Paul Smithson
Every individual is born into the world pure and innocent.
But every child grows up to be a man or a woman who by their own
choice sins. What a terrible thing it would be if God had not
provided a means for us to wipe the slate clean and start all
over.
The Greeks had a word that expressed the idea of starting
over, Palingenesia-- palin (again), genesis
(beginning, birth), thus meaning to be born again, restored,
revived. Paul used this Greek term in Titus 3:5, which is
translated in our Bibles as "regeneration" (rebirth, NIV).
Speaking of the wonderful opportunity of starting anew that God
has given us, the apostle declared, "But when the kindness and
the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He
saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of
the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through
Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace
we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life"
(Tit. 3:4-7). Paul here tells us the washing of regeneration
enables us to be justified by God's grace and to become "heirs
according to the hope of eternal life". To be justified is to
be free of guilt. Through this regeneration our guilt, which
once condemned us before God, is removed. Where there was fear,
worry, and despair, now there is hope and contentment.
But what is involved in the washing of regeneration? Jesus
once talked with a man by the name of Nicodemus, a Jewish ruler,
and explained to him about the regeneration (re-birth) by which
one enters the kingdom (Jn. 3:1-7). When Jesus started talking
about being born again, Nicodemus, not understanding asked, "How
can a man be born when he is old?" But Jesus explained that He
was not speaking of a physical re-birth, but a spiritual
re-birth by the water and the Spirit.
The idea of regeneration, or rebirth, is a familiar New
Testament picture that describes the change an individual
experiences when he becomes a citizen of God's kingdom. Earlier
in his gospel, John explained that children of God are "not born
of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man,
but of God" (Jn. 1:12-13). In other words, we are born again as
God's children by a spiritual re-birth.
This spiritual rebirth involves a washing with water.
Jesus in His conversation with Nicodemus said to enter the
kingdom of God one "must be born of water and the Spirit." Paul
speaks of this rebirth as the "washing of regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Spirit." In fact even the Hebrew writer
declared, "Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an
evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."
(Heb.10:22; also see Eph. 5:26) What is the connection between
water and being born again?
Peter explains that this washing of regeneration involves
baptism declaring,"...baptism now saves you--not the removal of
dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good
conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1Pet
3:21). Here is the obedience involved in this spiritual
regeneration. It is a spiritual re-birth, through baptism. It
is not a physical re-birth, nor a physical cleansing of the
flesh, but it is a spiritual birth, a cleansing of the
conscience. Baptism is not a work by which one earns
salvation, but simply a condition that is to be met in obedience
(Tit. 3:5). It is a means by which we rise to "walk in newness
of life" (Rom. 6:4).
Certainly this is the gospel (good news). What a wonderful
opportunity God has given us for starting anew with a clean
conscience, free from sin, and hope of heaven.
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