Take Your Stand

James 4:6-8

One of the most difficult things we as Believers are called upon to do is take a righteous stand. Whether it’s a matter of standing for God and right or standing firmly against sin and evil, the requirements are deeply held convictions and old fashion courage to spring into action. That is your belief and reasonable actions stemming from those well-founded values is our obligation before God. Taking a stand means we know the truth and are acting on that truth in responsible and Christ-honoring ways.

With such responsibilities and privileges, God affords us instruction to navigate this often emotionally charged terrain.  After all, much is at stake…sometimes it is necessary to take a godly stand with family or friends. Because we love them and treasure the relationship we obey God and confront the issue with them. Though such “talks” may feel a little awkward, we still take the initiative.

There will be occasions to take a stand in the work place to seek God’s honor, but you know He is not welcome nor is His Book…. You know you cannot go along to get along…yet you’ve invested so much, and you don’t want to jeopardize your professional future either. Conflicted within you sense your need for help.

Compromise may suddenly seem plausible, yet the desire to please the Lord with your family, friends, and professional pursuits outweigh all other concerns. So what help is available from God? What guidance does He afford the child of God wanting to do right, but sorely tempted to compromise? How can we resist the Devil’s manipulations as he applies more pressure?

So, How Does God Assist Embattled Believers?

Often when under such pressure, we feel completely alone…as if God has abandoned us to struggle under such pressures alone. As you know, we cannot trust our feelings to guide us because they often interfere with clear and accurate thinking. It is entirely correct to look to the Lord. God assists His people when we face such challenges. One thing God does is provide strengthen and reinforcing grace.

There is Powerful Grace from God (Js. 4:6).

He gives more grace (4:6). The first five verses of this chapter indicate how wicked the old nature can be. Now we learn that we are not left to deal with the lusts of the flesh in our own strength. Thank God, He gives more grace or strength whenever it is needed (Heb. 4:16). He has promised, “... as thy days, so shall thy strength be” (Deut. 33:25). I am certain you would agree with the words of Annie Johnson Flint,

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase,

To added affliction He addeth His mercy,

To multiplied trials His multiplied peace. 

Clearly, God wants us to depend on His grace, “But He giveth more grace,” (4:6) while the devil wants us to depend on ourselves. Satan is the author of all “do-it-yourself” spiritual enterprises. He enjoys inflating the ego and encouraging the believer to do it his own way. Despite Jesus’ warnings about Satan’s plans, Peter fell into the snare, pulled out his sword, and tried to accomplish God’s will in his own way. What a mess he made of things!

We Must Assume a Humble Spirit before God (Js. 4:6-7a).

Specifically, God provides “grace unto the humble.” Yes, we are called upon to shun pride and to humbly submit to God’s authority. He will supply incredible unmerited favor to those who understand the cure for conflict is a humble spirit. Beloved, this is how we secure God’s powerful aid in our battles.

MacDonald wisely observed,

To prove that God gives grace as it is needed, James quoted Proverbs 3:34, but here there is the added thought that it is to the humble, not the proud, that this grace is promised. God resists the proud, but He cannot resist the broken spirit. –Believer's Bible Commentary

We must all remember that God is the focus of all glory; there is no need or room for human pride (Rom. 7:18; 2 Tim. 1:6, 14). The correct posture before God is humbled on our knees acknowledging His excellence and supremacy. If you do not feel this way towards God, then spend time each day talking to Him from your knees. Your physical posture will help your brain catch up eventually. You see, humility recognizes the grandeur of God, our limitations before supernatural enemies, and our singular help in Almighty God. Beloved, the believer who kneels before God can stand against the flesh, the world, and the devil!

What Happens When We Stand Against the Devil? (Js. 4:7)

So, what can we expect as we engage in real spiritual battles?

Satan Will Flee When We Resist Him in the Lord.

