Turn back with me over to Titus
chapter 3. Titus 3. This Word of God teaches us some
foundational truths about our state before God. some very foundational truths.
We find those in this Word of God. One of them is this. Every single soul on this earth
was ruined by the fall of Adam in the garden. That's one of
them. Another one is this. All of the
souls that God chose to have mercy on were redeemed by the
blood of Christ on the cross of Calvary. That's the second
one. Man was ruined by that fall,
but he was redeemed by that blood. Man, how grateful we are and
will be one day for that blood. Now this foundational truth is
the one that I want us to look at tonight. This one in particular.
Every soul that God the Father chose and
God the Son redeemed is regenerated by God the Spirit. Every single
one is regenerated by God the Spirit. I've titled this message
in the form of a question. Does God regenerate sinners? That's the title. Ruined by the
fall, redeemed by the blood, regenerated by the Spirit. Does
God regenerate sinners? Titus chapter 3, look at verse
5. It says, not by works of righteousness,
which we have done, But according to His mercy, He saved us. How? By the washing of regeneration
and renewing of the Holy Ghost. He saved us. Now we believe that,
don't we? We believe that it's not by works of righteousness
which we have done. It's not by our works, is it?
We believe that. The reason is because God said
it. Right? It's right there in the Word.
But He saved us according to His mercy. We believe that. And He did it by the washing
of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Now what is
regeneration? What does that word mean? We
have a Greek dictionary and it says that it means spiritual
rebirth. That's the definition. Spiritual
rebirth. Spiritual renovation. Restoration. That's what it means.
Okay? Spiritual rebirth. The World
Book Dictionary, just a regular old dictionary, says it means
to put new life into. New life. It means to replace
what is lost. And it means to cause a substance
to return to its original state or condition. I'm going to tell
you that last one one more time. To cause a substance to return
to its original state or condition. All right? God made man and God
said it's good, right? And then man died, fell, lost
it, right? Well, regeneration means to replace
what was lost. It means to cause a substance
to return to its original state or condition. You know what that
is? That's salvation. That's what that is. I want to
make that point really clear right off the bat. Regeneration
is the bringing back to what it once was. It's the rebirth. And that's salvation. That's
salvation. God gave man life in the garden,
but man died in the garden. And as long as I'm dead, I am
not saved. Right? I'm wanting to come from
death to life. As long as I'm dead, I am not
saved. So new life, rebirth, is salvation. And where is this life? It's
in Christ. It's in Christ. Man was ruined
by that fall. He incurred a debt of sin that
he couldn't pay. But he was redeemed by that blood. Redeemed means pay the price. That's what it means. We do that
at Wal-Mart. Put the groceries on there and
they say it's this much money and then you redeem the groceries.
You pay the price. And that price was paid by the
blood of Jesus Christ, redeemed. And a sinner who's redeemed is
then regenerated, given new life, reborn, reinstated by God's Holy
Spirit. Let's read this one more time.
It says, Not by works of righteousness, which we have done But according
to His mercy, He saved us by the washing of regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Ghost. Now I want to ask us two questions
about regeneration. Regeneration of God's Spirit.
Number one, is it necessary? Is it necessary for salvation? That's the first question. And
if it is, The second one is, how does it come? How does God
regenerate sinners? Alright, is it necessary? Go
with me to John chapter 3. John chapter 3. Look at verse
3. Jesus answered and said unto
him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be regenerated. The word means reborn. rebirthed, born again. Except a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God. He cannot see the kingdom of
God. 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? Jesus answered, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of
Regeneration. Do you have a margin in your
Bible by the Spirit? One of my two references is Titus
3 verse 5. That's where we just were. The
washing of regeneration. 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,
you must be regenerated." Born again, you must be. Could salvation
be complete without the blood of Jesus Christ paying all the
debt for sin? Could salvation be complete without
the blood of Christ? You know, well I'm going to quicken
you, but you still have the sin on your account. Is that salvation? Could salvation be complete without
God's Holy Spirit giving new life to a sinner? Well, I'm going
to pay your debt, but I'm not going to reinstate the life you
had. Your debt is paid, but I'm going to leave you dead. Is that a complete salvation?
No. This is absolutely necessary.
