Mister Richardson’s
Bible Doctrine Class

Chapter 20 - Regeneration

A. Regeneration is totally a work of God.
  1. Born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. - John 1:13.
  2. A new heart I will give you... - Ezekiel 36:26-27.
  3. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word... - James 1:17-18.
  4. Irresistible grace means that God effectively calls people and also gives them regeneration, and both actions guarantee that we will respond in saving faith.
B. The exact nature of Regeneration is a mystery to us.
  1. The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so is every one who is born of the Spirit. - John 3:8.
  2. If any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. - 2 Corinthians 5:17.
  3. Regeneration is instantaneous and happens only once.
  4. The change becomes evident over time:
    • Trusting in Christ for salvation.
    • Assurance of sins forgiven.
    • A desire to pray and read the Bible.
    • A desire to be obedient to God's commands.
C. Regeneration comes before saving faith.
  1. The Lord opened her heart... - Acts 16:14.
  2. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. - John 6:44.
  3. Even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive... - Eph 2:4-5.
  4. Regeneration is the initial, instantaneous work of God.
D. Genuine Regeneration must bring results in life.
  1. No one who is born of God will continue to sin... - 1 John 3:9.
  2. If you love me, keep my commandments. - John 14:15.
  3. Evidence of regeneration will be shown in character traits.

WESTMINSTER SHORTER CATECHISM
Q29: How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
A29: We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us by his Holy Spirit.

Q30: How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
A30: The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Does a person play any active role in regeneration? Explain.
2. What is the relationship between regeneration and saving faith?
3. Can a person be regenerated and show no evidence in his life? Support your answer from Scripture.

PERSONAL APPLICATION QESTIONS
1. Is there evidence of the new birth in your life?
2. If you are not sure whether you have been born again, what would Scripture encourage you to do?
3. Are you aware of spiritual growth in your life, or are you really attempting to grow in all areas of your life? Can there be true spiritual reality where there is no growth?

TERMS
Born again, born of the spirit, born of water, irresistible grace, regeneration.

LINKS
Regeneration: What Does it Mean to be Born Again? - Wayne Grudem
Regeneration Precedes Faith - R. C. Sproul
Monergism Links on Regeneration

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