James states a clear expectation for us to grasp, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” The flipside of the first command. “Resist” literally means “take your stand against.” Although our own evil tendencies (Js. 1:14) and the desires battling within us (Js. 4:1) are the immediate sources of our problems, to give in to those internal desires is to yield to the devil (see Matt 4:1-11; Luke 22:31; John 13:2,27). All people are either under the lordship of Christ or the control of Satan (John 8:44; Eph. 2:2; 1 John 3:8; 5:19); there is no middle ground. Those who transfer their allegiance from Satan to God will find that Satan “will flee from” them; he is a defeated foe.

So long as Satan can stimulate human pride, he can interrupt God’s plan, even if only temporarily. But as powerful as Satan is, his only power over believers is in his powerful temptations. The devil can be resisted—and our resistance will cause him to flee. Conversely, a lack of resistance will practically guarantee ongoing harassment by Satan (see also Eph. 6:10-18 and 1 Peter 5:6-9).

“Neither give place to the devil,” cautions Paul in Ephesians 4:27. Satan needs a foothold in our lives if he is going to fight against God; and we give him that foothold. The way to resist the devil is to submit to God.

After King David committed adultery with Bathsheba, and killed her husband, he hid his sins for almost a year. There was war between him and God, and David had declared it. Read Psalms 32 and 51 to discover the high price David paid to be at war with God. When he finally submitted to God, David experienced peace and joy. This too he recorded in Psalms 32 and 51. Submission is an act of the will; it is saying, “Not my will but Thine be done.” (W. Wierbe)

The Devil’s Primary Purpose is to Separate Man from God.

Destined for everlasting destruction in the Lake of Fire, the Devil desires to take as many individuals with him as he possibly can. So many people are deceived by the Devil’s lies and manipulations…just as Heaven is real so is Hell. As certain as Jesus Christ is a reality so is the Devil, the World, and the Flesh real enemies of humanity. The truth is all humanity is sinful and lost with no real relationship with God. If we die in this state Hell will be our eternal place of suffering and destruction. The painful fact is we can do absolutely nothing to improve or change our situation in a positive way. God, because of His great love and mercy, provided the solution for our sinful condition through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. Yes, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ paid for my sins and yours. You and I must turn from our unbelief, rejection of God, and sin to Jesus as our personal Savior. Acknowledge your sinfulness to God and ask Him for forgiveness based on Christ’s death and resurrection. Trust the living Jesus, the risen Son of God, to save you and give you a brand-new beginning and a new life with God. Dear friend, God is offering you real hope; believe Him with all your heart.   

Among the reasons we so desperately need God's grace is that we are locked in mortal combat with a superior enemy. We cannot handle him alone; he is far too strong. Beloved, we desperately need God’s help to resist Satan's separating schemes and instead draw near to God. We must realize that the Devil's power over us is only as strong as the illusion that he is more powerful than God's help. We must trust that the Spirit who is in us is greater than Satan who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Acknowledge the assistance God provides to every humble and submissive believer embattled with the flesh, the world system, and the Devil himself. You have not been abandoned and you need not stand alone. Stand therefore, beloved assure of strengthening grace and power to overcome the manipulations of the wicked one. Stand with the assurance that Satan will flee before a child of God empowered by God’s mighty grace. So again, recognize God’s assistance, submit to God as your commander and chief, then resist the Devil. Beloved, take your stand!

The Spirit of Burning

This basic convicting and cleansing work of the Spirit in the life of believers can be illustrated by the words of the prophet Isaiah. He said “When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning” (Isaiah 4:4).  Evidently God is quite interested in washing and purging! Isaiah reveals God’s passionate desire to cleanse His people in Jerusalem.

Since this Old Testament passage is not as familiar, it would be helpful to afford some context and consider the primary meaning of this chapter and verse before applying it to Christian experience.  Accordingly, the prophet Isaiah looks beyond the “Day of the Lord” to that time when “the Branch,” Christ’s, kingdom will be established on earth.  In that day Jerusalem and Israel will be marked by holiness. Their sins will be forgiven. They will be saved and inwardly transformed to show forth the holiness of Christ. These will reside there (Isa 4:3) as citizens of the city. 