It is necessary. Go with me to Matthew 11. Verse 2 says, Now when John had
heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his
disciples and said unto him, Art thou he that should come,
or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto
them, Go and show John again those things which you do hear
and see. The blind receive their sight,
the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear. The dead are raised up and the
poor have the gospel preached to them. That's regeneration. That's what it is. The commandment
is come to Christ. Come to Christ. Not come to the
church. Not come to the place where the
gospel is preached. Just because a person comes to
church, that doesn't mean he's come to Christ. Right? Just because a person
comes to church, it does not mean the person has come to Christ. Just because they've walked in
the door and sat down and listened to the preacher, it does not
mean they've come to Christ. The commandment is, come to Christ,
but we can't. That's the commandment, but we
can't. We have to be made able to come. Right? He said, all
that the Father giveth me shall come. We have to be made able
to come. The commandment is, come to Christ,
but we won't. We have to be made willing to
come. The commandment is, love the
Lord thy God and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But we can't.
We just can't. We're all born with a heart of
stone. Isn't that what the word says?
A heart of stone. And we can't love and we cannot
believe. We can walk into a church building,
but we cannot believe God. We cannot believe His word. The
commandment is, confess with thy mouth. But we can't. We're
dumb. Look and live. We can't. We're
blind. Right? So God, in mercy, sends
His Spirit. He sends His Spirit to His own,
and the Spirit of God gives eyes to see and ears to hear. and a tongue to confess, and
legs to walk, and a will to come, and a heart to believe, and love. God's Spirit brings life. It brings life. We're all born
dead, dead in our trespasses and sins, but God's Spirit brings
life and is vital. It's absolutely vital. It's necessary.
Now here's our second question. How does this regeneration come? How does the Spirit bring it? How does the Spirit deliver it? How does the Spirit quicken? How does that happen? This ability
to believe, this ability to come, this renewed life, this rebirth,
faith, how does it come? Go with me
over to Mark 16. Mark 16 verse 15 says, And He
said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel
to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved. But he that believeth not, what? That gospel that's preached.
shall be damned. He did not say, he that believes
and is baptized, you go preach the gospel to him. He said, you
go out and preach the gospel. You declare this word. He that
hears it, believes it, confesses it, is going to be saved. But
he that will not hear it, will not believe it, will not confess
it, is going to be damned. That's pretty clear, isn't it?
That's pretty clear. Go to Luke 8. Verse 11. Now this is God speaking,
this is Christ speaking. Luke 8, verse 11. Now the parable
is this. The seed is the Word of God. Okay, the parable of the sower,
right? And the seed is the Word of God. Those by the wayside, are they
that hear the Word of God? Then cometh the devil, and taketh
away the Word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and
be saved." The Word goes forth and if they would believe the
Word, they would be saved. Is that not what our Lord just
said? Is that not what He just said? This salvation, this renewed
life comes by this Word. By this Word. Go to John 5 with me. John 5 verse 33 says, and this is our Lord speaking, He
said, You sent unto John and he bear witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from
man, but these things I say, that you might be saved. God
himself said, I'm giving you my words, I'm saying these things,
and I'm giving you my words, so that you might be saved. It
comes through my word. It comes through my word. Go
over to Acts 11. And I'll just tell you, we're
going to go through a few more scriptures here, okay? We're
going to see what the word has to say about this. Acts 11. Verse
13. And he showed us how he had seen
an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send
men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter, who shall
tell thee words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. You go get Peter, Peter's going
to come to your house and he's going to say some words. Peter
always preached the Word. And he said, when you hear those
words, that's going to be the means that saves you and your
house. You're going to hear the Word
of God preached. Go to Romans 1. Romans 1 verse 15 says, So as much as in me is, I am
ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. I'm
ready to preach the gospel. For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation. to everyone that believeth, to
the Jew first, and also to the Greek. How are men saved? How are men born again, regenerated? Through the preaching of the
gospel of Christ. Now go to Romans 10. Romans 10 verse 13, For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved. Salvation is there and
the thing before that is calling on the Lord. Whoever calls is
going to be saved. Verse 14 says, How then shall
they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are you
going to call on somebody you don't even know exists? And how shall they believe in
Him of whom they have not heard? How are you going to believe
if nobody tells you who they are? And how shall they hear
without a preacher? Verse 17 says, so then faith,
this ability to believe, this work of God's Spirit that comes
and quickens and does something, it's called faith, cometh by
hearing and hearing by the Word of God. It comes by hearing the
Word of God declared. Now go with me to 1 Corinthians
1. 1 Corinthians 1 verse 21 says,
For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew
not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save
them that believe. That's what it pleased God to
do. Save them by the foolishness of preaching. Well, you know
what they're saying down there at Kingsport Sovereign Grace?
Everybody know what they're saying? They're saying that you have
to hear the gospel preached to be regenerated. You have to
hear the gospel preached, the Word of God preached to be regenerated,
to be saved. That's what they're saying down
there. We're not saying that. God is. God is. I'm just reading what God said.
