The Beginning of the Walk – New Life in Christ

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

For every Christian who is walking with the Lord, there was a beginning to your spiritual life in Christ. At some point in your life, you were an unbeliever and then God called you to Himself by grace through faith and you became a believer (Eph. 2:8-9). You may have been nine years old, ninety, or any age in between, but there had to be a spiritual birth to begin your walk with the Lord (John 3:3).

For me, it was when I was almost thirty. Even though I knew about Jesus Christ growing up and even attended church more than occasionally with my grandparents, I lived a very selfish, self- centered and sinful life, hurting others and mainly myself. Then, by God’s grace and mercy, two men who I got to know shared the gospel (good news of Jesus Christ) with me and I was convicted gof my grievous sin and lifestyle, and God called me to Himself through saving faith in Christ. That day the sun did not become brighter, and I surely did not become a mature Christian overnight, but I began to walk in newness of life in Christ and desire the things of God given to me in His Word and my life changed as I followed Christ.

This spiritual birth and newness of life is called regeneration, rebirth, or born again, and Jesus said that spiritual rebirth is absolutely necessary for a person to see and enter the kingdom of God. When Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus by night to meet with Him, Jesus said to Nicodemus,

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

(John 3:3)

These amazing words from Jesus about a person being born again of the Spirit emphasizes the sovereign and secret act of God in the order of salvation when the Holy Spirit awakens the spiritually dead sinner to new spiritual life. The phrase Jesus used can be translated, “born from above,” and implies the need for one to be “born again from above” to enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5).

Regeneration is the theological term used to describe when a person is born again, and it refers to the new beginning when a spiritually dead person is made spiritually alive by God (Eph. 2:1-5). We find the word “regeneration” only one time in the New Testament indicating spiritual rebirth when Paul says, “He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). However, we see other terms in the Bible referring to the act of regeneration or spiritual renewal of believers, such as, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17); “a new creation” (Gal. 6:15); “made us alive together in Christ” (Eph. 2:5); “created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Eph. 2:10); “made alive together with Christ” (Col. 2:13); “having been born again” (1 Pet. 1:23); and “born of God” (1 John 4:7).

How does this new beginning happen in our lives? What exactly takes place in our souls to cause us to be regenerated or born again? Although the Bible says it takes place in the lives of all born again believers in Jesus Christ, in some ways it is a mystery to us. We see the outward signs of “new life in Christ,” such as repentance and faith (Eph. 2:8-9), growing in the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22-23), a desire to obey God’s Word (1 Pet. 1:22), loving others (1 John 4:7), and growing in faith (Eph. 4:15); however, we don’t know exactly how it happens internally. We don’t know exactly how the Spirit of God works in us. As Jesus said to Nicodemus,

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)

However, the Bible does tell us of certain characteristics about God’s act of regeneration. First, regeneration or spiritual rebirth in the believer’s life is the total and sovereign act of God (Ezek. 36:26-27). Second, regeneration by the Holy Spirit changes the disposition and direction of the sinner (2 Cor. 5:17). Third, being born again is an instantaneous act of God when a person receives new life in Christ by the inward work of the Holy Spirit. A believer is once spiritually dead and then instantaneously born again and alive in Christ (Eph. 2:1-5). Finally, regeneration precedes faith and repentance when God calls us to Himself through saving faith in the Son, Jesus Christ (John 6:65).

Regeneration, being born again by the Holy Spirit, is a supernatural act of God that happens to us, we don’t make it happen. When we are born again, it is entirely the gracious work of God in our lives and not by any works we do (Eph. 2:8-9). Then, when we are spiritually alive by God’s grace, we respond by faith in Christ and repentance from sin. That is something we do enabled by God, and we will examine walking by faith and repentance in our next chapter.

Blessings to you in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!