This morning our study will be
on regeneration. Turn if you would to 2nd Corinthians
chapter 5 and we'll read verses 11 to 19. Have you ever heard
people say when you ask them if they are saved they will say
yeah I fixed that up a long long time ago. Or they'll tell you,
oh yeah, I made a decision for Christ. Let's read our text today
in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 11 to 19, keeping in mind the
topic that we'll be looking at today, which is regeneration.
That means to be born again, and that only comes about by
the power of the Holy Spirit of God. So with that in mind,
let's read our text. Knowing therefore the terror
of the Lord, verse 11, we persuade men that we are made manifest
unto God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
For we commended not ourselves again unto you, but gave you
occasion to glory our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to
answer from them which glory in appearance and not in heart.
For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God, or whether we be
sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constraineth
us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're
all dead. And that he died for all, that
they which should live should not henceforth live unto themselves,
but unto him which died for them and rose again. Wherefore henceforth
know we no man after the flesh, yea, though we have known Christ
after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are
passed away, behold all things are become new. And all things
are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,
and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To wit, that
God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word
of reconciliation." Again, have you ever had someone tell you,
oh I fixed it up with Jesus a long, long time ago, or I made a decision
for Christ. Have you ever mentioned that
the fact that they prayed a prayer or made a decision for Christ
is not what saves them. And have you noticed that in
their profession of having done these things, that their decision
or the prayer that they prayed is paramount in their profession?
Beloved, They are trusting in a prayer they prayed or a decision
they made to save them. And have you ever noticed that
there's no mention of being born again when they proclaim that
they made this decision or prayed the prayer? There's no mention
of regeneration of the Holy Spirit of God. There's no mention of
the rebirth. Turn if you would to John chapter
3 and listen to our Lord considering what those in religion say. And
note in the words of our Lord that we're going to look at here,
that there's no mention of making a decision for Christ or praying
a prayer and being saved. And the reason there's no mention
of that is because this is a work of God the Holy Spirit. Now do
we flee to Christ? Absolutely. Absolutely. Do we
turn to Christ? Absolutely. There's no denying
that. But it's by the power of God
the Holy Spirit. It is not in us to do that in
our natural state. We must be born again. We must
be born again. We must be granted faith to believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise we're still dead in
trespasses and sins even if we prayed a prayer or walked an
aisle or made a so-called decision for Christ. If there's no Holy
Spirit regeneration, that has been done, there is no salvation. There is no salvation. So listen
to our Lord. Listen to his words, considering
what those in religion say. And note again, in the words
that we'll read, there's no mention of making a decision. There's
no mention of praying a prayer. Being saved is not a work that
man does. No. Holy Spirit regeneration
to be born again is a work by God, the Holy Spirit. that He
does in His people. We see very clearly that our
Lord brings that forth, brings this precious truth forth in
the words which he speaks in John chapter 3 to Nicodemus.
Now we know those who are truly born again will flee to Christ,
as I said earlier, because the scripture declares that thy people
shall be made willing in the day of thy power. But it's again
the Lord working in us. Our Lord's words bring forth
this truth when he proclaims you must be born again. Remember
these are the words of God incarnate in the flesh. These are the words
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now Nicodemus, who is a ruler
of the Jews, came to our Lord at night and said, Rabbi, We
know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can
do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Now John
chapter three, let's read verses three to eight. And listen to
the Lord's words here as he speaks to Nicodemus about regeneration,
about being born again. And note how vital it is, note
how vital it is. So again, and note that there's
no mention of praying a prayer, there's no mention of making
a decision, there's no mention of being baptized, there's no
mention of anything that man does. Again, we are but receivers
of the grace and mercy of our great God. John chapter three,
verses three to eight, listen to this. Jesus answered and said
unto him, verily, verily, he's speaking to Nicodemus again,
a teacher of Israel, verily, verily, I say unto thee, accept
the man, be born again, He cannot see the kingdom of God. Very
clear words, very clear words. Nicodemus saith unto him, how
can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second
time into his mother's womb and be born? So he's thinking of
natural birth and our Lord is speaking about spiritual birth.
Listen to what our Lord says again and note what's missing.
What's missing is there's no mention of praying a prayer.
