Review/ Introduction -> 

Several weeks ago, we were working through Chapter 10 of our Confession…looking at the doctrine of Salvation, focussing on Effectual Calling.

We looked at the call of the gospel – 

• God’s gracious act of inviting sinners to accept the salvation that is offered in Jesus Christ

Within the call, we looked at two divisions or “types” of calling

• External Call / Internal Call

The external call is an exhortation to all men to be reconciled to Christ

• This call goes out to all men, everywhere, without distinction
• The call may only speak what the Scripture speak
• The call does not include the statement that God sincerely desires the salvation of all men
• The call invites those who are able to come to Christ, to come to Christ
• The call may result in some that have true faith and false faith
• But their fruits shall bear them out

The internal call is effectual unto salvation

• God the Father is drawing men unto His Son Jesus Christ (John 6:44)
• The Holy Spirit is internally calling the elect
• The Holy Spirit quickens. (John 6:63)
• The Holy Spirit gives life to the elect 
• they respond to the outward, external call through
• they respond to through the regenerating work of the Spirit of God.

The difference between the external and the internal

• The internal call cannot be resisted 
• Those who are able to come, the elect, will respond to the call
• They will come to Christ at the appointed time
• This is the internal call

Those who are able to come and those who do come

• Are Redeemed, Sanctified, and Justified in Christ
• Redemption is through Christ (1 Corinthians 6:11)
• Sanctification is through the application of Christ's work by the Spirit (1 Peter 1:2)

Regeneration - Introduction

Regeneration is part of the new birth

At its essence, in its most restricted sense, it refers to that act of God

• whereby He implants within man new life and 
• whereby his will is renewed and favorably disposed to righteousness, holiness, and obedience.
• Whereby the entire man is affected and irreversably altered
• It is the instantaneous change from spiritual death to spiritual life (Charles Hodge)

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:14 / 2 Corinthians 4:6 / Philipians 2;13 / 1 Peter 1:8

Regeneration is accomplished entirely by the work of the Holy Spirit

• It is not accomplished mostly by the work of the Holy Spirit.
• It is not accomplished partly by man.
• It is entirely the work of the spirit that regenerates.
• It is entirely the work of the spirit that renews.
• It is entirely the work of the spirit that is quickening.

Scripture: John 1:12, 13 / Acts 16:14 

Regeneration is not conditioned upon the will of man.

• It is conditioned upon an act of God.

John 3:3-8 -> The regenerating work by the Spirit and the cleansing of the blood of Christ is the only way in which man can enter the Kingdom of God.

• That which is born of flesh is flesh.
• That which is born of spirit is spirit.
• Regeneration is the work of the Spirit
• The Spirit internally and actually applies the redemption of Christ.

Regeneration is an internal work

This is why one person responds and another does not.

We do not know where the Spirit is working.

• We hear the sound thereof.
• We see the ultimate work of the Spirit.
• We do not see the wind.
• We only see the effects of the wind
• This is how the Spirit of God works.

The Holy Spirit Gives Man a New Heart and a New Life

It is a new birth.

• The Holy Spirit regenerates in the second calling, the internal calling,
• The Holy Spirit frees man from the bondage of sin and death. 
• We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus

Scripture: Gal-06:15 / Ephesians 2:8-10

It is a new heart

• The Spirit gives us a new heart.
• The Spirit gives a new nature
• The heart stands for that which thinks, feels, wills, acts
• A new heart, therefore, is really a new self
• A new heart, is a change in the whole character of man
• It is a change in the dispositon
• It is a change in the desires
• It is a change in the behaviors
• It results in a desire to walk in obedience to Christ, enjoying His fellowship (Heb 12:14)
• The Spirit sets free from the bondage of sin.
• Before we desired the things of the flesh
• Now we desire the things of God
• We have become the workmen of Christ.
• We do good works because it has been ordained by God.
• The Spirit renews and transforms man.
• This is about the regenerating work of the Spirit.
• This is about the reconciling of all things unto God by Jesus Christ.

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1 / 2 Corinthians 5:17, 18 

It is a new life

The Holy Spirit raises the sinner from spiritual death and makes him alive (quickens).

John-05:21 The Father raises the dead and gives life.

• So also, the Son gives life to whom he will.

Ephesians 2:1-5 The nature of man is that as a child of wrath.