Isaiah says “the daughters of Zion” (they represent the nation of Israel) will be cleansed “by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning” (Isa. 4:4).  Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Whole Bible (Clarke, 1967, p. 1347) clearly explains this judgment and purging work of God metaphorically as the craft of the refiner:

[Isaiah 4:4] The spirit of burning means the fire of God's wrath, by which he will prove and purify his people; gathering them into his furnace, in order to separate the dross from the silver, the bad from the good. The severity of God's judgments, the fiery trial of his servants, Ezekiel (Ezek 22:18-22) has set forth at large, after his manner, with great boldness of imagery and force of expression. God threatens to gather them into the midst of Jerusalem, as into the furnace; to blow the fire upon them, and to melt them. Malachi, Mal 3:2-3, treats the same subject, and represents the same event, under the like images…. This is an allusion to a chemist purifying metals. He first judges of the state of the ore or adulterated metal. Secondly, he kindles the proper degree of fire, and applies the requisite test; and thus separates the precious from the vile (The Bethany Parallel Commentary on the Old Testament).

This is the work of the Spirit of God! His judgment will be like fire that will burn away the nation’s unwanted filth and sin. God’s new order will not prevail until His Spirit has cleansed and purged the city of its wickedness, carnality, worldliness, and idolatry.  It is the sovereign workings of the Lord that must do this.  No human engineering, efforts, or excellence will be able to achieve this.  God by His Spirit will cleanse the nation (Isa. 4:4; see Zech. 12:10–13:1), revive the fruitfulness of the land, and live with them as He did before (Isa. 4:5–6; Ex. 13:21–22).  The glory of God will be evident in Jerusalem (Mount Zion) providing blessing, security, and peace. Again all of this will be accomplished through the Spirit’s purging fire!  God will produce a holy city to be the capital of the world when Christ reigns. Surely this demonstrates a persistent unrelenting pursuit on the behalf of Jehovah to purify and render his people holy.

The brilliant adaptation in Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (Henry 2000) affords insight into the spiritual implications of this Isaiah passage to the current Christian experience. Note what he said.

By the judgment of God's providence, sinners were destroyed and consumed; but by the Spirit of grace they are reformed and converted. The Spirit herein acts as a Spirit of judgment, enlightening the mind, convincing the conscience; also as a Spirit of burning, quickening and strengthening the affections, and making men zealously affected in a good work. An ardent love to Christ and souls, and zeal against sin, will carry men on with resolution in endeavours to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. Every affliction serves believers as a furnace, to purify them from dross; and the convincing, enlightening, and powerful influences of the Holy Spirit, gradually root out their lusts, and render them holy as He is holy. God will protect his church, and all that belong to it. Gospel truths and ordinances are the glory of the church. Grace in the soul is the glory of it; and those that have it are kept by the power of God. But only those who are weary will seek rest; only those who are convinced that a storm is approaching, will look for shelter. Affected with a deep sense of the Divine displeasure, to which we are exposed by sin, let us at once have recourse to Jesus Christ, and thankfully accept the refuge he affords.

Having recognized the primary interpretation of this passage, and some spiritual implications to modern saints, more specific applications for Christians can now be made. 

First and fundamentally, the spiritual realities of the kingdom age have already begun in the children of God, though not in their entirety (Rom. 8:18-29).  Christians have a foretaste of the glory to come and are spiritual previews, though imperfect, of the reconciliation, righteousness, peace, and fellowship with God that will characterize the kingdom age comprehensively. It is the Spirit of adoption living in the sons of God today who provides the anticipation of worldwide glory for all creation (Rom. 8:14-17).  To draw spiritual implications from this passage in Isaiah is not farfetched at all.  No, not by any stretch of the imagination could it be considered a misapplication.