There's no mention of making a decision. There's no mention
that baptism saves like some false prophets proclaim. There's
nothing of that. There's no mention of speaking
in tongues. Listen to these words of our
Master in John chapter 3 verses 5 to 8. Jesus answered, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which
is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee,
Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth,
and thou hearest the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it cometh,
and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born
of the Spirit. Notice that? He says, you must
be born again. And then he says here that those
who are born again are born again of the spirit, not of the flesh,
because he says here in John chapter three, verse six, that
which is born of the flesh is flesh. And then he says, and
that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Then he says, marvel
not that I said unto thee, you must be born again. The wind
bloweth where it lisses, and thou hearest the sound thereof,
but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth.
So is everyone that is born of the Spirit. So notice what is
not in the text in John chapter three. Our Lord does not tell
Nicodemus, well, I can't save you unless you let me. He doesn't
say that at all, does he? Or unless you make a decision
for me. I can't save you unless you make a decision for me. There's
nothing like that in the text. Our Lord does not tell Nicodemus,
in order to enter into heaven, You have to pray a prayer, it's
not there. You have to pray a prayer and
then you're saved, then you're ready for heaven. It doesn't
say that at all. Our Lord does not tell Nicodemus
to do anything. He explains to him that you must
be born again and that it's a work of the Holy Spirit of God. Oh
my. Our Lord brings the one thing
vital to Nicodemus right before him. The fact that one must be
born again to enter into heaven and the fact that this is a work
of God, the Holy Spirit. That is about fourth before Nicodemus. So clearly in our text. So clearly
in our text. Beloved, without regeneration,
no one will believe. No one will believe on Christ
without regeneration, without being born again by the Holy
Spirit of God. And this all comes about by the
power of God, the Holy Spirit. We are born again. And then we
are granted faith to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And
we are granted faith and repentance before God. Faith in Christ and
repentance before God. And Holy Spirit regeneration
now has been replaced by modern religion of our day with decisionism. By something you must do. The
Church of Christ, the false prophets of the Church of Christ say,
well, you must be baptized to be saved. That's a lie from the
pit of hell. Other religionists say, well,
you need to bow your head and repeat this prayer and now you're
saved. Where's the Holy Spirit in that? They're just repeating
some prayer that some man is repeating before them. Oh my,
they tell you, you must have to do this. You gotta go on the
Roman's road and agree with that. My, where's the Holy Spirit?
Where is the Holy Spirit regenerating power? Where is the Holy Spirit
who comes in power when the Word of God is preached? Have you
ever thought of this? They tell you that there's something
you must do to be saved or God will damn your eternal soul.
I tell you this, if you are not born again by the Holy Spirit
of God and granted faith to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you
will go straight to hell when you die. Whether you've made
a religious profession or whether you've attended church for 50
years or however many years, if you do not trust Christ by
the power of the Holy Spirit of God and being born again,
my oh my, you go straight to hell like a bullet being fired
out of a gun. Now let's go back to our verses
in 2 Corinthians. And we see clearly that the believer
is reconciled with God in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.
He's the one you have to trust in. You don't trust in the prayer
you prayed. You don't trust in the decision
you made. You don't trust in your baptism. No, the believer
in Christ, we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ in him alone. And
we trust in him by God-given faith, by the power of the Holy
Spirit of God, who's regenerated us. We are born again by God
Almighty, by His power. And that's a demonstration of
the power of God in the believer's life. And we see here in 2 Corinthians
that the believer in Christ is a new creature in Christ. And
we see the great truths of how Christ is divine and we are the
branches and how we who are His people are hid in Christ, which
we looked at last week in our message. And all this because
Verse 17 brings forth because we're in Christ. And then we're
seeing verse 18, it brings forth that God has reconciled those
who are new creatures, which means we're regenerated, born
again by the power of God, the Holy Spirit in Christ. Not by
some decision, not by a prayer that they prayed, not by any
act that they can do. No, salvation is in and through
the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone. And this is who the believer
in Christ rests in. We rest in the Lord Jesus Christ. We trust our eternal soul to
Him and Him alone. Let's read again, 2 Corinthians
5, verses 17 and 18. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature. There's the key, in Christ, right
there. All things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. And all things are of God, who
hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given
to us the ministry of reconciliation." So God's preachers, they have
the ministry of reconciliation. They've been given the ministry
of reconciliation. And note how clearly these verses
bring forth that the new birth is a work of God and God alone. Let's look at verse 17 closer.
