"Born" - "not of the will of the flesh." Regeneration has no connection with natural volition. The will of the flesh is hostile to God and left to itself it would never move Godward. Did not Christ say to those who opposed Him, "Ye will not come to me that ye might have life." Self-will would never abdicate in favor of God. But even if it would choose to do so it is altogether "without strength" (Romans 5:6). Good resolutions made when the heart is touched by an emotional appeal, or the turning over a new leaf on one's birthday, or at the beginning of the New Year, or the fixed determination to cut one's self loose from an evil practice, do not constitute regeneration. Except grace takes the initiative and the Holy Spirit operates on the will of man he would never desire a new nature or be able to obtain one. "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth; but of God that showeth mercy" (Romans 9:16).
"Born" - "not of the will of man." Regeneration has no connection with natural relationships. God uses the faithful preaching and teaching of the Word by pastor and Sunday School teacher, believing prayer of parents and friends, the earnest exhortation, warning and pleading of the personal worker to show another his need of a Saviour and to teach him the way of salvation, but no effect of theirs can beget in another the divine, supernatural life of God. No ordinance or rite, however sacred and holy, administered by priest or preacher has life-begetting power.
"Born" - "but of God." Regeneration is solely the work of God. It is patent that no one can give the life of God to another but God Himself. To become a son of God one must receive the life of God from God. God, the Holy Spirit, is the sole author of this new life which He implants by a creative act in the sinner.
Sin's first devastation was wrought in the human spirit. So here is where the Holy Spirit begins His work in regeneration. In the human spirit of the believer is implanted the life of God.
Ephesians 2:1, "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins."
Ephesians 2:5, "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved:)."
Into this renewed human spirit the Holy Spirit comes to dwell. Here He will operate to make the implanted life a living reality. So the believer will be transformed into the image of Christ from glory to glory.
Ezekiel 36:26-27, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."
1 Corinthians 3:16, "Knew ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of god dwelleth in you?"
In regeneration the Holy Spirit uses both a divine and a human instrument. The divine instrument is the Word of God.
1 Peter 1:23, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever."
James 1:18 "Of his own will begot he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures."
To place the Word of God in the hands of those not yet born again or to unfold its truth to them God uses human instruments.
1 Corinthians 4:15, "For though we have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel."
Galatians 4:19, "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you."
~Ruth Paxson~
(continued with # 1 - "The Cross - The Place of Spiritual Birth")
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