Jesus, Nicodemus, and the New Birth (part 2)

Regeneration is the work of God’s grace in which He creates spiritual life in the soul of His elect ones who are spiritually dead. This new birth begins the work of God’s grace of saving and transforming that one from sin and damnation into new and eternal life through Jesus Christ. The new birth is a sovereign act of God, wholly undeserved by its recipient, which flows forth from God’s eternal purpose in Christ to save the one on whom He has set His everlasting love. It is a work of grace that brings all glory to God, but leaves none for the one who receives His grace; rather, it renders that one humble and grateful, and forever praising God’s mercy and kindness, and for His power for overcoming his ignorance, resistance, and rebellion. Our Lord Jesus set this great truth before Nicodemus, the account of which we will continue to study today. In addition, I read last evening with spiritual profit a sermon by Charles Spurgeon that was delivered in London in 1888. It was based on a verse in our passage--John 3:8, “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it but cannot tell from where it comes and where it goes. So is everyone that is born of the Spirit.” I included a copy of this sermon at the conclusion of our own. I pray that you are encouraged, as I was, by this rich exposition.