Regeneration is a divine and spiritual process. It takes place in those who receive the Messiah and place their trust in him (John 1:12) and in his atoning sacrifice, which he made on our behalf (John 3:15–16). It takes place in those who have believed in their hearts that God raised him from the dead and who confess him as their Lord (Rom. 10:9). It consists in being born from above, that is, from God, from water and the Spirit. Only following this new birth is it possible to see the kingdom of God and enter it (John 3:3–6).
It is the divine process through which we become children of God (John 1:12–13), citizens of his kingdom (Philippians 3:20) and his priests (1 Peter 2:9 and Revelation 1:6). God gives us a new and tender heart. He places a new spirit within us, and his own Spirit comes to dwell personally within us, enabling us to live according to his laws, observing and putting his commandments into practice. This is how God forms his people (Ezek. 36:23–27), whom he regards as his special treasure on earth (Ex. 19:5 and 1 Pet. 2:9), a chosen race, a royal priesthood and a holy nation (1 Pet. 2:9).
Anyone born of God cannot continue to sin, for the divine seed remains in them (1 John 3:9). Nevertheless, they may still choose to sin and therefore, although regenerated, may still be subject to defilement both in body and spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1). But if, having repented, he acknowledges his sins, God, who is faithful and just, forgives his sins, cleanses him from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9) and continues to bring about his sanctification (2 Cor. 7:1); and this, so that his whole being—spirit, soul and body—may be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah. God, who has called us, is faithful and will do this too (1 Thess. 5:23).
Whoever is born from above is born into the kingdom of God and is inwardly a new, regenerated creature. They share in the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4), receive eternal life from God (John 5:24) and can do God’s will on earth, as it is done in heaven. On earth, they already become citizens (Phil. 3:20) of the Kingdom of God and ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20) of King Yeshua, the Messiah. When the Lord returns, his body will be resurrected (Rev. 20:4) and will be incorruptible, glorious, powerful, spiritual and immortal (1 Cor. 15:42–53). He will reign with the Messiah in his kingdom (Rev. 20:4) and dwell with God for ever in the heavenly Jerusalem, which will have come down from heaven onto the new earth created by God in a new universe (Rev. 22:1–5).
New birth is a miracle. It is the work of God. Our faithfulness to him and to his laws is a miracle. It is the work of God. The forgiveness of our sins, our purification and sanctification are miracles. They, too, are the work of God. All this presupposes that we trust in Yeshua and that we fear God. But both our trust and our fear of Him are also gifts from God and the work of the Holy Spirit within us.
Let us therefore seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Everything else is a bonus, and we will receive it because the Father knows what we need!
Maurizio Tiezzi
We invite you to listen to these two audio recordings, which were made during a Bible study session via Zoom: