Romans: Assurance, Providence, and Life in the Spirit: Walking With God

Salvation Illustrated and Explained

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2020-10-07

Synopsis: John Weaver distinguishes between regeneration and conversion, using the physical birth analogy from John 3 to explain that regeneration is God's sovereign, once-for-all act of implanting spiritual life, while conversion is the conscious turning to Christ in repentance and faith. He emphasizes that regeneration is known only by its effects—prayer, hunger for Scripture, and obedience—and warns against false assurance based on mere profession without evidence of new life.

[John Weaver] Let's open our Bibles to John chapter 3. John chapter 3. And the title of the message is Salvation Illustrated and Explained. And I will tell you why I'm preaching this message. Notice John chapter three, beginning there in verse one, very familiar passage. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of the water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.

[John Weaver] Marvel not that I say to thee, you must be born again. The wind bloweth whither it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but thou canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth. So is everyone that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said to him, Art thou a master of Israel and knowest not these things? Verily I say unto thee, We speak that we do know and testify that we have seen, and you receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things? I wanted to explain the difference, or I might also say the relationship between regeneration and conversion.

[John Weaver] In the past two weeks, I've had three individuals particularly come to me and tell me they were unsure as to whether or not they were genuinely saved. And I tried to answer their questions and share some things with them from Scripture. But we must have a proper understanding between regeneration and conversion. These are two distinct and different works of God, yet they are intimately related. And if we're going to discern whether or not we are genuinely converted, we certainly need to know these differences. Unhappily, most Christians can neither define nor distinguish between regeneration and conversion. In fact, most Christians believe that those terms are synonymous, and therefore they may be used interchangeably. They are not synonymous, and they are not interchangeable.

[John Weaver] Even many years back, Billy Graham wrote a book entitled How to be Born Again. Interestingly enough, Nowhere in the Bible does the Bible tell you how to be born again. Now, the Bible does tell you that you must be born again, but it never tells you how to be born again. And the reason being. is because only God can regenerate. Only God can give us the new birth.

[John Weaver] In fact, there's a passage, and I want you to look at it, James 1 in verse 18. I will come back and repeat this verse several times today. But James 1.18 says this, Of His own will begat He us. Notice now, of His own will begat He us with the word of truth. that we might be a kind of firstfruits. And of course, that is true. The Bible says of his own will begat he us. Now, Albert Barnes in his commentary says this on that verse. The idea is that the fact that we are begotten to be his children is to be traced solely to His will.

[John Weaver] He purposed it, and it was done. The antecedent in the case on which all depended was the sovereign will of God." So when God regenerates, He actually begets. And His regeneration, His begetting, is based upon His own will and His own purpose. In other words, there has never been anyone saved on accident. Never has anyone been saved accidentally. No. Whatever God does, God does purposely and deliberately. And when He moves, He always moves according to His purpose.

[John Weaver] Now, the interesting thing about the word beget. The Bible said,"...of his own will, begat he us." The Greek word is apoc.uo, and it literally means, listen, to bring forth, to bring forth unto birth, to bring forth from the womb, to give birth, and to cease being pregnant. You will hear this again just shortly. So, the Bible said,"...of his own will, begat he us." that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures. Now, the verse, the word begat is also in the Aorist tense, which means it happens once and for all.

[John Weaver] When God regenerates, it is not repeated in the individual's life. There is no such thing as being born again and again and again and again and again. No, when God works, his work is perfect and he only regenerates one time.

[John Weaver] Now in John three and verse eight. You have a wonderful illustration there of God's sovereignty and of regeneration proper, for he says the wind bloweth whither it listeth. And now here's the sound thereof. But canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit." So you may hear the wind, but you have no idea where that wind originated or where it is going. The only way that you can really discern the wind is by its effects. And so the same is true in regeneration. The way that you can discern regeneration is simply by its effects. So, let me give you several distinctions to begin with between regeneration and conversion.

[John Weaver] So, I want you to listen. I've got seven of them listed. Number one, regeneration is the immediate act of God in imparting the principle of life. Conversion is the act of man by the power of the indwelling Spirit, repenting and believing. Number two, regeneration is the single act of God and it is never repeated. Conversion is the beginning of a holy life. But listen, there are many conversion experiences throughout one's life's journey.

