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An article written for Survey of Theology II in regards to the topic of "regeneration". In my assessment of Scripture, there are two different kingdoms that have had their place in this world. One was the divine kingdom that God originally planned for the world at creation. This kingdom was experienced by man in the garden. In this kingdom or state, there was no need for regeneration, but because of Adam�s sin (Gen. 3:6, Rom. 5:12), man as creation and all of the created order began a downward spiral towards death (Rom. 7:18). God�s kingdom and God�s economy became displaced by the kingdom of the air (Eph. 2:2). Because of this transfer from lightness to darkness, from life to death, from the holy to the profane, there became an overarching need for this divine kingdom to be brought back into a present reality among the created order. Under this need, God set up a framework to restore His fallen creation back to Himself (Col. 1:20). Now . . . we have all been given a natural life from our parents. This life is a part of the fallen kingdom. But in order that we enter the divine kingdom, the kingdom that was originally intended for us at creation before the fall, we have to be �born again�. I love how William Law puts it (and forgive me because I have lost the source material), �When it is said, that we must be born again from above, born of God; for this is expressly telling us what birth we have lost, and is only saying, that the first birth is to be restored, or that the divine birth is to arise, or to be brought again into us, as at the first.� This is the very same idea that Nicodemus first wrestled with before fully embracing this truth in John 3. And being �born again� is the very thought that I am going to attempt to put some handles on in our understanding of the subject. Let�s begin with a look at the Greek word that is rendered �regenerated�. Palingenesia, is composed of palin (�again�) and genesis (�birth�). Therefore, regenerated literally means to be �born again�. While it is a very critical concept for us to understand in our scope of salvation, there are very limited explanations and references within Scripture, even though the entire story of God is about this process of creating new creatures and bringing them under His divine kingdom. The only clear discussion of the subject is made in the New Testament (John 3, Matt. 19:28, Titus 3:5). While there are some allusions to the subject in the Old Testament, only in the New Testament is the subject brought into conversation by the apostles in their writings. In John 3, we see perhaps the clearest picture of regeneration. The apostle John writes that those who have been reborn �were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of the man, but of God� (John 1:13). Those who have been �born again� or �regenerated� have once again been placed back into the Kingdom of God and have begun the journey of sanctification. That is why Jesus told Nicodemus that �unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God� (John 3:3). Essentially, he was telling Nicodemus that you have a natural life that has come from your parents. And with that life comes an earthly will, understanding, heart, mindset, and perspective. But then He explains to Nicodemus, that if you want to have a heavenly perspective, you�re going to have to be �regenerated� into a new creature, a new life. Nicodemus was hit with this truth and as he wrapped his heart around this brand new concept to him, the Holy Spirit of God created a new life in Him (John 1:12-13; 1 John 2:29, Titus 3:5), thus placing him in His heavenly kingdom. So as Nicodemus died to his old life, the Spirit of God gave him new life. Millard Erickson writes, �As a putting to death of the flesh, the new birth involves a counteracting of the effects of sin.�1 The transfer from death to life throws the course of our life on a sudden u-turn. And with that, the old kingdom and the effects of sin no longer have a proper place in our regenerated lives. Our lives, like a hinge, begin to swing open in a new direction because of the regenerated heart, mind, soul, and spirit within us (and unfortunately for some of us, our bodies aren�t quite regenerated yet). So at its essence, regeneration is more than an abstract concept, but a fleshed out reality where our heart, mind, feet, spirit, soul - our holistic self, are �recreated�. Our feet that were once firmly planted in darkness, have now begun to shift to walk �in newness of light�. Our mindset that was firmly entrenched in �my way�, now begins to dissolve into �God�s way�. So we shift from being �dead in our trespasses and sins� to our new disposition and our new nature. This is what Paul so beautifully discusses in Romans 5-8. Regeneration is at the very core of our salvation. It is the beginning piece of the puzzle, the first step in the journey. Not only that, but regeneration begins our restoration spiritually through redemption, (Eph. 1:7), forgiveness (1 John 1:9), justification (Rom. 3:23-26), and reconciliation (Rom. 5:10-11). And as God restores us spiritually, regeneration is once again the on-ramp to our spiritual formation as we begin the process of being sanctified (1 Thes. 5:23), transformed (Rom. 12:2), and finally glorified (Col. 3:4). Hopefully, with these few words, that do a very poor job of conveying such a rich spiritual truth, someone who has no clue about the topic of �regeneration� will be able to join us in connecting with our Heavenly Father as they are �born again�. I attempted to write more in story form, than with �heady� theological discourse, so that the subject would be easily understood by those disconnected from God. So with that, I hope this becomes our prayer. God, please allow us to internalize this truth, that we are regenerated creatures, living in a new kingdom and under a new reign. We are no longer slaves to this old paradigm of thinking, living, and the bondage that it brought. But we are new creations living a new kingdom with You as our authority and centerpiece. Now that You have regenerated us, sanctify us as we enter the path to spiritual formation through your Spirit and our discipline, and through your grace and our faith. 1. Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. (Grand Rapids: Baker Books,1998), 957.