Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Nyberg. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
9.45 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services.
For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com.
Now here's our pastor, Todd Nybert. The Apostle Paul said in Titus
chapter three, verses five through seven, not by works of righteousness,
which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us by
the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost.
which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according
to the hope of eternal life. We read the word regeneration
in that passage of scripture that I just read. I've entitled this message regeneration. Somebody says, what's that word
mean? Rebirth, being born again. God is. and his isness is not determined
by what we believe about him. He is who he is, and he has manifested
who he is in this book we call the Bible. This book is inspired
by God, and God manifests in this book his isness, who he
is. Now, we all are born into this
world knowing intuitively that God is. That doesn't mean we
know him, but we know that he is because something could not
come from nothing. God is. He's the creator. The position of atheism is just
unreasonable, irrational. It's anti-intellectual. To think
that life could come from non-living matter, it doesn't even make
sense. God is. Somebody that's an atheist,
you've not always been an atheist. You might have Convince yourself
of that for whatever reason, but everybody is born knowing
God is and he rewards the righteous. God is righteous. He rewards
the righteous and punishes the wicked. And there is a heaven. And there is a place called hell. Heaven is where the righteous
are rewarded. It's the place where God is.
Is it in this universe? I actually don't think so. The
universe is in God. God's not in the universe. And
I think heaven is outside of the universe where God dwells,
where all of his people will be. And there is a place called
hell. I don't even like to think about
it or talk about it, but I know that there is a place called
hell where the wicked will be eternally punished. Now, how
can a man who is sinful be brought into this holy place called heaven? Well, the scripture I just read
gives two words that tells us how a sinful man can be brought
into heaven. And those words are regeneration
and justification. These are the two things that
a man must have to be brought into heaven. He must be justified.
He must stand before God without guilt. He must stand before God
as one who has never sinned. God is the judge of the earth
and he's not going to acquit and justify the wicked. For me
to stand before God and be in heaven enjoying his presence,
I'm gonna have to be without guilt. And I'm going to have
to be given a new nature in regeneration. Now, this is the work of Christ
for you, justification, the work of Christ in you, regeneration. I must have both to enter heaven. Now, in verse 3 of our text,
Paul said, for we ourselves Paul's talking about his own life before
conversion. Now, before he was saved, he
believed himself to be a very righteous man, before he was
saved. He said, touching the righteousness which is in the
law, I was blameless. That's how good he really felt
about his own life. But when God saved him, he found
out that he was not good the way he thought he was. But here
he describes himself after the Lord saved him. For we ourselves
also were sometimes, or aforetime, foolish, disobedient. deceived, serving, being a slave
of divers' lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful
and hating one another. That's where we were. That's
what we are by nature. But, oh, I'm thankful for the
buts in the scripture. But after that, the kindness
and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of
righteousness, which we have done, You see the person described
in verse 3 that Paul says he was before I was foolish, disobedient,
deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in mouths
and envy, hateful, deserving the hatred of God, hating one
another. A person like that couldn't be
saved by good works because he doesn't have any. He's a sinful
person. That's why they could not be
saved by good works. Not by works of righteousness.
which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us. That's how God saves, by His
mercy. Now God's mercy is sovereign
mercy. God's mercy is saving mercy. And if it's not sovereign, and
if it's not saving, it's not mercy at all. God's mercy is
sovereign mercy. He gives it to whom He will.
He doesn't offer His mercy. It's not up for you to accept
it or reject it. If He has mercy on you, you have
it. And it's saving. If He gives someone mercy, that
saves them by His mercy. He saved us by the washing of
regeneration. There's that word. And the renewing
of the Holy Ghost. That's how that regeneration
continues. By the renewing of the Holy Ghost,
that being justified by His grace, there's the word justification,
we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Now, regeneration. What is it? It's a nature fit for heaven. Do you know if I am unsaved and
I would be brought into heaven with the nature that I possess,
I would hate heaven because heaven is a holy place. I would have
no enjoyment of heaven. For me to be brought into heaven,
I have to be given a nature fit for heaven, something that I
don't have when I'm born into this world. It has to be something
given to me. Colossians 1.12 says, giving
thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet for the inheritance
of the saints in light. Now you think of the saints in
light, let's talk about the saints in glory, in heaven. This is
true with regard to every believer. He hath made them meet. Not he will make us meet. Not
I'll be meet one day, but right now I have the nature that makes
me fit for heaven, fit for fellowship with God. fit for communion with
the living God. That is regeneration. It's a
nature given in the new birth which makes one fit for heaven. Now there are many scriptural
descriptions of this new nature. It's called a quickening being
given life from the dead. Now, you'll remember when Adam
ate the fruit, the scripture says he died because the Lord
said, in the day you eat thereof, you shall surely die. Now, somebody
said, well, he didn't die that very day. Yes, he did. He died
spiritually. And every man is born into this world dead in
trespasses and sins. He has no spiritual nature that
loves God. He has no spiritual nature that
can understand the gospel. He's dead in sins and will remain
so until God gives him life. Ephesians 2, 1 says, and you
hath he quickened who were dead. in trespasses and sins. Then
we read in verse four of Ephesians chapter two, but God who is rich
in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were
dead in sins hath quickened us, hath given us life together with
Christ. By grace are you saved. Now that is regeneration. Paul said in Colossians 2, verse
13, and you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of
your flesh, have he now quickened together with him? The Lord said in John 6, verse
63, it is the spirit that quickeneth. It is God the Holy Spirit that
giveth life. The flesh profiteth nothing. So regeneration is a quickening. It's also described in the scriptures
as a creation, a creative act of God. Now let's think of the
first creation. In the first creation, did you
help? No, you weren't around. Did God have any help? No, he
spake the world into existence as an act of his own will. Ex
nihilo, he brought something from nothing. And in the new
birth, this new creation, you didn't participate in that either.