[John Weaver] For instance, you remember that passage in Luke chapter 22, beginning there, verse 31 through 34, where our Lord said, Simon, Simon, Satan had desired to have thee, that he may sift thee as wheat. But he said, I pray for thee, listen carefully, that thy faith fail not. And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. So Peter was already a believer. Our Lord said, I pray for you that your faith fail not, that yet when thou art converted, strengthen your brethren. In other words, you're going to deny me, but when you are turned back, then you strengthen your brethren.

[John Weaver] So there are times in our lives not just counting our initial conversion to Jesus Christ, but there are times when we get off the path and we have to turn back into the path. So, regeneration is a single act of God, while conversion can be several times during one's life. And number four is this, or number three I should say, regeneration is not in itself an experience. while conversion is a series of Christian experiences.

[John Weaver] Now in this chapter, our Lord is going to compare the new birth with being born physically. So just like there is no consciousness in the child when the child is conceived, He doesn't know he's conceived. He doesn't know there's life there. So there is not any consciousness particularly in the individual when God imparts life into his soul.

[John Weaver] Now later on I'm going to explain to you certainly the effects are going to be made known. But repentance and faith are experiential. They are something that you experience. Regeneration is something that is done in you, but you do not experience it as such. Number four, regeneration is the cause of an individual turning to the Lord. Conversion is when the individual actually turns to the Lord in repentance and faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. Now, you know that repentance is God's gift and faith is likewise God's gift. But God's not going to repent for us. He's not going to believe for us. So the difference in his regeneration is the cause of our conversion and conversion is the fruit and the evidence of being regenerated. Number five, regeneration is Lord opening the heart. Conversion is when the individual turns to Christ in obedience.

[John Weaver] For instance, in Acts 16, verses 14 and 15, the Bible tells us that Paul went down by the river where women gathered together to pray. And he spoke to the women. And the Bible said that there was a certain woman there by the name of Lydia, A seller of purple of the city of Tyre, Tyre, listen now, whose heart the Lord opened in its infinity with result. With the result that she listened to the words which were spoken by Paul. And of course, Lydia then repented and was baptized. And she said, if you judge me faithful in the Lord, come into my house.

[John Weaver] And she constrained them and they came in. So the Bible says the Lord opened her heart. with the result that she heard what Paul said and she repented and believed and she was baptized. Number six, regeneration is a once and for all cleansing while conversion is the continuation of the renewal which began in regeneration.

[John Weaver] Now, let me illustrate that for you. In John chapter 13, our Lord was going to wash the feet of his disciples and he got to Peter And Peter said, Lord, thou shalt never wash my feet. Our Lord said, if I wash thee not, thou hast no part of me. And then Peter said, Lord, not my feet only, but my head and my body. Wash me everywhere. And what did our Lord say? They that behold, need not to be washed save their feet. In other words, your feet is where you walk.

[John Weaver] And back in those days, most people wore sandals. And it was their feet that got dirty. And obviously, a part of hospitality in those days was when you went in someone's house, they presented a bowl so that you could wash your feet. And you'd usually walk around barefooted, I guess, in the house. So our Lord said, they that be whole need not be cleaned but their feet.

[John Weaver] In other words, what he's saying is if you've been saved, you have been saved. But there is the everyday nitty gritty and dirtiness of life. That's what you have to take care of. So regeneration is once for all. But conversion is a continual cleansing in the Sabbath life. In regeneration, we have God's power, the power of the Holy Spirit. But in conversion, the power is not of us. but in us by God's sovereign choice.

[John Weaver] Now, the point I would make here is this. If we recognized the difference between regeneration and conversion, it would save an awful lot of sin in the lives of pastors and Christians in general whom God has used to reach others. What do I mean by that? Well, no one is going to be converted unless they've been first regenerated. Regeneration is by the power of God, of course. Conversion is also by the power of God. But you remember what the Apostle Paul said in First Corinthians, Chapter three. He said, I've planted a polis water, but God gave the increase. And then he said, who then is a polis and who then is Paul? I know. What are we? We're nothing. The one that is important is God who gave the increase.

[John Weaver] So that means anybody that I am able to reach for the Lord Jesus Christ, it's all in the hands of God, and God receives all the honor and all the glory, and the same with you. Now, here's the important thing I want you to remember right now. And that is, regeneration is the implantation of divine life into the soul, and conversion is the evidence and exercise of that life that has been implanted by God.

