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Regeneration: New Life from God

to the hardening of their hearts” (Ephesians 4:18). But even in their
fallen condition, people are the crown of God’s creation. They still bear
the image of God, and although they lack understanding of God, their
intelligence in other areas can be remarkable.

In the Fall, people did not lose the ability to know or understand.
However, lacking the spiritual dimension, they have incomplete
knowledge. They have the facts, but they don’t know how to interpret
these facts. Therefore, they develop their own philosophy of life, which
generally does not include God. Their concept of God is seriously in error
and it neither represents correctly the nature of God nor the way He
should be worshiped.

Romans 1:18–32 asserts that God reveals himself in Creation. People can
see clearly His eternal power and His divine nature (v. 20). In this context,
Romans also shows what leads to people’s downfall. Although people know
God, they do not give Him the honor that belongs to Him nor do they thank
Him. And as result, the passage says three times that God has given them
over to their filthy desires, shameful passions, and corrupted minds.

Our discussion of the need for regeneration may seem to indicate that
only wicked people need to be born again. But the Scriptures declare
that all people are guilty before God and need to be made spiritually
alive. Consider the following examples of people who were “religious,”
diligent in their search for God, and yet sensed a spiritual void in their
souls—the need for regeneration:

• A certain ruler had kept all the Jewish religious requirements but
still felt empty (Luke 18:18–25).
• Nicodemus was a Jewish leader of the Pharisees and a great
teacher. But he needed the vital experience of regeneration to be
made spiritually alive (John 3:1–21).
• Cornelius, a Roman centurion, was a devout, religious man—a
God-fearer—who needed regeneration (Acts 10:1–48).
• The Ethiopian eunuch, a high government official in a queen’s
court, traveled far to worship. He, too, needed regeneration
(Acts 8:26–39).
• Lydia was a “worshiper of God” and a seeker after truth. She
needed to be made spiritually alive (Acts 16:13–15).

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