Secondly, the Spirit of judgment and burning will execute cleansing by convictions, punishments, chastisements, and disciplines.  Today the Spirit of God still judges and condemns sinful behavior and will proceed to chasten wayward believers motivating them to live purer lives.  This is often referred to as conviction by God. Thirdly after such conviction, chastening, and cleansing the glory of the Lord, the character of Christ, will be made evident. This is the Spirit of Grace manifesting Christ in God’s people. Christians can currently enjoy the presence of the Spirit, the production of Christlike fruit, and the blessed peace of the Lord. 

This application is not at all an effort to spiritualize the millennial kingdom predictions or relegate them as unworthy of anticipating.  Not at all, this is simply an application and comparison of these future blessings to the spiritual blessings of Christians today.  Also applying this passage to the Christian experience William Evans (1974, p. 113) in his book The Great Doctrines of the Bible made this observation,

This cleansing is done by the blast of the Spirit’s burning. Here is the searching, illuminating, refining, dross-consuming character of the Spirit. He burns up the dross in our lives….

The “Spirit of Burning” searches the heart, illuminates that which is contrary to Christ, consumes the residual dross in the character, and refines believers for deeper fellowship and service of greater impact and magnitude.  The blessed Holy Spirit actually purifies the Christian’s soul.  Like fire He penetrates the self-assured veneer, probes and pierces the conscious deeply, and He creates aspirations to be right with the Lord and clean.

Often in Scripture fire relates to the process of purification and refinement.  For instance Isaiah 1:25, says “And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin”.  Likewise God endeavors to purge Christians’ attitudes, aspirations, and actions like precious metals to remove impurities and refine them for greater usages—these are chastening and judgment acts of God upon His people (Heb. 12).  Fire is a symbol by which the Holy Spirit’s work in believers’ hearts can be understood.  Taken together the result is spiritually purified hearts by the searching flames of the Spirit of Burning.

The Spirit also purifies the believer by freeing him from the dominance, slavery, and mastery of the carnal fleshly human nature.  Upon the new birth He creates this power and potential in each saint.  But it is through yielding to the Spirit that cleansing can be experienced. Paul conveys this in Galatians 5:16, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Note also Galatians 5:25. Through a faithful “walk in the Spirit” believers realize the blessings of freedom from sinful practices even when sin seems unmovable and extremely stubborn!  Additionally, the Spirit, like fire, will illuminate the faintest sins hiding in the deepest recesses of the soul and purge it so significantly that it no longer tortures believers through their motivations and desires. Then the Spirit of God affords the people of God the power to refuse and deny those base desires satisfaction, expression, and ventilation. This is victorious freedom as one continually walks in the Holy Spirit’s sin-purging fire! This is the purifying role of the Holy Spirit—The Spirit of Burning. Note the following comment from the Bible Knowledge Commentary (Walvoord & Zuck 1985),

The Promise of Victory Over Sin (Gal. 5:16-18). The answer to the abuses described in the previous verse is to live by the Spirit. The phrase literally means to, “keep on walking.” As a believer walks through life he should depend on the indwelling Holy Spirit for guidance and power. But the Spirit does not operate automatically in a believer’s heart. He waits to be depended on. When a Christian does yield to the Spirit’s control, the promise is that he will not in any wise gratify, “complete, fulfill” in outward action) the desires of the sinful nature. Thus, while no believer will ever be entirely free in this life from the evil desires that stem from his fallen human nature, he need not capitulate to them, but may experience victory by the Spirit’s help.

The Spirit of the Lord will ‘burn’—convicting of sin and creating a passionate desire for holiness—to purify the hearts and practices of believers (John 16:8–11).  He will not allow anything to coexist with Him in His temple that is not holy, pure, and righteous.  For that reason, the Holy Spirit convicts believers continually when they sin. They may refuse to yield to His convictions for such a long period that it seems His voice has been reduced to a whisper.  Still He will seek to persuade them of their sin until they face it, confess it, judge it, repent of it, are forgiven for it, and are cleansed of it (1Jn. 1:7-2:2). Our sinfulness is revolting to the Holy Father, and the Spirit of Burning will not allow it to stand unchallenged.