[John Weaver] So the question then is how do we illustrate this? How do we explain this? Well, the interesting thing is there are only three illustrations of salvation in the New Testament. The first illustration is given to us in John chapter 3, and that is the illustration of a new birth. The second illustration is that of creation. which you will find in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 6, and 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 17. And the third illustration is that of resurrection, which you will find in Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 1. Now each of these illustrations of salvation demonstrates very clearly the absolute necessity of divine intervention. There can be no birth apart from the will and the beginning of the Father. There can be no creation except God speaks the world into existence.

[John Weaver] That's what He did according to Psalm 33, verses 6 through 9. He spoke and it happened. It came to pass. And then, of course, there can be no resurrection apart from a power without us. So it doesn't matter if you're talking about a birth, a creation, or a resurrection. Each one of these illustrations demonstrate the necessity of an outside power. No one can beget himself. No one and nothing can create itself or himself. And certainly no one can resurrect himself from the dead. You never pass a graveyard and see an arm sticking up or a foot sticking up or somebody's trying to raise it. No, no, no. It doesn't work like that. In other words, if any of these happen, there must, of necessity, be an outside power.

[John Weaver] Now, in John chapter 3 and verse 3, when Nicodemus comes and he says to the Lord that, you're a great teacher, and we know that God sent you because no man can do these miracles that you are doing except God be with him. And our Lord just cut to the chase and He said, verily, verily, I say unto you, you must Be born again. Now the Greek word for again is the word anathema, which literally means you must be born from above. It is true that one must be born again, but being born again is being born from above. Now, if you will look at this, look in verse 5 just to show you right now the distinction between the natural and the spiritual. Jesus answered in verse 5, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water, that would be the physical birth, and of the spirit, that's the spiritual birth, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Then if you look down, if you would please, the verse six, he says that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.

[John Weaver] So obviously, there is a comparison here between the physical birth and the spiritual birth, and they are distinct, but there are similarities at the same time. Now, I want you to go back to verse three. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Now the word cannot, of course, is a negative. But the word cannot, which is a negative, comes from the Greek word dunamai, which means to be able, to have power, to do something of one's own ability or resources. So he is saying in verse 3 that no man in His own power, of His own ability, of His own resources, can even see the Kingdom of God. This is where we get our English word dynamite, dynamic, and dynamo from.

[John Weaver] So, let me show you this very quickly. I don't know if you've ever wondered, just even in the book of John, what natural man or unsaved man cannot do. I want to show you. Look in John 3 and verse 3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. So an unsaved man just cannot see the kingdom of God. He cannot perceive it. Skip down to verse 5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. So unless a man is begotten of God, he cannot see the kingdom, He cannot enter the kingdom. If you look in John 6 and verse 44, John 6, verse 44, here's something else that man cannot do. Look what he says. No man can come unto Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him, and I will raise him up in the last day."

[John Weaver] So, man in his own strength, in his own ability, in his own nature, cannot see the Kingdom, cannot enter the Kingdom, cannot come to Jesus Christ. Now, if you'll look in John chapter 8 and verse 43. Here's another cannot. John 8 verse 43. Our Lord looks at the Pharisees and He says this, Why do you not understand My speech? Even because you cannot hear My word. Wow! Skip down to verse 47.

[John Weaver] He that is of God heareth God's words. You therefore hear them not, Because you're not of God. So let's see, a fallen man then cannot see, he cannot enter, he cannot come, he cannot hear. And if you look in John chapter 12, and notice beginning there with verse 37, John 12 verse 37. Our Lord says this, But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him. that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who have believed our report and whom hath the armor of the Lord been revealed. Therefore, they could not believe. Because that Isaiah said again, he had blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted, nor should heal them. So according to John, the book of John, the words of our Lord. He's just simply saying an unsaved man cannot see, cannot enter, he cannot come, he cannot hear, he cannot believe.

[John Weaver] So very clearly then, we're seeing someone who is absolutely, totally, completely dependent upon God. Now, unless God intervenes, man is totally and helplessly and hopelessly lost. A good illustration would be in Matthew, not in Matthew, but in Mark chapter 10. You remember the rich young ruler who came running to our Lord? And he said, good master, what must I do that I may inherit eternal life? And our Lord said, why call you me good? There's none good, but one that is God. In other words, if I'm good, I'm God. And if I'm God, you don't come running into my presence demanding something of me. Well, anyhow, the young man went away extremely sorrowful because he's very rich. And our Lord said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter the kingdom of God.