Paul again, remember, whenever we read the scriptures, the author
is writing the scriptures by inspiration of the Holy Spirit
of God. I know I say that time and time
again, but we need to be reminded of that. These are not Paul's
words, although he's penned them. They are inspired by the Holy
Spirit of God. Now, Paul heartfeltly writes
these words, but all because of the Holy Spirit of God inspires
him to write these words. And again, he's writing to born-again,
blood-washed believers. He pens these words, again, inspired
by the Holy Spirit of God. And in verse 17, he says, therefore,
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are
passed away. Behold, all things are become
new. Now, note, Paul here again brings
forth by inspiration, that if any person is in Christ, not
in religion, not in a church, not trying to establish their
own righteousness by moral reformation or man's works, know the Holy
Spirit of God brings forth that which is most important for we
who are the people of God, that we are in Christ. If you are,
then you will be a new creature. If you are in Christ, you will
be a new creature. all by the power of the Holy
Spirit of God, and you will have faith in Christ by the new birth,
which has been wrought in our soul by the Holy Spirit of God. So marvel at this, in Christ,
we are in Christ through the electing love of God the Father. Isn't that wonderful? We are
in Christ by redeeming grace and through a living union with
the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man. This is wonderful. We are in
Christ by a new creation. We're born again by the Holy
Spirit of God. This is not a work of man, but
this is a work of God, the Holy Spirit in him alone. He is the
one who has performed this work, just as Christ is the one who
has performed the work of salvation. It's all of God, beloved. It's
all of God. Colossians chapter three, verses
10 and 11 says about believers and have put on the new man. We're born again. which is renewed
in the knowledge after the image of him that created him, where
there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision,
barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in
all. So when we're born again by the
Holy Spirit of God, we have put on the new man, which the Holy
Spirit has brought in us, and it's renewed in the knowledge
after the image of him that created him. And listen to this, there's
neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian,
Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all. He's
in each believer, isn't he? Oh yes, he is. Oh yes, he is. And also, we are free in Christ,
free in Christ, and He is everything to us, everything to us. Oh my, Christ in us, the hope
of glory, beloved. And note, note it says that all
things are passed away in our text. Old things, the old life,
the old legal righteousness that we were trying to establish by
our so-called good works. is seen for what it is, nothing
but filthy rags in the eyes of the Lord. Old companions and
acquaintances are gone. And now the believer, the one
who is born again by the Holy Spirit of God, desires to be
with the people of God. Old desires for riches and honor
and standing among men are replaced with a heart to serve the Lord
and glorify God in our lives. Old foolish thoughts about who
God is, are replaced by a God-given understanding of who God really
is. Always remember that the greatest
theologian or preacher who has ever lived only knows what God
has revealed to them. Even all their knowledge of God,
the knowledge of the greatest theologian that ever lived, and
the knowledge of the greatest preacher that ever lived, even
their knowledge of God is but scratching the surface. Just
like putting a little scratch in a piece of tinfoil, or just
a little scratch. Brother Norm Wells says, it's
like getting a little dirt in our nails. This is why we have
those aha moments when we're reading the scriptures. We may
have read that passage a hundred times, and then we're reading
it, and the Lord is pleased to reveal the truth that's in that
verse. Oh, it's wonderful. And oh, how our thoughts about
God, his son, his word, his gospel has changed since we're born
again by the Holy Spirit of God. The new man thinks and acts.
from new principles, new rules, new goals, and objectives. They are in new fellowship, and
truly this is a work of God. They are in new fellowship with
God and with God's people, and truly this is a work of our great
God. In Him alone, it's a miracle
of grace, beloved. Truly it is. The born-again,
blood-washed believer now has a new commandment of love, a
new name, a new song in his mouth, even praise to God, a new and
living way, Christ. having been opened up to us by
His precious blood, and an inheritance in the heavens, which shall never
fade away. And this is a work of God and
God alone, beloved, in the new creation. Absolutely nothing
of the flesh is needed. Nothing. Nothing of the flesh
is needed in the new birth. Nothing. It's not used or continued. Our Lord said, behold, I make
all things new, all things new. Look at verse 18, where we see
the fact of the reconciliation of the believer in Christ being
bought forth. And again, we see in this verse
that it's a complete work of God. One cannot deny this truth. Regeneration and salvation is
a complete work of God without denying the God of the Bible.
