Regeneration's Effects

Yesterday I posted a thought from J.I. Packer on regeneration. Today, I'd like us to consider the radical effects stemming from the new birth.

Regeneration’s Effects:

• The sinner is re-created in and to newness of life (2 Cor 5:17; James 1:18)
• Has the defilement of one's heart cleansed or “washed” away (Ez 36:25-26; Jn 3:5; Tit 3:5).
• Is enabled to “see” and to “enter” the kingdom of God by faith (John 3:3,5)
• Is enabled to believe in Jesus (John 1:12-13)
• Is enabled to believe that Jesus is the Christ (1 John 5:1).
• Is enabled to love others (1 John 4:7; 5:1)
• Is enabled to do righteousness and to shun the life of sin (1 John 3:9; 5:18)
• Restoration (palingenesia) of the entire creation to its final perfection – the ‘new creation’ theme (see Mt 19:28; cf. Rom 8:19ff; 2 Pet 3:13; cf. Rev 21:1-4). In this last sense, we still await.

In understanding the radical nature of the new birth, we come to realize that salvation is more than a mere intellectual assent to a historical truth or more than the so called "asked Jesus in my heart" language that came out of the 19th century revivalist movement (but is not biblical language for one's conversion). The new birth (regeneration) is holistic in its scope, capturing one's mind, will, affections (and one day in the consummation of things, the body in resurrection).

That is we are renewed intellectually (to comprehend the things of God; 1 Cor 2:12, 14-16; 2 Cor 4:4, 6; Col 3:10), volitionally (liberates will from bondage, enabling them to affirm/pursue kingdom values; Rom 6:13; Phil 2:13; 2 Thess 3:5); emotionally (initiates the reintegration of disordered affections; Rom 8:15); morally/ethically (freed from depraved & enslaving passions, exchanging the works of the flesh [Gal 5:19-21] for the fruit of the Spirit [Gal 5:22-23]); & relationally (establishes fellowship with the triune God [1 Cor 1:9; Eph 2:22; 1 Jn 1:3] & other believers [Rom 12:5; Eph 2:14-15, 19-20]).

Remember, we are ‘new’ but ‘not yet’ completed in terms of the work.