[John Weaver] And the verse says his disciples were astonished and they asked this question. Who then can be saved? That's verse 26. Verse 27 says, our Lord responds, with men, it, salvation, is impossible, but not with God. With God, all things are possible. So our Lord just simply said, it's impossible for a man to save himself. That's why Jonah 2 verse 9, the Bible says salvation is of the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now, there is a correlation in John chapter 3 between the physical birth and the spiritual birth. Okay? Although there are dissimilarities, there are similarities as well. And so when our Lord said, verily, verily, I say to you, you must be born again, Nicodemus asked this question, how then can a man be born a second time? Can he enter into his mother's womb and be born again? Our Lord said, no, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

[John Weaver] So let me give you four things today, and I want us to do some comparing. First of all, there must be implantation for life. There must be implantation. Let's consider physical birth. Physical birth begins with conception. What is conception? Conception is nothing more than the implantation of life. Life is implanted into the womb. It is not necessary for the father and the mother to know that life is implanted. It is simply there.

[John Weaver] Both may be completely and totally ignorant. of the fact that life is there for a while. And yet that life is there. That life exists without their knowledge and without the knowledge of others. And the only way that a mother discovers that she is pregnant is there begins to be signs of life within her body. Please listen to this. There would never ever be any signs or evidences of pregnancy if there was no life present. has to be present for there to be evidences.

[John Weaver] Likewise, it is true in the spiritual realm. That's why the Bible said in Ephesians 2 and verse 1, And you have be quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sins. So we have no life in and of ourselves. And if all of a sudden there begins to be an evidence of life, that life had to come from somewhere. You remember the passage in Luke chapter 15, when the prodigal son returned.

[John Weaver] And of course, the father slew the fatted calf and there was rejoicing. And the elder brother came back and he heard the rejoicing and he got angry and upset because he said, look, he said, you've never killed a fatted calf for me. And when your son comes home and he's been with the harlots and wasted your money, he said, you killed the fatted calf. You know what the Father said? He said, it was Me that we should make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead and is alive.

[John Weaver] He was lost and now is found. So, our Lord then in Luke 15 compares the return of this boy as that of being alive. In John chapter 3, when our Lord says in verse 3, Verily, verily, I say unto you, you must be born again. That is actually an Aorist passive from Ganao. The Aorist tells you that it's something that happened one time and it's over. And the passive tells you that you were not active.

[John Weaver] You were simply the recipient. It happened to you. So if I said to everyone in this room, James hit me, James was the one that was doing the action. I was the one that was receiving the action. I was passive. So when the Bible says that we were born, God birthed us. But we were passive in it, which I will explain momentarily.

[John Weaver] Now, the same thing is true in 1 John 5 and verse 1. The Bible said, Whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ is born of God or has been begotten of God. The result of having been begotten of God is that you are believing now in the Lord Jesus Christ. So. We believe because we have been regenerated. So, our Lord in John chapter 3 is comparing the new birth with the physical birth.

[John Weaver] So here's a question I'd like to ask you. How many of you decided to be born physically? I mean, come on. What part did you play in your physical birth? And the answer is absolutely none. Your physical birth was the result of the actions of your parents. Your birth was based upon their wills. You did not make a decision. You did not take the first step. You did not coerce your parents into having you.

[John Weaver] You could not have because you didn't even exist. In other words, it was totally and completely their purpose that brought you into the world. And the same is true spiritually. We looked at James 1 in verse 18. Of His own will beget He us. Regeneration is the act of God alone. He is the Sovereign. He alone has the ability to give life. You remember that passage in John 11-13? He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But to as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to those that believed on His name, who were born, not of the will of man, nor of the flesh, but of God. When you take the negatives out, who were born of God. In other words, it was God who Did the beginning. That's why the Bible says in Romans chapter 9 in verse 16, it is neither of him that runneth or him that willeth, but of God that showeth mercy. That's why in the book of Ephesians or Philippians chapter 2 in verse 13, it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure.

[John Weaver] So regeneration is that act of God. where God implants divine life in the soul. Regeneration is the secret and inscrutable work of God and is never directly perceived by man, but can only be perceived by its effects. It's the same thing with conception. Conception is not perceived by the person who is conceived. I mean, obviously, conversion is the evidence and manifestation of regeneration. But in regeneration, God works alone.

