Regeneration is a theological term for becoming a new creation in Christ. It is the act of God that the Spirit imparts new life, a new nature, and making a man a new creation as he repents of his sins and confesses Jesus as the Lord of his life.
This is the fleshing out of 2 Corinthians 5:17 where a man is dead to sin and alive to Christ as a new creation. They have died with Christ by faith and been raised in victory by faith. Simply put, the man (or woman) leaves the altar a different person that they came.
The great miracle of all is when the Spirit comes into a person and regenerates them setting them free from sin and death and exchanges it for life and people in Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation. The power of the curse of sin has been destroyed in that moment.
Word can not explain the experience for someone who is delivered from an eternity in hell and a lifetime of addictions in a moment. The power of the Lord transforms them into a new man or woman that is holy in a blink of an eye.
Synergism of regeneration
The idea of Synergism is that two or more come together to form something new. The truth is when a man repents of his sin and confesses Jesus as his Lord, the Spirit comes and transforms the man. Regeneration is a result of the act of facing one’s transgression and the Spirit makes one’s anew.
You can not regenerate yourself. It does require the Holy Spirit to do it. It is not something you can just order like you are Ebay. It is a response from the Spirit as an overflow of dealing with the sins of the man.
However, we can be sure that the Spirit of God is faithful to do His role in the relationship when the condition has been met. There is no concern of “I Hope the Holy Spirit keeps his end of the deal.” He has never failed a person in history and we can know He won’t in the future, either.
If a person is drowning in the river and someone throws a raft to the person, the raft will bring them to safety but it will be traumatic. That raft is the gospel that must be grabbed in order to enter into the safety and peace found by the Man who extended the raft to us. We still have to be willing to receive the help!
Regeneration happens as we value what Jesus did for us and come to Him with broken hearts crying out for forgiveness of our transgressions. Far too many people try and pretend that it is all God’s work without taking any responsibility for our sin. Our sinful past is not the fault of God in any way.
Regeneration is not a cause of faith or an effect. Faith comes out of knowledge of sinfulness and confess of our need for a redeemer.
What is new life in Christ?
Paul wrote to Titus and told that, “…because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit…” (Titus 3:5) In the mercy of Jesus was the washing of rebirth or regeneration and a renewal to right relationship with the Lord by the Spirit of God. The concept of washing here is to take a bath. This is where we get the idea that forms the old hymnal, Are you washed in the blood?
The question becomes what does it mean to renewal to right relationship with the Father? It means the veil has been ripped and we now have access to the throne of grace knowing that the Father hears our prayers. We are declared a child of God and know the Father of creation!
In Romans 8:15, we read that, “..the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The work of the Spirit in giving you regeneration has given you sonship to the Father and you now are adopted as children of God. You have been fully delivered from the old life and now have been given a fresh start at living for God.
As long as you continue in the faith, you have assurance of spending eternity with the Father because of your new life. You don’t have to question if you will go to hell anymore no matter what your feeling or other people tell you. You are a new creation!
