REGENERATION (Titus 3:3-7)

"he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5)

Anne Graham Lotz writes:

“My mother led me in prayer as I confessed my sin to God and told Him I was sorry. I thanked Jesus for dying for my sin and asked God to forgive me. I told Him I believed Jesus had risen from the dead, and I invited Him to come live in my heart. I don’t remember any dramatic sensation afterward, but I knew my sin had been forgiven and I had been born again.” (“Be Sure of Heaven”, http://www.annegrahamlotz.com/about-us/be-sure-heaven/)

In John, chapter five, Jesus tells the people: “You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5:39-40)

The Old Testament scriptures, from beginning to end, speak about Jesus the Christ, and point to his coming, yet the people of his day, especially the scholars…those who were well versed in the scriptures…did not accept him as the Messiah. Why? Even when the Messiah stood right in front of them speaking directly to them, doing all kinds of miraculous things, displaying great power and wisdom…why did they not acknowledge him as the Messiah of God?

Because they had no eyes with which to see the truth that was right in front of them.

Because they had no ears to hear the gospel that had been proclaimed to Abraham and all their ancestors in the scriptures and proclaimed also to them.

Because the Holy Spirit had not regenerated their hearts and minds and spirits.

The proclamation of the gospel is not enough, brothers and sisters. Hearing the gospel story proclaimed is not enough to bring someone to faith in Christ. We all know people who know about Jesus…who have heard the gospel story…and reject it…who do not believe and turn and follow Christ. If the Holy Spirit regenerates people through the proclamation of the gospel, why doesn’t everyone who hears the gospel come to faith in Christ?

This is where knowing the rest of the order of salvation comes in handy.

Why do some come to believe and others not? The short answer is election.

God chooses…God elects…to regenerate some, and not others, therefore some come to believe in Jesus and others don’t. The unregenerate cannot come to faith because they do not hear the gospel when it is proclaimed. They do not see the truth that is set before them. Those who are dead in sin cannot respond to the gospel message because they’re dead.

What’s the difference between an atheist who knows the gospel story, who has studied the Bible closely, and has rejected it as false, and the one who believes the truth of the gospel, turns to follow Jesus Christ, and offers her life as a living sacrifice to the glory of God?

What is the difference between a blind man and a man who once was blind?

What is the difference between a deaf woman and a woman who once was deaf?

The difference, brothers and sisters, is regeneration.

The difference is that those for whom the Holy Sprit regenerates blind eyes and missing ears can see and hear the truth about Jesus. Those who are left blind and deaf, though they memorize the whole Bible, will never be able to see and hear its truth…will never come to faith in Christ…because they are still dead in their sins. They have not been given new life by the Holy Spirit. They have not been born again.

God chooses us. We hear the gospel. The Spirit gives new life.