Let's read verse 18, along with verses 19 to 21. And we see a
great foundation laid down here before us. which can help the
Christian pilgrim while journeying through this world. And that
foundation, of course, is Christ and Christ alone. And we will
see the fact that salvation is the work of God alone in its
planning, execution, and application. Let's read 2 Corinthians 5, verses
18 to 21. And all things are of God who
hath reconciled us to himself. God's reconciled us. God's reconciled
us to himself. How? By Jesus Christ. That's
the importance of being in Christ. And if you're born again by the
Holy Spirit of God, you're in Christ. Oh my. To wit that God
was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word
of reconciliation. Now then, We are ambassadors
for Christ as though God did besiege you by us. We pray you
in Christ's stead be reconciled to God for he hath made him to
be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him. Now we know that Paul was referring
to if any man be in Christ he's a new creature when he pens these
following words and all things are of God. Look at when verse
18 and all things are of God. Beloved this Complete change,
which is wrought in us, is certainly not of ourselves or anything
we do. It's of God, just like the text here says. And all things
are of God, clearly. And this is a work of God. And
this is brought so clearly forth in John chapter one, verses 13
and 14, which says, which were born, speaking of God's people,
which were born not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor
the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The glory is of the
only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. So rejoice,
you who are born again by the power of God the Holy Spirit.
You have a new name, a new heart, a new nature, new principles,
and a new family, which are all by the grace of God and by the
power of God. We also see the absolute sovereignty
of God is brought forth in verse 18. Before us, God, the Holy
Spirit, has these words penned by Paul, and all things are of
God. So we see here before us that
all things are of God, all things in creation we know, all things
in providence, all things in redemption, all things in the
world to come. He is the first cause of all
things. Now there may be second and third
causes and instruments used by God to accomplish His purpose
and we see that brought forth very clearly in Acts chapter
4. Turn if you would right there. Acts chapter 4 and we read verses
27 and 28 speaking of the crucifixion. It says this, For I have a truth
against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both
Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of
Israel, were gathered together. Well they were gathered together
against him. And then what does it say in the next verse, in
verse 28 of Acts chapter 4, For to do whatsoever thy hand and
thy counsel determined before to be done. Well we see the truth
then. of 2 Corinthians 5.18 at the
first start of that verse, where it says, and all things are of
God, we see that truth there in Acts 4.28. All those people
were against our great God and our Savior. Herod and Pontius
Pilate and the Gentiles and the people of Israel, they were gathered
together against him. But then verse 28, for to do
whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
Beloved, our great God, works his will in heaven and on earth,
he gives his grace to whomsoever he will. And if we have tasted
that the Lord is gracious, it is all according to his will
and his power. And note, the text also proclaims
that the reconciliation which we have with God through Christ
is all according to the power of our great God. It says in
that verse 18 of 2 Corinthians chapter 5, It says, he hath reconciled
us to himself by Christ Jesus. So we see there clearly, again,
that this text proclaims that the reconciliation that the believer
has with God through Christ is all according to God's great
power and his will and his purpose. We who were once enemies in our
minds and hearts by birth, by nature, by choice, are now made
friends and sons. Reconciliation indicates a quarrel
or a separation, and sin is responsible for that separation. Beloved,
our sins have separated us from God in our natural state, and
it is we who have violated the law of God and the justice of
God, which must be satisfied. God's justice demands to be satisfied,
and it must punish the guilty. The holiness of God will not
permit acceptance or fellowship of a sinner with himself. with
God. So marvel then, beloved, at the
love of God manifest to His people in Christ. He is not only willing
that we be reconciled to Himself, but He has appointed His Son,
the Lord Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, as the only mediator
of reconciliation. And He tells us in His Word,
for there is one God and one mediator between God and man.