This is the work of God. If any man be in Christ, Paul
said in 2 Corinthians 5.17, he is a new creation. He is something
he was not before. This is not something he brought
into the world. This is not something God worked
with his old flesh. He's a new creation, a new creature. Ephesians 2.10 says we are His
workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God
hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Paul said
in Colossians 3.10-11 the new man which is renewed in knowledge
after the image of Him that created him. where there is neither Jew
nor circumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond or free, but Christ
is all in all. When someone is saved, they are
the creative work of God, and the evidence that God has done
something for them is they see for the first time that Jesus
Christ is all. That is the discovery of the
new creation, that Jesus Christ is all. It's what John called
being born of God, being born of the Spirit, being born again,
being born from above. Peter said he hath begotten us
again by a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead. He said being born again not
of corruptible seed, Not from anything that came out of corruptible
human nature, but of the incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth
and abideth forever. This regeneration is also called
the new man that was not there before. the hidden man of the
heart. It's a man that you and I can't
see. We might know he's there, but we can't see him. He's the
hidden man of the heart. This is the pure heart that the
Lord spoke of in the Beatitudes, blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God. Now, what is it? I've given these
scriptural illustrations of it. What is it? I know this, I cannot
be brought into heaven unless I am regenerated. I can't have
fellowship with God unless I am regenerated. I can't understand
the gospel unless I am regenerated. I cannot believe unless I am
regenerated. I can't exercise repentance toward
God unless I am regenerated. I cannot love God unless I am
regenerated. I cannot persevere in the faith
looking to Christ only. Unless I am regenerated, I can't
be poor in spirit. I can't mourn over my sin before
God. I can't be meek before God. I
can't hunger and thirst after righteousness. I can't be truly
merciful. I can't be pure in heart. I can't
be a peacemaker. I can't be persecuted for righteousness
sake unless I am regenerated by the Spirit of God. There is
no fruit of the Spirit. No love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance without
being regenerated. Now you show me a man that looks
to Christ only. And I'll show you a man who has
been regenerated. He would not do that were he
not regenerated by the Spirit of God. Philippians chapter 3,
verse 3, we are the circumcision. We are the true Jews, not just
having that outward circumcision, but the circumcision of the heart.
That's what happens in regeneration. We are the circumcision, which
worship God in the spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no
confidence in the flesh. Now here is a regenerated man.
He worships God. for who He is in the Spirit,
with His spiritual nature given to Him in regeneration. Did you
know you cannot worship God unless you are regenerate. You know,
I do not say, come worship with us. I say, come hear the gospel.
But only a believer can worship. We are the circumcision which
worship God in the spirit. And the next thing he says, and
this is what the true worship of God is, we rejoice in Christ
Jesus. We glory in Christ. We don't look to our works. We
don't look to our experience. We don't look to our changed
life. We don't look to our evidences. We look to Christ Jesus only
as everything in our salvation. rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
we have no confidence in the flesh. I don't have any confidence
in my flesh or your flesh. I don't have any confidence in
anything that comes from the flesh. We look only to Christ
Jesus. A man that is not regenerated
is unregenerate. He's incapable of worshiping
God in the spirit or rejoicing in Christ Jesus or having no
confidence in the flesh. Now, let me say some things that
regeneration is not that I think will be helpful. This is very
important. These are some things that regeneration
is not. Regeneration, this work of God,
being created by God, being quickened by God, being born again, being
born of the Spirit. Regeneration is not an addition
or subtraction from our natural man we're born with, the old
man. Regeneration is not a change
in the substance of human nature. You see, what you're born with,
you still have. And it's not changed. Your sinful nature that you're
born with is not changed by regeneration. God's not working with that old
man. He gives new man. But that old
man is still there. It's not an addition or a subtraction
from the normal faculties of the soul, the mind. the memories,
the affections, the will, the conscience. There's nothing in
your human nature that has changed or acted upon. You know, even
if you're regenerated, your IQ is the same. It's not like you
become a more intelligent person. It's not moral reformation. You
can have that without regeneration. Regeneration is the imparting
the implanting of life, spiritual life, the life of God in your
soul. It's what Peter called in 2 Peter
1, for being a partaker of the divine nature. And that doesn't mean we become
God, we don't become God, but he gives spiritual life. called being a partaker of the
divine nature, that which comes from Him, being born of Him. It's spiritual life that was
not there before. It's the new heart He gives. It is the divine seed. It's being
born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by
the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." Listen
to this scripture from verse John 3, 9. He that's born of
God doth not commit sin. Well, that means he doesn't practice
sin. That's not what it says. It says he does not commit sin. If you have a version of the
Bible that says he doesn't practice sin, that's a wrong translation.
