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In God’s full salvation, when we believe into Christ and thereby experience the forgiveness of sins and the cleansing away of sins, propitiation and reconciliation, and sanctification and justification, we immediately receive God’s regeneration. The six steps of experience spoken of previously belong to the redemptive aspect of God’s full salvation. Regeneration (the new birth) belongs to the life aspect of God’s full salvation, and it is the beginning of this aspect. It is therefore a most crucial matter pertaining to our enjoyment of God’s full salvation, having to do with our living and work in the present age after we believe into Christ and are saved, as well as with our destiny in the coming age and in eternity.
1) “I [the Lord Jesus] said to you [Nicodemus, who sought to do good], You must be born anew” (John 3:7).
Every man is willing and ready to do good, thinking that he needs simply good deeds and morality, never realizing that he needs to be born anew, to receive another life. Thus, the Lord Jesus told Nicodemus, who sought good works, “You must be born anew.” Nicodemus represents all those who desire to do good without knowing man’s need. Only God and the Lord Jesus know man’s need. This need is regeneration.
1) Jesus said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” (John 3:6).
Man needs to be regenerated because man is born of the flesh and is of the flesh. That which is born of the flesh and is of the flesh is flesh. The flesh is not and cannot be subject to the law of God, and it cannot please God (Rom. 8:7-8). The fleshly man is brought forth in iniquity (Psa. 51:5, ASV) and is out of sin. He is sold under sin (Rom. 7:14) and belongs to sin, and he is estranged from the life of God (Eph. 4:18) and has nothing to do with God. Whether it is good or bad in man’s eyes, that which the fleshly man has is merely a human life of the flesh, not the life of God. Therefore, man needs to be regenerated to obtain the life of God.
1) “Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a man is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God...unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:3, 5).
Man also needs to be regenerated in order to enter into the kingdom of God. Unless a man is regenerated, he cannot see the kingdom of God, nor can he enter into it. The kingdom of God is spiritual, and to see this spiritual kingdom of God is to enter into it. Regeneration is the unique entrance through which man enters into God’s kingdom. The kingdom of God is the realm of what God is, just as the plant kingdom is the realm of what plants are, and the animal kingdom is the realm of what animals are. Without plants there is no plant kingdom, and without animals there is no animal kingdom. What man is and what God is are basically different, being in two different realms and in two different kingdoms. In order to enter into the human kingdom, one must be born of man to have the human life; likewise, in order to enter into God’s kingdom, one must be born of God to have God’s life. Therefore, man must be born of God, that is, he must be regenerated that he may have God’s life and may enter into the kingdom of God.
1) “Nicodemus said to Him [the Lord Jesus], How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter the second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” (John 3:4).
The meaning of the words “born anew” is “born again”. Thus, Nicodemus thought that he needed to enter again into his mother’s womb to be born a second time. Although he understood correctly the literal meaning of “born anew,” he misunderstood the significance of the new birth. Although to be regenerated literally means to be born again, the significance of regeneration is not to enter into the mother’s womb and be born a second time.
1) “Who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13).
To be regenerated is not to be born of blood (the fleshly life of man), nor of the will of the flesh (the will of the fallen, fleshly man), nor of the will of man (the will of the God-created man), but of God, that man may obtain the spiritual life of God. Therefore, we who are regenerated have obtained the life of God in addition to the human life which we already possess.
1) “Unless a man is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
In the original language the word “anew” here is the same word as “from above” in John 3:31. Therefore, to be regenerated also means to be born from above. When we were born the first time, of our parents, we were born from the earth, from below, and the human life of the flesh which we obtained is from the earth and of the earth. When we are born the second time, of God, that is, when we are regenerated, we are born from above, from heaven, and the spiritual life of God which we receive is from heaven and of heaven. Hence, to be regenerated is to be born from above that man may have this heavenly life of God.
1) “Unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
The matter of being born of water and the Spirit spoken of by the Lord Jesus refers to regeneration through the water of the baptism preached by John the Baptist and through the Holy Spirit given by the Lord Jesus. The water of baptism indicates death and burial, symbolizing Christ’s death and burial for the termination of the repenting and believing ones. The Spirit, who is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of life and resurrection, causes the believing ones to participate in Christ’s resurrection in order that the terminated ones may experience the germination of a new life. By being baptized into this water and into this Spirit, those who believe into Christ are regenerated and are delivered from all the old things of men to enter into the kingdom of God, which is the realm of the divine life and the divine ruling. This enables them to live by God’s eternal life in God’s eternal kingdom.
1) “That which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).
Regeneration is also God’s Spirit begetting our spirit, that is, the Spirit of God regenerating our human spirit with God’s life. When we believe into Christ and are regenerated, the Spirit of God dispenses God’s life, God’s element, into our spirit, enlivening our spirit and making it a new spirit (Ezek. 36:26).
1) Through the resurrection of Christ — God the Father “has regenerated us...through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from among the dead” (1 Pet. 1:3).
The first means by which God regenerates us is the resurrection of Christ. When Christ was resurrected, we who believe into Him were all included in Him and were raised up together with Him (Eph. 2:6). His resurrection dispenses God’s life into us and enlivens us with God’s life, that we may have the life of God and be joined to God organically. Hence, God regenerates us through Christ’s resurrection.
2) Through the work of the Holy Spirit — “And having come, He [the Holy Spirit] will convict the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment” (John 16:8); “...born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).
The second means by which God regenerates us is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit first convicts us concerning sin, concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment, causing us to repent and to believe. After we repent and believe, He brings God’s life into our spirit that we may obtain God’s life and may be regenerated.
3) Through the word of God — “Having been regenerated, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the living and abiding word of God” (1 Pet. 1:23).
The third means by which God regenerates us is His living word, which is the word of God in the Bible. God’s word in the Bible contains His life. When we believe the gospel, we believe God’s word of life (John 5:24). Once we receive through faith God’s word of the gospel, this word sows the life of God as the seed of life into us (1 John 3:9). Thus, God regenerates us through His word of truth (James 1:18).
4) By man’s faith — “Those who believe into His name...were born...of God” (John 1:12-13).
The last means by which God regenerates us is our faith. The resurrection of Christ accomplished for us the fact of regeneration, the work of the Holy Spirit applies this fact to us, and the word of God coordinates with the Holy Spirit to put this fact before us. However, there is still the need for us to receive this fact by faith. Therefore, in order to be regenerated, we must believe into Christ according to God’s word.
1) Obtaining the eternal life of God — “Everyone who believes in Him [Christ] should...have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Eternal life is God’s own life, that is, God Himself as life. Both God’s nature and the functions within Him are in this life. When we are regenerated, we obtain God’s eternal life with all the elements and functions in this life.
2) Becoming the children of God — “To them He [Christ] gave authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name: who were born...of God” (John 1:12, 13).
Since regeneration causes us to obtain God’s life, it also makes us the children of God. God’s life is the authority for us to become God’s children.
3) Becoming the firstfruit of God’s new creation — “He [God] brought us forth...that we should be a certain firstfruit of His creatures” (James 1:18).
Regeneration also makes us the firstfruit of God’s new creation among God’s creatures, possessing His life that matures first for the fulfillment of His eternal purpose.
4) Having a living hope — “...regenerated us unto a living hope” (1 Pet. 1:3).
Since regeneration causes us to have God’s life, it gives us a living hope, including such things as the growth in life, the manifestation of gifts, the ability to function, transformation, and glorification. This is like the life of a newborn babe, which brings with it the hope that belongs to that life, including such matters as growth, maturity, a career, and marriage.
