"Born Again" is a very popular term used in most evangelical churches and while there is nothing wrong with that term there is a bit of a misconception or "when" that happens. I personally prefer the term "regenerated" but either term is the same thing and very much Biblical terms for the same act of God. Make no mistake it is an act of God. A supernatural, divine, sovereign, act of God determined in eternity past to fulfill His Providential plan.
The time at which this happens has been a controversy in the Church for as long as there has been a Church and continues to this day. You won't hear it talked about much in pulpits these day as most anything that isn't popular or can create a debate over doctrine is often avoided. Not working on assumptions or human interests let's be like the Bereans and "receive the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so"--Acts 17:11 (NASB).
"Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again'. The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going, so is everyone who is born of the Spirit".--John 3:3. These were Jesus's words to Nicodemus when asking how he could be "born again". So the popular explanation of how one can be born again today seems to be a message of YOUR response to the Gospel based on YOU making a decision. Doesn't quite sound like the message our Lord was delivering here! It is a work of the Spirit. I venture to say that no one reading this post chose who would be their parents or for that matter, when or where they would be born??
"He saved us, not on the basis of good deeds, which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit"--Titus 3:5. Pretty clear, once again, that this is an instantaneous work of the Holy Spirit to regenerate us, otherwise no one would believe. We must believe and respond to the Gospel, to that I am completely submissive to. We must, however, be regenerated first. A dead man cannot make that decision and make no mistake we are not spiritually sick, we are spiritually dead! The Bible tells us over and over that man is totally depraved and is bent towards rejection, even hatred, of God.
With all of that being said and numerous other quotes I could pull from Scripture, I think it important to realize that we are born again, or regenerated, before we can ever believe. Therefore, choosing to accept Christ is not completely wrong to describe salvation, as some might think I am implying with my words. But I think we are missing the mark completely when we assume that man can make that "decision to follow Christ" on our own. The will is not free before you are regenerated and you cannot regenerate oneself. Therefore, salvation is a work of the triune Godhead from beginning to end.
God, in eternity past elected those that He would save by the atoning death of Christ through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in His time. This is the only Gospel that is truly biblical and God-honoring and glorifying. Any other attempt to say that you are born again after you choose to follow Christ is actually scriptually inaccurate but also self-glorifying, and impossible.
Soli Deo Gloria---Glory to God!
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