the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for his people,
right? Did he not come to save his people
from their sins? And by the shedding of his precious
blood, by the giving of his life, we who are the people of God
are reconciled to God, all by God's determinate counsel. My
God and God alone set forth his only begotten son in his purpose
and decree to be our representative, to be our righteousness, to be
our sin offering and our atonement, and that by his obedience before
the law and by his suffering and death, the law might be honored,
justice satisfied and peace made between God and the elect. And
remember, the one who is doing this is the sinless, spotless
Lamb of God. And He's doing this for we who
are sinners from the top of our head to the bottom of our feet. It is Christ and Christ alone
who has reconciled us to God. And remember, God is the party
which has been offended, whose law we broke, whose justice required
and demanded satisfaction. And Christ willingly gives His
life for His people, a people given to Him by the Father from
before the foundation of the world. Note also that he hath
given to us the ministry of reconciliation in verse 18, which is the gospel. All the scriptures are written
by inspiration of God and they contain the word of reconciliation. They proclaim and show that peace
and eternal life are in Christ and Christ alone. And God sends
forth his ministers to preach the gospel of mercy and grace
in Christ. And this is the ministry of reconciliation. It's a God-given ministry. And
let's look at verse 17 in this wonderful portion again, 2 Corinthians
chapter 5. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he's a new creature. Again, speaking of regeneration. we looked at in the Gospel of
John, how our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, brought forth to
Nicodemus the necessity of the new birth in our text, in verse
17. And we see that the believer,
in verse 17 here, is a new creature in Christ. Now beloved, the old
creation in Genesis and the new creature in Christ have the same
author. Genesis chapter 1 verse 1, the
scriptures declare, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the
earth. Paul, speaking of the born-again
believer in Christ, brings forth by inspiration of the Holy Spirit
of God that we are his workmanship. created in Christ Jesus. The
first thing in the new creation, as well as the old, is light. Listen to Genesis chapter 1 verse
3. And God said, Let there be light,
and there was light. Listen to Genesis chapter 1 verse
2. It says, Before there was light, the earth was without
form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and
the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God
said, Let there be light, and there was light. And God saw
the light, that it was good. And God divided the light from
the darkness. Note there's a separation between
the light and darkness. So there's a distinction made
by God between the believer in Christ and the unbeliever. Contrast
the words in Genesis chapter 1 verse 3 where it says, And
God said, Let there be light, and there was light. with the
words Paul wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God when
he said that it's God who commanded the light to shine out of the
darkness that has shined in our hearts to give the knowledge
of the glory of God in Christ. This is the work of God. Just
like it was God who said, let there be light, it's the God,
the Holy Spirit, who we are regenerated by and by God's power alone. The first creation is out of
nothing, so is the new creation. Genesis chapter one, verses one
to four. In the beginning, God created
the heaven and the earth. He just spoke it into existence. And the earth was without form
and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the
spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said,
let there be light, and there was light. And God saw the light,
that it was good, and God divided the light from the darkness.
And then over in 1 Peter chapter two, Peter writing about the
people of God, in the times past you were not a people, but are
now the people of God. And Paul writing this, he said,
and you hath, he quickened who were dead. We were dead, we were
lifeless, and we are given life. The Spirit of God, the Word of
God, gave the world its being, even as we who are born again,
by the Spirit and the Word, given spiritual life by the Holy Spirit
of God. Moses wrote, The Spirit of God
moved upon the face of the waters, and God said, Let there be light,
and there was light. The same Word and power which
created the world now sustains and supports we who are the people
of God. It says this, Peter writes this,
but the heavens and the earth, which are now by the same word
are kept in store. Even so, we are kept by the power
of God through faith unto salvation. And who is that faith centered
in? Who is the object of that faith?
Christ and Christ alone. When the Lord God finished the
first creation, he surveyed it with satisfaction. Genesis 1.31
And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was
very good. Even so, when God looks upon
a saved sinner, he sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
Oh my! And what an incredible work of
grace has been wrought in the believer. by God, and all according
to His great power and His wondrous grace and mercy. May we who are
the people of God rejoice in this wonderful salvation that
we have in Christ, and may we be prayerful that God would use
the preaching of His glorious gospel of God's grace in Christ
and Christ alone to save His lost sheep. Oh, to God be the
glory, great things He hath done. Amen and Amen.