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The Time and Nature of

Regeneration
Regeneration, the supernatural act of God that imparts eternal life to a
human being, is the beginning of spiritual life in each individual
Christian. Just as a person is physically born into a human family, every
believer in Christ is spiritually born into the family of God. Without this
spiritual birth, a person remains spiritually dead (John 3:3-7).
Yet for such a basic and fundamental truth, regeneration is a doctrine
that has not been clearly articulated by theologians over the
centuries, often being confused with conversion or taken to include
justification, sanctification, and even glorification (Walvoord 129). It
seems helpful then to begin our discussion by differentiating between
these theological truths in order to focus clearly on the doctrine of
regeneration.
• Conversion is the human counterpart of regeneration, including
repentance (Greek: mataneo, “change of mind”) and trusting in
God’s plan of salvation, made available to us through Jesus
Christ, for reconciliation with God, the process of exercising
saving faith.
• Justification is a legal concept, as when a person is declared
not guilty in a court of law, and refers to a person being declared,
not simply “not guilty” but righteous before God, based on
trusting in the finished and accepted work of Jesus Christ as
payment in full for their sin (Romans 5:1, 8-10).
• Sanctification has two aspects: 1) in positional sanctification a
person is found to be holy because they are in Christ (Hebrews
10:10, 14) and 2) progressive sanctification involves the
outworking of their new standing in Christ in daily life as they
mature in faith (1st Peter 1:15, 16).
• Glorification is the sure end of justification (Plett 101); it is the
purpose of God for which He saves individuals, that His glory
would be revealed in them as it was in Christ (Romans 8:28-30).
Regeneration, the quickening of spiritual life within the heart of a
person dead in their sin, remains distinct from each of these
concepts, while being integral to and inseparable from salvation.

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Regeneration is the instantaneous work of God within the believing
heart to produce a new nature capable of communion with Him. This
one-time experience is the source of life in Christ and the basis for
service to Him and others (Walvoord 132).

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Scriptural Background
Palingenesias is the Greek word meaning “new birth, reproduction,
renewal, recreation.” As it is used in Titus 3:5 to express the work of
the Holy Spirit in saving believers, it encompasses all that is
represented by eternal life in a human being (Walvoord 128).
Scriptures present the concept of regeneration using three figures: new
birth, spiritual resurrection, and new creation. Jesus uses the term
born again or “born from above” to explain the necessity of
regeneration to Nicodemus in John 3:3-6. Jesus stresses that this is a
concept that Nicodemus should be familiar with from the Old
Testament scriptures. As men are born of human parentage, the child
of God is born of God (John 1:12, 13).
Spiritual resurrection as the basis for living lives that reveal the
reality of having been raised to life with Christ is a common theme in
Paul’s letters (Romans 6:13; Ephesians 2:4-6; Colossians 2:12). The
words of Jesus recorded in John 5:24, 25 proclaim the reality of spiritual
life out of death for those who hear His voice.
Another concept used frequently by Paul is that of being a new
creation (2nd Corinthians 5:17), being created in Christ Jesus
(Ephesians 2:10), and being “created to be like God in true
righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). New birth, spiritual
resurrection, new creation—all three suggest a radical,
transforming, fundamental change from that which existed
previously.

The Time of Regeneration


The overarching teaching of scripture presents regeneration as an
event that happens spontaneously and instantaneously at the
moment that saving faith exists within an individual (John 1:13, 3:6,
5:24, 6:47; 2nd Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5. The faith aspect of salvation
presupposes knowledge of the gospel message revealed in the
scriptures (Romans 10:9,10,17; 1st Corinthians 15:1-7; Hebrews 4:2; 1st
Peter 1:23), thus precluding the possibility of infant regeneration since
an infant does not have the mental faculties to comprehend the gospel
message, even at its most basic level.
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Regeneration is an event rather than a process, although multiple
factors and circumstances within the life of a person may lead to the
moment of regeneration (Ryrie 65). The Greek aorist verb tense is used
for events rather than processes; this is the tense used by Jesus in John
1:13; 3:3, 5, 7. In these verses, the writer conveys this thought clearly
as Jesus speaks of being born again. In addition, the perfect tense of
the Greek verb for being born again is used in 1st John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7;
5:1, 4, 18, signifying a single decisive initial act that includes lasting
results. Billy Graham describes this as a “once-for-all change” that
has continuing effects (55).
Regeneration is forever. It is the beginning of eternal life, which in its
most basic definition is life that will endure through endless years.
Scripture does not reveal anyone being regenerated a second time
(Walvoord 137).