The Lord Jesus identified the heart of man as the center of his spiritual problems.  He taught that corruption, impurity and filth come from the inner motives of the fallen mind and heart (Mark 7:20–23).  No doubt the Holy Spirit targets the heart of the believer with a yearning to cleanse it of all base desires and carnal motives.  The fact is the heart of the matter is the heart!  The Spirit not only wants believers to behave correctly, but He longs for them to also have correct beliefs, values, motivations, and godly desires. The Lord Jesus taught that genuine purification is possible by following Him and giving heed to His message (John 15:3; Ps. 119:9-11).  This is the same as walking in the Spirit (Eph. 5:18-21; Col. 3:16-17).

In light of this each believer should be sensitive to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit in his life.  Christians should respond to Him with a contrite and humble heart. David the Psalmist said that, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Ps. 51:17).  When the Spirit of God identifies something in the Christian’s heart that does not resemble Christ, they must submissively humble themselves before Him recognizing the gravity of their offense to a holy, righteous, and good God.  Remember all sins, big and small, are a vicious assault on the Majesty and Authority of Jehovah God!  Every sin expresses treasonous rebellion and despises God and His Law (Lev. 16:21; 2Sam. 12:9-10).  The Spirit of the Lord presses the enormity of their sin upon their conscious and encourages them to make things right with the Lord immediately.

Recall when King Josiah humbled himself before the Lord, God responded by saying,

But to the king of Judah…Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; ¹⁹ Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord” (2 Kings 22:18-19). 

Josiah’s reaction to this confrontation with his sin and that of the nation is highly instructive for Christians today.  Many are far too tolerant and permissive regarding personal sin. Clearly this attitude is not from God. Believers can become rather insensitive and harden to what violently offends His Majesty. But when the Spirit convinces us of sins we must face, confess, and forsake them (1Cor. 6:9-11; 1Jn. 1:7-2:2; Tit. 2:14). Thank God there is cleansing and purification through the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1John 1:7-9). Only then can we be forgiven of it and restored to the fellowship necessary for the Lord to use us as He desires.

What Is Regeneration?

Titus 3:3-7

Have you ever wondered what happened in your innermost precincts at the very instant of salvation? Perhaps you can recall attempting to explain what transpired in those precious moments when God spiritually rescued you. Did you have the words or verses to express yourself completely? The sense of release from guilt, the realization of thorough spiritual cleansing, and the newness-freshness of a new creation in Christ are all a part of the regeneration experience! That is correct; the Spirit regenerates trusting sinners. This transcendent phenomenon involves deep cleansing, an entirely new beginning, and receiving holy divine life. The good news is we can understand more about those mysterious moments, and treasure more entirely God’s work in our souls! Further, such knowledge should provoke us to love God devotedly because we have a richer…deeper grasp. Beyond this we can envision ourselves sharing our story with others more effectively leading to the wondrous regeneration of others. Yes, comprehending what transpired in the dawn of our salvation is the first step.

Again God’s glorious work in the heart of a repentant sinner is referred to as regeneration. A rather technical definition of regeneration is the Spirit deeply cleansing the trusting soul while supernaturally giving them a new beginning. The Holy Spirit instantly imparts divine life to the spiritually dead resulting in eternal life, becoming a son of God, and transformation.  Every aspect of this biblical teaching rests soundly on the initiatives and activities of God deep within. While diligent and good service to God cannot impart eternal life, the Spirit in mercy can instantly regenerate a believing sinner! In doing so He provides deep cleansing from sin, affords a new beginning, and imparts divine life. Consider how the Apostle Paul taught this in Titus three.

       I.            Regeneration is Based on God’s Mercy (Titus 3:3-5).  “according to His mercy” (v.5). It is not rooted in family pedigree, being a good person, being religious, or our honorable intentions (John 1:12:13; Matt. 7:21-23).