[John Weaver] There is no cooperation of the sinner. Let me ask you a question. How can a child cooperate with his parents in conception? He can't. How can the thing that is created cooperate with the Creator? It can't. How can the dead man cooperate with His resurrection, again, because He is absolutely, totally dead. So just as it is impossible to know when conception takes place physically, it is likewise impossible to know when regeneration takes place. Both conception and regeneration are only known by their effects. So in order for a sinner to be saved, there must be first implantation. In order for a child to be born, there must first be implantation. OK, and regeneration is the implantation of life in the soul of man by a sovereign act of God. Secondly, there must be maturation. By that, I mean The life must mature. There's never going to be any manifestation without maturation. Once the physical conception is accomplished, shortly thereafter, there begins to be evidences of life.

[John Weaver] So here's a husband and wife, and the woman conceives. She may not know it. He may not know it. At least for a while. And shortly thereafter, there may be some signs that are actually demonstrating the fact that there may be life there. In fact, a woman may think that she has a virus. Or she may think that her hormones are out of whack, or she may think that, hey, I need to go on a diet, I'm gaining some weight all of a sudden, you know.

[John Weaver] We had a dear friend, she's now dead, but She went to the doctor because she was feeling sick and she was telling how sick she really was. And he examined her and he says, you're not sick. She said, oh, yes, I am. I'm sick every morning. I'm sick to my stomach. He says, no, you're not sick. You're pregnant. She's about 45. She said, what? My baby is 21.

[John Weaver] He said, I don't care. You're pregnant. You know, it may be where that life is there. You do not know it, but shortly there is going to be a maturation physically. And then not only is that mother going to know she's with child, the husband's going to know she's with child. And after a few months, everybody's going to know she's with child. OK, now. The same is true in the spiritual realm as well, because once life is implanted in the soul, then conviction begins. Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit, whereby He moves us and shows us our sins. and moves us to be grieved and broken over our sins. He shows us the just penalty of our sins. He shows us the wickedness and violence of our sins. He shows us our depravity.

[John Weaver] He brings us to the end of ourselves. And then He opens our eyes and shows us that Jesus Christ is the answer and Jesus Christ alone is the answer. Let me give you a good, clear illustration of this. I want you to turn, holding John 3, To the book of Jeremiah chapter 31. Jeremiah 31. And I want you to look at verses 18 and 19. Jeremiah 31 verses 18 and 19.

[John Weaver] Here's a wonderful picture, not only of regeneration and conversion, but actually a conviction after regeneration. So Jeremiah 31 verse 18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus. Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised as a bullock, unaccustomed to yoke." There's confessing of sin.

[John Weaver] Now look what he says. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned. For thou art the Lord my God. Now watch carefully. Surely after that I was turned, I repented. And after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh, I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth." So after God turned him, he was turned, and after he was turned, he repented.

[John Weaver] In other words, here is a picture of conviction after regeneration. I smote upon my thigh, I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. So, the truth of the matter is, here is maturation in conviction. How long does conviction take? The answer is, that is entirely up to the father. How long does it take to have a baby? You can usually answer nine months. But the truth is, a lot of women had babies in less than nine months. Some had babies. It took well over nine months.

[John Weaver] When Alice was pregnant, I thought she'd been pregnant for 20 years. I mean, you know the truth. No, but I think the baby is going to be born when the baby is going to be born. The doctors can say, well, your due date is October the 5th. That doesn't mean a thing. It can be October the 3rd. It can be October the 12th. It can be October the 18th.

[John Weaver] That's totally up into God's hands. Now, the same is true spiritually. It depends upon how God works with an individual as to whether or not he is convicted and that conviction is over with shortly or if there is a long time during conviction. Just like God knows how to deliver a physical baby, so God knows also how to deliver a spiritual baby. He knows exactly when that maturity is at its apex, at its zenith.

[John Weaver] So, there must be implantation, there must be maturation. Thirdly, there must be a manifestation. The ultimate proof that life has been given is that a real live baby comes into being. Months and months of waiting are finally over and a baby is born. You know, something would be terribly wrong if an expected mother was always expected and never delivered a baby. Likewise, Something would be terribly wrong if a convicted sinner was always convicted, but he never yet savingly came to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith. Something would be absolutely horrible. Just as a real life baby is proof indeed that a woman was pregnant, likewise a real genuine conversion is proof positive that a sinner has been regenerated.