• Man's nature is such that his will is bound to his nature.
• Man is bound to sin.
• Man is dead in trespasses.
• Man's nature is to walk as children of wrath.

But God, who is rich in mercy…

• His great love wherewith he loved us hath quickened us together with Christ by grace

Even when we were dead in sins, 

• He quickened us through the work of the Spirit

Even when we were dead in sins 

• He renewed and regenerated us together in Christ who redeems.

Colossians 2:13 The Holy Spirit quickens us

• This is with Him having forgiven our trespasses.
• This teaches us the secrets of the kingdom of God.

Regeneration is Necessary

Mark 4:10-12 The Spirit of God regenerates that man may understand/ know the truths about the Kingdom of God.

The spirit reveals that the disciples are to know this kingdom but unto them that are without all these things are done in parable.

• Those who are without are not the elect of God.
• Those who are without do not understand the teaching of Christ's teaching.
• Those who are without do not understand the meaning of Christ's teaching.
• That soon we may see and hear and turn to him for eternal life.

Luke 10:21 The Spirit is the one who reveals the truth of God's word.

Matthew 16:15-17 The Spirit renews resulting in a belief in God, and God reveals to us by the quickening of His Spirit.

One cannot rely upon flesh and blood experience for some type of truth of Christ.

Rather…

Matthew 11:25-27 The Spirit's regenerating and quickening power reveals truth of the Father and Son.

• It is the revelation of the truth about God and about Christ given to those whom the Father has given to Him.
• It is not an indiscriminate revealing
• It is the revealing that comes through the regenerating the quickening power of the Spirit of God

1 Corinthians 2:14 The Spirit reveals things of the Spirit

• The natural man he does not receive the things of the Spirit of God.
• The natural man, who is not elect, rejects the gospel when he hears it.
• The natural man is offended by the gospel.
• The natural man will not accept the proposition that he must be redeemed in Christ.
• The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God.
• The natural man thinks the gospel is foolishness because they must be spiritually discerned.

Ephesians 1:17-18 The Spirit gives an understanding

• This is the regenerating power which leads us to an understanding of who this Christ is.
• This is the purpose of the regenerating power so that the eyes of understanding may be enlightened.
• To know what is the hope of his calling.
• To know what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the Saints.

The Holy Spirit's internal work always results in faith and Conversion

The Spirit always does the regenerating work and gives faith and repentance

• Romans 1:6-7
• Romans 8:30
• Romans 9:23-24
• Galatians 1:15- 16
• Ephesians 4:4 There is one true calling of God which results in hope and faith.
• 2 Timothy 1:9 Conversion comes through the internal work of God.

This is the internal calling the regenerating work and salvation of Jesus Christ

• Hebrews 9:15 There was a called people.
• 1 Peter 2:9 The call brings those out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Conclusion

Redemption

• It is God's word which glorifies himself
• It is God's word that fulfills the promises and the conditions of His own covenant
  • Not in that we are redeemed.
  • In that God provided redemption for us.
• That we only can walk in the covenant through the work of the spirit.
• That the Spirit has regenerated us and keeps and enables us to stay within that covenant.
• That there is glory in our redemption.
• He provided everything that we have in the covenant by His sovereign administration
• He regenerates us that we should walk in the hope of that calling.
• He regenerates us that we should walk in righteousness and holiness of life.
• He regenerates us unto His glory and to His honor.
• Revelations 17:14 - They that are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.

Salvation

Salvation is by God's grace.

• It is accomplished solely by the almighty power of God himself through the redemption of Christ.
• Isaiah 55:11 Wherever the Word of God goes, it accomplishes the purpose of God as it pleases him.
• How does the word please him?
• It pleases him in that it brings you back unto redemption through Christ.
• It proclaims the glorious truth of the mediator of the covenant of how we are redeemed.
• John 3:27 A man can receive nothing but that which is given to Him from heaven.
• John 17:2 Eternal life is given
• Romans 9:16 It is God that shows mercy and who calls and regenerates.
• 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 It is God that gives the increase, only God makes it effectual.
• Philippians 2:12-13 It is God working in you for His good pleasure.
• He that receives to the redemption of Christ is according to God's good pleasure.
• He has brought many sons into the world with him according to His good pleasure.
• Jame 1:18 It is God's own will that we are a kind of first fruits.
• John 5:20 Regeneration is new life implanted into man solely by an action of God.
• It is a fundamental and instantaneous change.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:13 God is the one who regenerates.