A.     Consider Our Sinfulness (v. 3). 

1.      Our Misconduct. Verse 3 describes our lives before salvation; "we were quarreling neighbors, warring fellow employees, cut-throat business competitors, and feuding families" (MacDonald)! But this dismal picture of our depravity is interrupted by one of the great buts of Scripture (Tit. 3:4).

                                                                                 i.            How thankful we can be for these nick-of-time conjunctions that signal God’s marvelous intervention to save man from destroying himself!

                                                                               ii.            Someone has called them God’s roadblocks on man’s way to hell.

                                                                              iii.            Regeneration is not a reformation!

2.      God’s Motivations. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared ...

                                                                                 i.            This occurred when the Lord Jesus appeared to the world over nineteen hundred years ago. In another sense, God’s goodness and loving kindness appeared to us when we were saved. It was to manifest these attributes that He sent His beloved Son to die for a world of rebellious sinners (MacDonald).

                                                                               ii.            God in His grace saves us who believe, not because of any righteousness in us (see Rom. 3:21-24; Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Tim. 1:9), but purely because of His mercy.

a.       The three words, “kindness,” “love,” and “mercy” (Titus 3:4-5) all represent aspects of God’s gracious motives.

b.      The word used for love ... toward man (3:4) is the Greek word from which philanthropy comes; it combines the thoughts of love, graciousness, and compassion.

c.       The title God our Savior refers to God the Father—our Savior in the sense that He sent His Son into the world as our Sacrifice for sin. The Lord Jesus is also called God our Savior (2:13) because He paid the necessary penalty in order that we might be pardoned and forgiven (MacDonald).

B.     Consider Our Salvation (v. 5).  “Saved” means to keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger and destruction. He saved us (Tit. 3:5) from "the guilt and penalty of all our sins—past, present, and future. They were all future when the Savior died; His death covered them all" (MacDonald).

1.      But one of the simplest, clearest truths of the gospel is the most difficult to receive.

                                                                                 i.            It is that salvation is not based on good works; one does not become a Christian by a faultless lifestyle. It is not good people who go to heaven.

                                                                               ii.            The consistent testimony of Scripture is that man cannot earn or merit salvation (Eph. 2:9; Rom. 3:20; 4:4, 5; 9:16; 11:6; Gal. 2:16; 3:11).

                                                                              iii.            Again regeneration is NOT reformation. Regeneration is not a natural forward step in man’s development; it is a supernatural act of God. This is the danger in psychology; the tendency to make regeneration a natural incident, an advanced step in the development of a human life, instead of regarding it as a desperate predicament from which God must rescue us. Such a psychological perception denies man’s sin, our need for Christ, the necessity of Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary, and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit .

2.      We cannot save ourselves by good works; all our righteous deeds are like polluted rags in the sight of God (Isa. 64:6). God saves sinners by His grace!

3.      Good works do not earn salvation; they are the result of salvation. Wherever there is true salvation there will also be good works. So we read that God did not save us because of works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy.

4.      Salvation is a work of mercy—not justice. Justice demands that the deserved punishment be administered; mercy provides a righteous way by which the punishment is averted (MacDonald).

    II.            Regeneration is a Deep Spiritual Cleansing (Tit. 3:5).  It is a thorough and profound cleansing that removes our blood-guiltiness before an offended and holy God.

A.     Regeneration: God saved us by the washing of regeneration. Conversion is really a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), and here that new creation is presented under the figure of a bath (MacDonald).

1.      This is Not a Reference to Baptism. In New Testament times, people were baptized after they were saved, and not in order to be saved (see Acts 10:43–48). The washing of regeneration is not a bodily cleansing by water, but a moral cleansing by the Spirit and Word (John 15:3). Baptism depicts burial with Christ into death (Rom. 6:4).

