325. JOH 3:3-8. REGENERATION
Joh_3:3-8. Regeneration
"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," &c.’97Joh_3:3-8.
We have previously considered the doctrine of Justification, and have endeavored to show that Justification consisted in being considered righteous before God, and being dealt with as such. Now, Justification is entirely a change of state; it has nothing to do with our nature. A man, by prodigality, becomes greatly indebted. It is paid, and he is justified. This will not prevent him immediately acting in a similar manner, &c. A rebel may be pardoned, and yet have a rebel’s heart A change of nature is as essential to man, as a change of condition. Now, this is effected in Regeneration, which is the subject for our present consideration. Let us consider, the nature, means, evidences, and importance of Regeneration.
I. The Nature of Regeneration.
Or, to be born again. Now, it will be clear it does not refer to natural things, but to spiritual. Various erroneous notions have been formed of it. Hence, we would remark,
(1) That the renunciation of error, and the reception of the truth is not Regeneration.
(2) External reformation is not Regeneration. A man may become industrious, sober, and honest, and not be regenerated.
(3) General morality of conduct is not Regeneration. Else, the young man in the gospel.
(4) A flaming profession of religion is not Regeneration. Else, the Pharisees, Nicodemus, and Saul. We may have internal raptures; we may be extremely noisy and boisterous. "Lo, here is Christ," &c. We may be apparently zealous as Jehu. "Come, see my zeal." We may be as self-complacent as the Jews. "We have Abraham for our Father. &c. The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we." To the whole of this, Christ says, "The kingdom of God cometh not by observation. The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. The kingdom of God is within you." Regeneration is the spiritual change of the heart. The renewal of the mind. The restoration of the image of God in the soul. See some of the metaphorical descriptions of it. It is a translation from darkness to light. From the kingdom of Satan, into the kingdom of God’s dear son. It is a resurrection. "You hath he quickened," &c. See also 1Pe_1:3. In the text it is a new birth. As by the first birth we become partakers of human nature, so, by the second, of the divine nature. As the first introduces us into the natural world, so, the second, into the spiritual world’97the kingdom of grace. As in the first birth, we bear the image and features of our earthly parents, so, by the second, we bear the image of the Second Adam’97the Lord from heaven. There is, however, a blessed disparity between the first and second birth. By the first birth, we enter upon the troubles and afflictions of earth; by the second, upon the blessings and privileges of the heirs of heaven. By the first birth, we became the heirs of death; by the second, heirs of life and immortality. Now this change which is effected in Regeneration,
1. Is a complete change.
Look at the understanding now illuminated; affections now fixed upon God; judgment influenced by the truth; conscience now pacified. Not that any faculty is destroyed, or any new one formed; but all the old ones are renewed and spiritualized.
2. It is an instantaneous change.
Not that there is no preparatory work. The incorruptible seed of the word of God must be sown in the soil of the heart. There it must germinate, &c. The truth is one great instrumental means of regenerating the heart; and this must be brought to bear upon our minds, 1Pe_1:23. Yet, there is an instant when we cease to be the children of the wicked one, &c. Where we enter into the new spiritual state of be ing. We may not know the place, nor the exact time, but our spiritual existence is the proof of its reality.
3. It is a divine change.
God is the author of it; God is the fountain of all life; hence, said to be "born of God." "Blessed be the God and Father," &c., "who hath begotten us again." It is not natural to any man; it is not learning, or education, or parental influence that can effect it; it is beyond an angel’s power "God who commanded the light," &c., 2Co_4:6; Eph_2:10.
4. It is a mysterious change.
Being internal it does not fall beneath the observation of the senses. No eye sees the wonderful process but the eye of God. The Saviour refers for an illustration to the wind; "the wind bloweth," &c. How fine and subtle are the particles of air; we feel it upon us, and are conscious of it, but cannot tell "whence it came," &c.
5. It is a change with which the body is connected, and harmonizes.
"Born of water and the Spirit." Now, respecting this, parties have gone into two extremes; many have taught that baptism is regeneration, the Church of England expressly teaches this; others again say that baptism is merely a sign or shadow of regeneration. Now, the truth seems to me different to both of these views. Man is composed of two parts, body and spirit; the body is not man, nor yet is the soul man, both of them united form man; both involved in vice; both employed while in sin; both are in the service of the devil; God demands both; in regeneration both must have a part; hence, the Spirit must renew our spirits; and the body must be baptized in water to signify, 1st, That as Christ’s redeemed property it is now given unto him visibly, &c.; and 2ndly, That as by baptism we profess to be buried with Christ, so also we profess to arise in hope of a resurrection from the dead. See Rom_6:3, Rom_6:4. Before baptism, we profess to put off the old man and his deeds, and when baptized, we profess to have put on Christ, the new man, &c. Now, scriptural regeneration includes, therefore, both body and soul; see this fully borne out by referring to Heb_10:19. It will be obvious from this, that persons may be regenerated in spirit and not in body; so in body and not in spirit. Now some affect to treat the body with contempt; before this is done, remember the Son of God dwelt in flesh; has taken it up to heaven, and angels and holy spirits bow before it. Remember also, the apostle says, "Know ye not that your bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost." And finally, that the body is to be raised again, to share in the fulness of redemption, &c., forever. How plain, then, the meaning of Christ, "Born of water and the Spirit," The evidences’97necessity of the change must be deferred.
Application
1. The subject is worthy of careful scriptural examination.
2. Of solemn personal examination. Let us guard against counterfeits; let us avoid apathy, &c. Be satisfied with nothing less than the experience of the change itself.
Autor: JABEZ BURNS