The Nature of Regeneration


Regeneration is the act of God that imparts eternal life to the
believing sinner. This is the work of God within the believing heart,
accomplished by the Holy Spirit immediately indwelling the new
believer. Titus 3:5 clearly states that the Holy Spirit is the means of
regeneration. Regeneration cannot be accomplished by man because
of the devastation of sin (Ryrie 64). Eternal life is an attribute of God
that only He, as the source of life, has the authority and power to give
to another (Jesus in John 5:21). R. C. Sproul points out that it is “the
same Holy Spirit that quickened Jesus in His Resurrection” who brings
His power to bear on a person so that “he emerges from the grave of
spiritual death” (150).
Regeneration is non-experiential in that it is not derived from nor
based upon human experience. That is to say, there is a difference
between regeneration as an objective act of God and man’s awareness
of regeneration, which is a subjective response (Sproul 152);
regeneration is a “hidden transaction” that may not be experienced by
the one receiving it nor necessarily immediately visible to others
(Graham 55). As a supernatural work of God, there is “no visible
method or process” observable by our five senses (Walvoord 131).
This difficulty in pinpointing the exact moment of regeneration
experientially is often the case in those who have been raised in a

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Christian home, or who were converted as children. In addition, no two
people begin their Christian experience identically, so that man cannot
always discern who has been regenerated. Given the human inability
to perceive the actual occurrence of regeneration, “the issue from the
divine perspective is not when was a person converted, but rather is a
person converted?” (Sproul 152).
At the moment of regeneration, a new nature is placed within an
individual, a new nature with new power and new attitudes (Romans
8:5-9). Man is given God’s life and nature, God’s spiritual DNA, through
the presence of the Holy Spirit; he now has the possibility of being
controlled by God’s spirit because God’s spirit dwells within him (Ryrie
66). This new nature brings power for transformation, a longing for God
and His will, and the ability to serve God.
R. C. Sproul declares, “The core of a man’s existence is changed,”
(150) as God implants a new disposition, a new perspective, a new
sense of values, and a new quality of life (John 10:10).
Regeneration also produces a new experience in life. Along with a
new ability to understand the teaching of the Holy Spirit and a new
capacity to enjoy spiritual realities, the believer now experiences a
struggle with sin as it pulls at the newly regenerated nature within him.
This struggle may be so intense at times, and one’s experience of
defeat so disheartening, that it may cause believers to question their
salvation and the reality of being regenerated (Romans 7:7-25). At
these times, the Holy Spirit assures us that we are truly children of God
(Romans 8:15, 16). As believers mature spiritually they begin to
outwardly reflect the image of God and reveal the family-likeness
received from their heavenly Father (1st John 2:29, 4:7); the possibility
and power for this spiritual growth and maturity, this transformation
into Christlikeness, is an outward proof resulting from the inner reality
of regeneration.
Lastly, regeneration is the basis for the eternal security of the
believer. Having been born of God, having received His nature within
us through the presence of the Holy Spirit, and having been placed into
His family, the regenerated person is assured of her standing before
God (John 10:10, 28, 29).
Regeneration is not something that a person can achieve by
inheritance, attending confirmation class, joining a church, doing good
works, moral living, reforming one’s lifestyle, baptism, or even by

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imitating Christ. Regeneration is the exclusive work of God, who
imparts eternal life to those who believe in Christ. Paul’s confidence is
one that every believer can experience—“being confident of this, that
he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until
the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

Works Cited:
Walvoord & Zuck’s Bible Knowledge Commentary, “John.”
Billy Graham’s The Holy Spirit.
Les Plett’s Bible Doctrine Class Notes.
Charles Ryrie’s The Holy Spirit.
R.C. Sproul’s Basic Training: Plain Talk On The Key Truths Of The Faith.
Elmer Towns’ What The Faith Is All About.
John Walvoord’s The Holy Spirit

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