[John Weaver] What does the Bible say? James 118, of his own will begat he us. And the word begat he us literally means to cease being pregnant. In other words, once God matures us, Spiritually, that sinner is going to come forth just like that child is going to come forth at the end of nine months. Those whom God regenerates, He converts. It is impossible to be regenerated without being converted. As a baby is brought forth in manifestation after implantation and maturation, even so it is true in the spiritual realm. Conversion is the act of God whereby He causes the regenerated in their conscious life to turn to Him in repentance and faith. Conversion follows regeneration just like a baby follows nine months of pregnancy. Regeneration and conversion are not necessarily simultaneous. You may be regenerated here on this particular date, but you may not be converted until months down the line. A woman may conceive on this particular date, but she doesn't have the baby right after she conceives. It may be seven months, it may be eight months, it may be nine months, it may be nine and a half months.

[John Weaver] I'm just simply pointing out the fact regeneration and conversion are not necessarily simultaneous, just like conception and birth are not simultaneous. The period of conviction is totally up to the Father. The period of time between conception and birth varies, and the period of time between regeneration and conversion varies as well.

[John Weaver] Now, let me also say, It does not matter how long someone was pregnant. The issue is, was there a real live child born? Okay? So, it does not matter how long someone has been convicted. The issue is, was someone genuinely converted? Okay? Neither does it matter how long someone has been in labor or how long someone has been convicted. Suppose some woman who only had two children came up to my wife and said to her, I have two children. I was in labor for eight hours on each one of them. Have you ever been in labor for eight hours? And my wife would respond, no. And the woman says heartily, well, then you have never had a baby. Well, the truth of the matter is my wife would have had two times as many as she had. The issue is not how long were you in labor. The issue is not how long were you pregnant. The issue is was a real child born. The issue is not, have you been convicted this long? Have you been convicted about this?

[John Weaver] No, no, no. It was a real sinner converted to Jesus Christ. Those whom the Father regenerates, the Holy Spirit always convicts.

[John Weaver] Now, let me give you a good, clear illustration. In John chapter 11, Lazarus dies. When our Lord hears that he's sick, he abides four days, still in the same spot. Finally, he tells his disciples, let's go again into Judea, that I may awaken Lazarus. Lazarus sleepeth. And they said, Lord, if he sleeps by this, you know, he's doing well. Our Lord said, no, you don't understand. He's dead. I go to awaken Him. And of course, you know how Mary and Martha come. And our Lord weeps.

[John Weaver] They take Him to the tomb. He says, roll you away the stone. Martha said, Lord, by this time He's sinking, for He's been dead four days. Our Lord said, did I not tell you if you believed, you'd see the glory of God. And so they roll the stone away. And in a loud voice, Jesus Christ says, Lazarus, come forth. Now, here's the question. Did God give Lazarus life in that tomb that enabled him to walk out of that tomb? Or did God only give Lazarus life after he got up and walked out?

[John Weaver] I think you know the answer. If God had not given him life in that tomb, he would have never gotten up and walked out. So when God gave Lazarus life in that tomb, that is a picture of regeneration. When Lazarus got up and walked out, that is the picture of conversion. Our Lord said, and said He came forth wrapped in grave clothes, our Lord said, Loose Him and let Him go. And so once you have been converted, the old dead grave clothes are cast off, your old habits are broken, your old ways of thinking or doing are broken, and you put on a new life in Jesus Christ. And so the raising of Lazarus from the dead is a good, excellent picture of what you and I would call regeneration and conversion.

[John Weaver] So here is always Always a manifestation, just like a woman will never, ever be pregnant forever, never, never, never. A sinner's not going to be convicted forever, never, never. If he's truly, genuinely convicted, sooner or later, there's going to be a conversion. He's going to repent of his sins and exercise faith in Jesus Christ. So let me go further. There must be implantation. There must be maturation. There must be a manifestation. And lastly, there must be assimilation.

[John Weaver] Now, this should be obvious. In order to live, to exercise life, one must be able to assimilate oxygen and food. I know that in some cases women have gone through implantation maturation, manifestation, and produced a stillborn child. While it is true that God never produces any stillborn children, that does not negate the fact that there are still plenty of stillborn children in our churches today. Those are the children to whom pastors and Christian workers have converted, given assurance, and granted a place in heaven all by their own. And the people have never, ever been regenerated by the grace and the power of God.

[John Weaver] I've told you, I'm sure of Billy Sunday, the Presbyterian evangelist, who was walking down the street and an old drunk met him, came staggering up. Why, Mr. Sunday, don't you recognize me? Billy said, no, I'm sorry, I do not. Why? He said, Mr. Sunday, surely you must recognize me. I'm one of your converts. Billy Sunday said, bless God, you must be. You're surely not one of God's.