2.       This is a Reference to a Bath. “Washing” means, “to bathe all over, or to perform a complete cleansing” (Wiersbe).  It characterizes regeneration as purification from the guilt of our filthy sinfulness. Clearly, the essence of regenerative activity is cleansing and purifying (see Ezek. 36:25–27). When a sinner trusts Christ, he is cleansed from all his sins, and he is made “a new person” through the purging work of the Holy Spirit. The guilt of the old life is washed away and new life is introduced into the believing sinner.

3.       This is a Reference to the First Bath. Our Lord uses the word in John 13:10 in this identical signification, “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” The first “washed” refers to the cleansing of the sinner in the glorious Fountain filled with Blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins. We are purged of blood-guilt for sin! The second “wash” refers to the need for the daily cleansing of the saint in his walk. The Lord Jesus taught the disciples that there is only one bath of regeneration but many necessary cleansings from daily defilement (John 13:10).

B.     Renewing: Our new life in Christ is spoken of as a renewing of the Holy Ghost.

1.      The Spirit of God sanctifies and brings about a marvelous transformation (Ezek. 11:19-20; 36:26-29).  Renewing supernaturally follows regeneration!

2.      This is not putting new clothes on the old man, but putting a new man in the clothes! 

C.     Regenerator: The Holy Ghost is the Regenerator.

1.      The Father Gives. God shed [poured out] the Holy Spirit on us abundantly (Tit. 3:6). Every believer is indwelt by the Spirit from the moment he is born again.

2.      The Son Conveys. The Spirit is given through Jesus Christ our Savior. Just as the abundance of Pharaoh’s court was mediated to Jacob’s sons through Joseph, so the blessings of God, including the inexpressible blessing of His Spirit, are mediated to us through the Lord Jesus. Jesus is our “Joseph.” (MacDonald)

3.      The Spirit Regenerates! The Spirit (v. 5) is sufficient to bring about our regeneration and the glorious renewal—a life restored to God’s original intent.

 III.            Regeneration is a New Beginning (Tit. 3:5; Jn. 3:3-7).  It is a new beginning for the fallen, the failure, and the life burdened with regrets, scares, haunting memories, and shame.

A.     The Bible Teaches Regeneration is a New Beginning. The word “regeneration” is used only twice in the Bible:

1.      Matt. 19:28, where it refers to Israel and the millennial kingdom of Christ.

                                                                                 i.            This “regeneration” is “a recovery, a restoration, a revival.” The Lord Jesus promised there would be a “rebirth” or renewal of all things including Israel. The new birth of Israel and the world is to be fulfilled when Jesus sits on his throne of glory in His millennial kingdom. The world will literally blossom with new life!

                                                                               ii.            Though Israel has rejected Christ’s offer of the kingdom, the kingdom will still come, with its extensive remaking of all things whether spiritual (Isa. 2:3; 4:2-4; 11:9b), political (Isa. 2:4; 11:1-5, 10-11; 32:16-18), and geographical and physical (Isa. 2:2; 4:5-6; 11:6-9; 35:1-2). Christ will then sit on His glorious throne in the restoration of the earth (Dan. 7:13, 14; Matt. 25:31; Rev. 22:1). (Walvoord)

2.      Titus 3:5, where “regeneration” refers to the concept of spiritual rebirth—indicating a new impartation of divine life wrought by the Holy Spirit (see John 3:6; Rom. 8:16; Gal. 4:6). 

                                                                                 i.            The term regeneration literally means “being born again” and a new beginning by conveying God’s life to believing sinners.

                                                                               ii.            Regeneration reminds us of Genesis 1:26. It is not the old nature altered, reformed, or re—invigorated, but a new birth from above. This is the teaching of the Bible (John 3:3–7;5:21; Eph.2:1, 10; 2Cor.5:17).

B.     The Lord Jesus Taught Regeneration is a New Beginning. He spoke of the necessity of being born again in John 3:3–7.

