Regeneration is an action of God whereby He imparts Eternal Life to the believer (makes eternal life a permanent part of us — of our very being).
Regeneration is the “new birth,” which means born again — “from above” (John 3:3, 5, 7). In John 3:31, for example, “from above” speaks of Jesus as coming from above. Jesus used the same word in John 19:11: “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above.”
The translators used born again because the term to be born from above means to be born a second time, and thus Christ is speaking about the source of the new birth (from above), not of a second physical birth.
Regeneration is the act of becoming “the children of God” 1 John 3:2. (See also John 1:12).
Regeneration also refers to a “new creation” (II Corinthians 5:17). God is the author of Regeneration. John 1:12-13 describes the children of God as those born “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” Eternal life cannot be inherited because it is not of blood. Regeneration come only from God; He alone is the source of salvation through Jesus Christ.
We are dead, spiritually (separated from God by sin — Adam’s sin which passed to all men for all have sinned (Roman 3 :23; 5:18-19)). Therefore, in the light of these verses of Scripture, we (mankind) need a new birth, a new family, and a new father. So, God offers every man all three, through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. There is no other way.
The phrase “all roads, all religions, lead to God” is farcical, dangerous, and 100% incorrect.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). It’s as simple as that.
In Ephesians 2:5 Paul tells the believers they are “made alive” together with Christ. Made alive is the action of regeneration. The life of Christ is God’s remedy for man who is spiritually dead in trespasses and sin.
In I Peter 1:23, Peter links the Word of God to salvation and the new birth: “for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.” The written word of God is “living and powerful” (Hebrew 4:12).
The power of God that resurrected Christ is the same power that is needed to save men who are dead in sin (Ephesians 1:19-20; 1 Peter 1:3).
The basis of regeneration is the blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:17-19). The agent of regeneration is the Holy Spirit (John 3:5).
Our parents pass on physical life to us, but it is God through Jesus Christ who gives us Eternal Life. God must become our Father to pass on Eternal life to all who will believe in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Acts 16:31).
This concludes our study of the Doctrines of Soteriology. We recommend that you also go to the study entitled “Forty Absolutes of Salvation.”
Happy Studying in Fields of Grace.