KJV

(4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV

(19) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye
have of God, and ye are not your own?

6. In the new birth, God imparts to us His own wise and Holy nature, a nature that thinks as
God thinks, feels as God feels, wills as God wills. (What the Bible Teaches, R. A. Torrey, page
327)

Colossians 3:10 KJV

(10) And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that
created him:

1 John 5:4 KJV

(4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh
the world, even our faith.

Ephesians 4:24 KJV

(24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

7. When you are born again you need the word of God as much as a baby needs milk.

1 Peter 2:2 KJV

(2) As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

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8. Why should Nicodemus have known about the new birth?

John 3:1-10 KJV

(1) There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
(2) The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher
come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
(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.
(4) 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?
(5) 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.
(6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
(7) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
(8) 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.
(9) Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
(10) Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

Ezekiel 36:25-27 KJV

(25) Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and
from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
(26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away
the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
(27) And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep
my judgments, and do them.

9. Baptism is not new birth.

1 Corinthians 1:14 KJV

(14) I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

1 Corinthians 1:17 KJV

(17) For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the
cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

10. If baptism is not the new forth, what does John 3:5 refer to?

John 3:5 KJV

(5) 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.

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11. In these passages we see that regeneration is wrought by the word of God and Spirit of
God. We are born again by the word of God and the Spirit of God.

1 Peter 1:23 KJV

(23) Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which
liveth and abideth for ever.

James 1:18 KJV

(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 Corinthians 4:15 KJV

(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.

Titus 3:5 KJV

(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;

Ephesians 5:25-26 KJV

(25) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
(26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

12. How to be born again.

1 John 5:1 KJV

(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.

John 1:12 KJV

(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:

Matthew 18:3 KJV

(3) And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall
not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

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