God Loves… Himself

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.

Titus 3:3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The passage in Titus 3 (just above) shows the depths of sin and then focuses on the grace of God. The description of unbelievers in verse 3 is a universal description in that it describes all unbelievers, but even more it sets out the necessity of regeneration. How can a foolish heart become wise unless that heart is regenerated and Christ becomes the wisdom of that heart? How can a disobedient heart become submissive and obedient unless it is born from above? How can a deceived heart become one that is no longer deceived but has Christ and truth as part of its very nature? Only be regeneration and the indwelling Christ. How can a person be delivered from slavery to lusts and pleasures? It can only happen by the mighty hand of God in giving that person a new heart and freedom in Christ. How can a person repent of living in malice and envy and seek the good of other human souls apart from being granted a new heart in regeneration? How can a person be turned from being hateful and hating others apart from receiving a new heart in which the love of God dwells? Regeneration is an absolute and utter necessity.

The language of holy Writ is so beautiful and so clear in this passage. How wicked and unlike God man is in his sin and self-centeredness in all things, yet the kindness of God (as opposed to the malice and hate of man) and His love appeared. How did the kindness and love of God appear? They appeared when Christ appeared and lived, died, and was resurrected for the glory of God and the good of His people. Christ saves, not based on anything that a person can do or actually does, but only according to His mercy. But note how this text sets out this mercy. God saves according to His mercy and does so BY “the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”

Poor sinners who are enslaved can come to the point where they realize that they need mercy, but mercy for a sinner is in regeneration of that sinner. Sinners do not just need someone to be nice to them, they need a real and powerful mercy that will regenerate and renew them. Sinners must have the work of the Holy Spirit whom Christ purchased for the elect on the cross (Galatians 3:13-14) to regenerate and renew them. Regeneration and renewal is not something that can happen apart from what the Holy Spirit does and no one can have the Holy Spirit apart from Christ purchasing the Spirit for them. Oh how beautiful it is to behold the glory and wonder of grace when we see it mediated through the cross of Christ in purchasing the Spirit who regenerates the people Christ died for.

The Holy Spirit is pictured as being poured out upon believers, but not just a casual pouring out, but being poured out upon them richly. This is all done through Jesus Christ. But notice how the beauty and delightfulness of this just keeps coming. This was done so that sinners could be justified by His grace and be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Regeneration is connected to justification by grace alone. Regeneration is connected to the possession and hope of eternal life. Apart from regeneration there is no justification and apart from regeneration and justification there is no eternal life. The soul must be regenerated in order to be united to Christ and apart from unity with Christ there is no basis for justification. The soul is not declared just because it is regenerated, but because it is united to Christ. So regeneration precedes justification, but it does not cause it. Christ has purchased the Holy Spirit for His people who regenerates them and being united to Christ they are declared just. The glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not apart from regeneration. How we need to set out this teaching to the glory of our God in Christ Jesus.

This entry was posted on November 23, 2013 at 10:52 am and is filed under Regeneration. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.