John 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” James 1:21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
Human beings are born with a nature. Scripture tells us several things about what that nature is, which should teach us something about what must happen to a human being for that human being to be converted. We also know that Paul spoke of a believer (one in Christ) as a new creature (II Cor 5:17). So if a person is born with one nature and then in salvation one is a new creature, this tells us something vitally important regarding salvation. The salvation of a human being is not because a person makes a choice, but it is when God changes the nature and heart of that individual. A person without Divine creative power cannot give self or anyone else a new nature, but the new nature is vital to being a true believer. This is the work of God.
John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 “But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
Jesus was speaking to the most religious people of His day (on earth) and He was quite clear as to a real problem with them that they did not want to accept. In the Garden when Satan deceived Adam and Eve and they fell into sin, all fallen creatures were now seen as the seed of the serpent. Enmity was put between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman, and that enmity was seen in the first murder (Cain and Abel) and then throughout the history of Israel coming to be a nation and then during the history of that nation.
The Pharisees thought of themselves as the elect because they were born Jews and not Gentiles, but also because they followed the Law (at least in their own minds). When Jesus told them that their father was the devil and that they did the desires of the devil, they would have been utterly shocked. Jesus then went on to say why they were children of the devil and described the devil to them:
1. They did the desires of their father
2. Their father was a murderer (and a few verses later they tried to kill Jesus)
3. Their father did not stand in the truth
4. Their was no truth in their father (Jesus was the Truth and they hated Him)
5. Their father told lies and those lies came from himself
6. Their father was a liar and the father of lies (and the Pharisees lied a lot about Jesus)
7. The Pharisees did not believe Jesus precisely because He spoke the truth (like their father the devil)
The absolute and utter necessity of regeneration is set out with stark clarity in looking at the Pharisees and the nature of the Pharisees (who were like the father of their nature, the devil). Believers are to seek the will of God and to pray for His will to be done. How can one be changed from doing the desires of the devil to doing the will of God? The only way is by regeneration and a change of nature. How can one be changed from a murderous (hating) heart to one of love? The only way is by regeneration and a change of nature. How can one be changed from one that does not stand in the truth to one that loves the truth? The only way is by regeneration and a change of nature. How can one be changed from one that there is no truth in him to one have Jesus the Truth taking His throne in that heart? The only way is by regeneration and a change of nature. How can one be changed from being a liar to one who loves truth even at personal costs? The only way is by regeneration and a change of nature. How can one be changed from being one who does not believe Jesus because He speaks to the truth to one who loves to hear Jesus because He speaks the truth? The only way is by regeneration and a change of nature.
No one can be converted apart from a change of nature. Human beings are born as children of the devil and they live like the devil even when they are moral and attend church (as demonstrated by the Pharisees). People must not be content to attend church and be moral, but rather they must be born from above and this must happen by the grace and power of God. The Gospel is perverted when regeneration is not stressed and taught. It is that important and it is that vital. Morality and correct doctrine will not change a heart, only God can.
God Loves... Himself 
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