UNFOLDING OF REGENERATION IN SCRIPTURE

THE UNFOLDING OF THE DOCTRINE OF REGENERATION IN SCRIPTURE

 

             Anticipated in David's penitential prayer -

Psa. 51:10 "Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me."

             Predicted as future experience for Israel --

Ezek. 11:19-20, 36:24-30 one heart, new spirit "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: 20  That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God."

                        Jer. 32:38-40 one heart, one way "And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: 39  And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 40  And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."

             Holds prominent place in teaching of Christ --

John 3:1-12; texts on "Life" "There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 9  Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10  Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12  If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?"

             Most fully developed in John's writings -- cf. First Epistle and his Gospel.

                        Note: God does not ignore distinctive personalities in making known the various                           truths of Revelation:
                        cf. Paul, John, James = Justification-Legal, Regeneration-Vital, Conduct-Moral