[John Weaver] And so that's the way it is. We've got a lot of converts ourselves that God never, ever regenerated.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you a question. Would you not think something was wrong? I mean, dreadfully wrong. If a newborn child never cried, was never hungry, was never thirsty, never, ever grew or developed, wouldn't you think something would be awfully wrong? Well, you can put two and two together and you say, if that child never cries and never hungers and never thirsts and never grows, he's dead. And that's true. Isn't it strange that we can put two plus two together and get four in the natural realm, but we can't put two plus two together and get four in the spiritual realm, because here we have multitudes of people who never cry, who never hunger. What is the first thing that a baby does when he's born? He cries. What is the first thing that a baby wants and desires when he's born? Milk.

[John Weaver] So let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 4. Then we'll go to 1 Peter chapter 2. Galatians chapter 4. And then we'll go to 1 Peter. Look in Galatians chapter 4 and let's begin reading there with verse 4. Galatians 4, verse 4, the Bible says, But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent for this son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Now watch verse 6, And because you are sons, you are already regenerated, You're already adopted. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

[John Weaver] Just like it is normal and natural for a real, live, first-born baby to cry, it is normal and natural for a real-born child of God who's been converted by the grace of God to call God Father and to pray. And may I say also again, he said he sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying, Abba, Father. Abba is a Hebrew word which just simply means Papa. And Papa is a term of endearment. It's a term of love. So we cry, Papa, Father.

[John Weaver] In other words, we understand there is a relationship that exists. And it is an intimate relationship because of God's grace. So. The first thing we do once we are converted is we learn to call God our father and we learn to pray for to him. Note, if you would now in First Peter, chapter two and verse one, look at what the Bible says. First Peter two and verse one.

[John Weaver] Wherefore, laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby." There is something wrong with a professing Christian who never prays. There's something wrong with a professing Christian who never calls God his Father. And there's something dreadfully wrong with a professing Christian that never, ever hungers for the Word of God. If we have been truly regenerated and converted by God, we will hunger after His Word. It is our milk. It is our meat. It is our nourishment. As physical babies cannot grow without milk, Spiritual babies cannot grow without the milk of the Word of God.

[John Weaver] It's absolutely necessary and essential. Let me show you. Turn right over to 2 Peter 3. I've pointed this out before, but in light of what I'm preaching. Let me say it again. 2 Peter 3 and verse 18. The Bible says, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen. When he says, but grow in grace and, the little word and is the Greek word kai. That word kai is translated in our Bibles many times as even. So you could read verse 18, but grow in grace even in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus, Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In other words, if you're not growing in knowledge, you're not growing in grace. And the only way you're going to grow in knowledge is to have the milk of the word and the meat of the word.

[John Weaver] So one of the evidences of a child that is genuinely born alive as if he cries. The next evidence is he desires milk. And the same is true with a spiritual child. We cry and we desire the milk of the words. Stillborns do not cry, neither do they eat. Those who are born alive do both. You look around. at church members who have no desire to pray, no desire to study, no desire to learn.

[John Weaver] They're never hungry for the Word of God. Something is seriously wrong. Regeneration is the implantation of life. Conversion is the evidence and the fruit of that life. We can know regeneration by its effects. A child should be like his father, wants to be like his father. And when you get to Matthew 5 and verse 45, the Bible says, therefore be ye perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. Now, it is true we're not perfect in this life. We never will be perfect in this life. That still does not negate the fact that we desire to be perfect. I don't want to sin against God. I know I do sin, but I don't want to. And we will be perfect in heaven, but until we get into glory. The truth of the matter is we should be constantly and continually bringing our lives in conformity to the Word of God. And the way we do that is by crying to our Heavenly Father in prayer and by being nourished on the milk and the meat of the Word of God.

[John Weaver] So just like in a physical birth, there must be implantation, maturation, Manifestation and assimilation. The same is true in the spiritual. God must regenerate us. He must mature us through conviction. Then He manifests His regenerating grace in conversion. And then we live on the milk and meat of His Word as we cry to Him. How do I know whether or not I'm genuinely saved? Well, John can answer that for us. Because in 1 John 2 and verse 3, the Bible says, And hereby we do know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. Verse 4 says, He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. In other words, The man that has been genuinely converted is the man who is constantly and continually endeavoring to bring his life into conformity to the Word of God in obedience so that he might honor his heavenly Father. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to You this day. We thank You for Your Word.