It's literally, he doth not commit sin for his seed, the seed of
God, remaineth in him. He cannot sin. He lacks the ability to sin because
he is born of God. This is the mysterious, glorious,
new nature. That which is born of God cannot
sin any more than God can sin. God can't sin and that which
he is birthed cannot sin. That's the new man. That's the
new heart. I love when the Lord says, the wind blows where it
wills. You hear the sound thereof. You cannot tell from whence it
cometh or whether it goeth. So is everyone that is born of
the Spirit. Now, while the old nature is
not changed, there's a new disposition in that man because of the new
nature that's there. Now, what do I mean by that?
Well, there was a time I did not love Jesus Christ. I love
him now. I see him as altogether lovely.
I love his way of salvation. There was a time when I had no
love for grace. I love the grace of God now. When I have this new man, it
affects every faculty of my soul. I now have the mind of Christ.
Paul said we have the mind of Christ. I have a different will
now. Paul said, to will is present
with me. Now how to perform that, which
is good, I find not, but to will is present with me, I would never
sin again. I didn't used to have that will. I have new affections. I love Christ and I hate myself.
It's from seeing who he is that makes me hate my old man. I love
Christ and hate myself. I have a new memory. I only want
to be found in Christ. That's the only memory I want
there to be of me. I want to win Christ and be found
in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which
is of God by faith. I have a new conscience, a conscience
that's only satisfied by the resurrection of Christ. The only
thing that satisfies my conscience is that God raised Christ from
the dead and I'm complete in Him. That answers everything. Now this work of regeneration
is instantaneous. They're not steps that bring
it about. It's instantaneous, begotten
of the Spirit of God. Faith cometh by hearing. and
hearing by the Word of God. And when you hear the Word of
God, this is what God uses to beget life. And it is instantaneous. The new birth is a creative act
of God with no human contribution. John 1, 12, and 13, as many as
received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons
of God, even to them which believe on his name, which were born,
which were birthed, not of blood, not because your mom and dad
were. Not of the will of the flesh, not as an act of your
free will, not of the will of man, because men got together
and said, we're going to pray to this fellow saved, but of
God. This is the creative act of God. Listen to this, John 6, 63, it's
the spirit that quickens or gives life. God the Spirit. The flesh profits nothing. It
makes no contribution in this at all. In 2 Thessalonians 2.13
we read, But we are bound to thank God always for you, brethren,
beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, the life-giving
work of the Holy Spirit and belief of the truth. What is the evidence
of the sanctification of the Spirit? Belief of the truth.
How does one believe the truth? By the sanctifying work of God,
the Holy Spirit. And the reason for the foundation
of regeneration is the resurrection of Christ. Why am I born again? because Christ was raised from
the dead. He accomplished my salvation, and God the Holy Spirit
applies that to me. The reason for my regeneration
is nothing in me. It's because Jesus Christ was
raised from the dead. And the cause of regeneration
is the will of God. James 1.18, of his own will,
begat he us, birthed he us through the word of truth. The evidence
of regeneration is faith. First John 5, one who so believeth
that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. If you're relying only
on Jesus Christ, you rely on His offices as Christ the Prophet,
Christ the Priest, Christ the King. If you believe that He
is God's Christ, the Christ of God, the Christ of Scripture,
you have been born of God. And regeneration cannot be corrupted. Now what is meant by that? Well,
do you remember when the Lord said, the prince of this world
has come and found nothing in me? Satan had nothing to work
with in Christ. And Satan has nothing to work
with in this new nature. Listen to this scripture from
1 John 5, verse 18. For we know that whosoever is
born of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth
himself. And that wicked one touches him not. You see, there's
nothing for him to work with in this new man. There's plenty
for him to work with in the old man, but there's nothing for
him to work in the new man. And the wicked one touches him
not. Now, this is what it is to be
a partaker of the divine nature. I have to be regenerated. Now,
Lord willing, next week we're going to consider justification. I also have to be justified to
be brought into heaven. to be brought into heaven and
to worship God and to be in that holy place, I'm going to have
to be regenerate, regenerated, born again, quickened, created
in Christ Jesus. And this is the work of God alone. And the best advice I could give
to you or myself is to cry out with David, create in me a clean
heart, oh God. To receive a copy of the sermon
you have just heard, send your request to todd.neibert at gmail.com
or you may write or call the church at the information provided
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