I have on purpose filled this plum full of scripture. Go to
1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 1. Moreover,
brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto
you, which also you have received and wherein you stand, by which
also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto
you. Unless you have believed in Bane. God has ordered means. He has ordered means of salvation. A way in which His people are
saved. And I didn't make it up. I didn't
make it up. I'm just declaring to you His
way. Go to Ephesians 1. I promise
we just have a few more and we'll be done. Ephesians 1. Verse 13. In whom you also trusted. And if you trust, then that's
the ability to do something. That's not dead. That's a quickening. That's a work in you. Okay? Verse 13. In whom you also
trusted, after that you heard the word of truth. heard it,
the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that you believed,
you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. Now this regeneration,
this belief, and this trust is a work, but it's not a work that
we get credit for. It is a work. It is a happening.
It is something that is done. I just didn't do it. Look at Ephesians 2 verse 8.
It says, For by grace are you saved through a means. Faith. This belief. And that not of yourself. It's
the gift of God. God does it. God sent His Spirit. And His Spirit did all the work,
but it is a work that's wrought in us. And God's Spirit produces results. If He does a work, it's going
to have a result. Go to 2 Thessalonians 2. 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 8. And then shall that wicked be
revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his
mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming,
even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all
power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish." They're going to perish. And here's why. Verse 10 goes
on to say, because they received not the love of the truth that
they might be saved. They received not the love of
God's word. His word alone. New birth and
light and life is given by God's Holy Spirit through the hearing
of the word of God. Look at verse 13 right here.
But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren,
beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation. You know what that's called?
Chosen from the beginning, chosen you to salvation. That's called
election. Election. From the beginning,
chosen you to salvation. Election is not salvation. That's important to know. Election is not salvation. Election is choosing a sinner
unto salvation. Let's say we're all in a boat.
We're all in a boat. And four people go over. One
there, there, there, and here. And they are drowning. swimming
for their life. We all have one life jacket and
we all quickly say, who do we give it to? For whatever reason,
that guy. So we lean over and say, hey
buddy, we chose you to receive the life jacket. He would say, great, throw me
the life jacket. Election is unto salvation. Election was before the foundation
of the world. That lamb was slain before the
foundation of the world. The purpose of God stood sure
from the foundation of the world. What was his purpose? That in
time the lamb would come and be slain, right? Salvation was secure and purposed
that in time his people would be saved. 2nd Timothy 3, verse 13 says, But evil men and seducers shall
wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But continue
thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured
of." Not just everything we've learned, the things we've been
assured of by the Word. Knowing of whom thou hast learned
them. And that from a child thou hast
known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. God saves
sinners. He gives life to sinners. He
regenerates sinners through the hearing of the gospel preached.
Don't let any man tell you that the hearing of the gospel is
not necessary. Don't let any man tell you that.
Don't let any man tell you that all the gospel can do for you
is make life go a little easier. It can just increase your comfort
level along the way. It can give you some rest along
the way. It's not vital. It helps, but
it's not vital. If a man tells you that, he is
lying to you. And the only reason I know that
is the Word of God. I haven't found that yet. And
how many scriptures have we read? And what do they say? Go with
me to the book of Jude. Jude 5 says, I will therefore
put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that
the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward
destroyed them that believed not. The work of God's Holy Spirit,
faith, is not a luxury. It's life. It's life. And that life is in Christ. And
a soul that's dead wants to talk about anything but Jesus Christ. But a soul that's alive just
wants Christ. That's all I want is Christ.
A soul that's alive has no problem with believing Christ because
I just want Christ. I believe Him. Help my unbelief,
Lord. Cause me to believe more. The
Apostle said increase our faith. A soul that's alive has no problem
with hearing God's Word. No problem. Lord, tell me more. Tell me more of the truth. It's
life to me. I'll die without it. I'll just
die without it. I'm going to close with this
one. 1 Thessalonians 2. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. 1 Thessalonians 2 verse 13 says,
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because
when you received the word of God, which you heard of us, you
received it not as the word of men, We have so many buildings
in this town. There are so many buildings across
this land. Why are there so many religions? Why? Why do so many people have a
different take on the Word of God? I'll tell you the answer. It's because they have a take
on the Word of God. It's not solely the Word of God. He said, when you heard this
Word of God, you received it not as the Word of men. This
is not the Word of men. But as it is in truth, the Word
of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. We were all ruined by that fall.
Thanks be to God we were redeemed by that blood. And thanks be
to God, we were regenerated by that spirit. All right, let's
stand together.