The First Principles of the Oracles of God

Regeneration and Renewal of the Holy Ghost

Sermon Notes

(Titus 3:5) “…not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy has saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Ghost…”

Washing – To bathe, immersed in water, to bath.

Regeneration – To be ‘begotten again’ (John 3:7) “…you must be born again…”

Not literally being reborn physically but a new spiritual birth having a new nature and understanding. Regeneration is of a new life being placed within the believer by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Renewal – To renovate, renovation (Rom 12:2) “…but not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

This is a lot like a house renovation, the house is taken, the old removed and the renovation to begin. A house renovation requires making it wind and watertight, re-plumbing, re-wiring to make it new and functional. In a like manner, God’s takes the vessel and begins a work of renovation to transform the believer by the power of his Spirit.

The Holy Ghost – The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead, fully God meaning he is the express Image of God in nature and personality. He would never contradict the will of God nor the nature of God because he is God.

Both regeneration (new birth) and renewal (renovation) taking place not by the efforts, logic, thinking or understanding of man, but by the power of God through the Holy Spirit.

(John 14:7) “….if you had known me, you should have known my Father also and from henceforth you know Him, and have seen him…..”

So, it’s important for the believer to recognise him and his function.

(John 16:13) “…For he (the Holy Spirit) shall not speak of himself…”

(John 16:14) “…He shall glorify me (Jesus)…”

It’s so important to rightly place the Holy Spirit within our own understanding. He wishes to receive no praise or worship of himself. The Holy Ghost’s desire and function is to point the way to Christ and glorify the Father and the Son.

Recognising Him

(James 3:17) “…but the wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy…”

The Holy Ghost’s nature is that of God’s, He would never dominate, manipulate, humiliate, force or hurt an individual. He would never contradict the nature and the will of God. The above is just some of the core understandings of the Holy Ghost.

(John 3:8) “…the wind blows and though you hear the sound, but can’t tell where it comes from or where it goes…”

Jesus himself likened the Spirit to the wind: when the wind blows you can see the effects of it, trees rustle, things get moved around, but you can’t actually see the wind itself. So too the Spirit of God moves and you can’t see him, but you can see the effects of him – joy, wisdom, miracles, sometimes tears. He comes and yet we cannot see him physically yet we see the effects of him.

(John 15:5) “…for without me, you can do nothing…”

The great comforter took the earthly role of Jesus (I will send another). The word tells us that without Jesus (therefore the Spirit) we as men and women can do nothing of ourselves. We can’t grow, receive revelation, understand, change or have any joy and fruit. NOTHING. Only the Spirit of God can empower someone to live the life of Christ in this world and any attempts of doing anything in our own strength will bring much frustration and failure.