What is regeneration?

19-1-2018

Regeneration- revival, putting life into something dead, being made new again,
                        having a second life. The opposite is degenerate.
John3:1-8 Jesus told Nicodemus: Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the spirit gives birth to spirit.

Regeneration is.....
1. the recreating of a spiritual life in a human heart by God's Holy Spirit.
     Romans 12:2 The world and The Word seem contrary.
                            God calls us to tithe but the world says this is wasting money.
                            God calls us to love our enemy but the world says revenge
                            is the way.
                            But by the renewing of the mind our thoughts can be transformed
                            to align with God's. Then our focus shifts from worldly things to
                            The Word of God.
                            As a result we begin to see and understand the spiritual things.
    Ephesians 4:23-24. Talks about putting off the old self and being renewed in the
                                    spirit of the mind
                                    So that we put on the new self which is created in righteousness
                                    and true holiness. This is God regenerating us.
    The spirit is connected to the mind - spiritual mind.
    (Don't miss out on Heaven by one foot)
     2 Peter 1:4 God allows us to be partakers of the divine nature and
                       we can escape the corruption in the world.
     Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness we have done, but according to His mercy
                     He saved us,
                     by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of The Holy Ghost; ....

Regeneration is...
2. necessary because all people by nature are sinful.
    Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
    Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:
                           who can know it?
    Romans 8:7-8 vs8 they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (Shows the desperate
                            need for regeneration in our lives)
    1  Corinthians 2:14 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.
                                    (Things of the spiritual world don't make sense to the people of
                                   the world)
    Ephesians 2:3. Shows the need for regeneration

Regeneration is....
3. something which comes to those who repent of sin, turn to God and put their faith
     in Jesus alone.
      Matthew 3:1-2 John The Baptist was preaching a message of repentance in
                              preparation for Jesus
       Repentance = sorry in action. Don't do it again.
       Jesus forgave people and told them to go and sin NO MORE.
       It's not a feeling only but a turning around to God.
       John 1:6-13 vs 12-13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to
                                          become the sons of God, even to them that believe
                                           on his name; which were born, not of
                                          blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.