1.      The word “again” (Jn. 3:3, 7) is anōthen, “the repetition of an act, the repeated act having the same source as the first act.”

                                                                                 i.            The Source of the repeated act of regeneration is the Holy Spirit (Jn. 3:5, 6, 8). Note the term “born of the Spirit.”

                                                                               ii.            The repeated act is the impartation of divine life to the believing sinner.

a.       The source of the first act is the Holy Spirit, and the act was that of giving divine life to Adam in his creation (Gen. 2:7).

b.      The first Adam lost that life for the human race in the Fall, and the Last Adam recovered it for believers through His atoning Cross.

2.      “Again” requires the repetition of the act by the same person.  It is not me painting my rendition of the Mona Lisa, but Leonardo Di Vinci painting it again (Lucado).  Likewise, with the new birth it requires the activity of God who gave natural life initially to give spiritual life subsequently.  Regeneration is not natural human generation by any means.  It is the Spirit, the Source of all life, dispensing divine life supernaturally to the repentant sinner who embraces Christ by faith.

C.     The Spirit Uses the Word to Initiate a New Beginning. The Word of God, closely associated with regeneration, is the Spirit’s instrument.

1.      Though no mention is made here of the role of faith in the process because Paul’s entire focus was on what God has done, not on human response.

2.      The Gospel provides the necessary revelation to give proper content to a man’s faith (Rom. 1:16; 1 Pe 1:23; Ja 1:18; Heb 4:12).

3.      We are “born of the Spirit” (John 3:5–6, where “water” refers to physical birth, which Nicodemus had mentioned earlier, John 3:4) and of the Word (1 Peter 1:23–25). “Which” in Titus 3:6 refers to the Holy Spirit who is given to us at conversion (Acts 2:38; Rom. 5:5; 8:9). (Weirsbe)

  IV.            Regeneration is Receiving Eternal Life Instantly (Jn. 3:15-16, 36).  It is “life” and a new nature imparted to people who are dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1) immediately upon their belief—no longer separated from God, but belonging to Him!

A.     Regeneration is Not a Process, but Instantaneous!

1.      The Source. God, through the Holy Spirit imparts eternal life to the believer in Christ.

2.      The Channel. Faith is the human responsibility and the channel through which God’s grace is received.  Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).

3.      The Essence. Regeneration is receiving cleansing and eternal life at the very instant we believe on Christ (Jn. 3:15-16, 36).

4.      The Results. Upon belief, we are instantly birthed into the Family of God—new sons of God!  The new birth is not a process! It is instantaneous.

B.     Spiritual Growth is a Process, and Not Instantaneous!

1.      Although the pre-conversion experience of conviction and consequences of regeneration—spiritual growth—involve processes in time.

2.      The act of regeneration itself is instantaneous. One is either unborn or born, and that great change happens in a moment of time. An individual may not know precisely the moment of his salvation, but in God’s sight he is either dead in sins or born into the family of God.

Conclusion:

Regeneration is the Holy Spirit causing us to be spiritually born again the moment we place our faith in Christ and His finished redemptive work.  In our salvation, the Spirit regenerates by deeply cleansing, and supernaturally imparting divine life to the trusting soul resulting in eternal life, sonship, and transformation.  Salvation is NOT a human production, but a divine work of grace when a sinner repents and believes in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:8-17). No matter how sincere or how hard a person tries to serve, engage in religious activities, or embraces Christian beliefs, ideals, or values, the result will NEVER be salvation. We cannot rescue ourselves from the eternal consequences of our sins; we need a Savior! The Lord Jesus Christ is that one and only Savior! When we place our faith in Him and His Gospel we are instantly born into the Family of God!

So now you know what happened to you at the very moment of salvation.  You can now explain what transpired in those precious moments of spiritual rescue in your own words and from these verses. Now treasure that experience more, and love God more completely because you understand it better. Go out and share your story with others more effectively because of this insight. Understanding what transpired in the dawn of your salvation is the first step. Now take the next step and tell someone else.