[John Weaver] We thank You for Your truth. We thank You, Father, that salvation is by grace through faith alone. Help us to understand. Help us to comprehend. Help us to see the absolute necessity of prayer and thanksgiving and reading and studying and nourishing our lives on Your Word. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen.

Salvation Illustrated and Explained

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	107201642594117
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Assurance, Providence, and Life in the Spirit: Walking With God
Genre	Sermon
Date	2020-10-07
Dictation Name
Book	Book 132: Romans: Assurance, Providence, and Life in the Spirit — Chapter 8
Source Timed Segments	73

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Need to Distinguish Regeneration and Conversion

Weaver explains that many Christians confuse regeneration and conversion, but understanding their differences is essential for assurance of salvation.

Let's open our Bibles to John chapter 3. John chapter 3. And the title of the message is Salvation Illustrated and Explained. And I will tell you why I'm preaching this message. Notice John chapter three, beginning there in verse one, very familiar passage.

Scripture Reading — John 3:1-12

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of the water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.

Marvel not that I say to thee, you must be born again. The wind bloweth whither it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but thou canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth. So is everyone that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said to him, Art thou a master of Israel and knowest not these things? Verily I say unto thee, We speak that we do know and testify that we have seen, and you receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things? I wanted to explain the difference, or I might also say the relationship between regeneration and conversion.

In the past two weeks, I've had three individuals particularly come to me and tell me they were unsure as to whether or not they were genuinely saved. And I tried to answer their questions and share some things with them from Scripture. But we must have a proper understanding between regeneration and conversion. These are two distinct and different works of God, yet they are intimately related. And if we're going to discern whether or not we are genuinely converted, we certainly need to know these differences. Unhappily, most Christians can neither define nor distinguish between regeneration and conversion. In fact, most Christians believe that those terms are synonymous, and therefore they may be used interchangeably. They are not synonymous, and they are not interchangeable.

Seven Distinctions Between Regeneration and Conversion

Weaver lists seven key differences: regeneration is God's act imparting life, conversion is man's response; regeneration is once-for-all, conversion can be repeated; regeneration is not experiential, conversion is; regeneration causes turning, conversion is the turning; regeneration is God opening the heart, conversion is obedience; regeneration is once-for-all cleansing, conversion is ongoing renewal.

So, I want you to listen. I've got seven of them listed. Number one, regeneration is the immediate act of God in imparting the principle of life. Conversion is the act of man by the power of the indwelling Spirit, repenting and believing. Number two, regeneration is the single act of God and it is never repeated. Conversion is the beginning of a holy life. But listen, there are many conversion experiences throughout one's life's journey.

For instance, you remember that passage in Luke chapter 22, beginning there, verse 31 through 34, where our Lord said, Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have thee, that he may sift thee as wheat. But he said, I pray for thee, listen carefully, that thy faith fail not. And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. So Peter was already a believer. Our Lord said, I pray for you that your faith fail not, that yet when thou art converted, strengthen your brethren. In other words, you're going to deny me, but when you are turned back, then you strengthen your brethren.

So there are times in our lives not just counting our initial conversion to Jesus Christ, but there are times when we get off the path and we have to turn back into the path. So, regeneration is a single act of God, while conversion can be several times during one's life. And number four is this, or number three I should say, regeneration is not in itself an experience, while conversion is a series of Christian experiences. Now in this chapter, our Lord is going to compare the new birth with being born physically. So just like there is no consciousness in the child when the child is conceived, he doesn't know he's conceived. He doesn't know there's life there. So there is not any consciousness particularly in the individual when God imparts life into his soul.

Now later on I'm going to explain to you certainly the effects are going to be made known. But repentance and faith are experiential. They are something that you experience. Regeneration is something that is done in you, but you do not experience it as such. Number four, regeneration is the cause of an individual turning to the Lord. Conversion is when the individual actually turns to the Lord in repentance and faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. Now, you know that repentance is God's gift and faith is likewise God's gift. But God's not going to repent for us. He's not going to believe for us. So the difference is regeneration is the cause of our conversion and conversion is the fruit and the evidence of being regenerated. Number five, regeneration is Lord opening the heart. Conversion is when the individual turns to Christ in obedience.

For instance, in Acts 16, verses 14 and 15, the Bible tells us that Paul went down by the river where women gathered together to pray. And he spoke to the women. And the Bible said that there was a certain woman there by the name of Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, listen now, whose heart the Lord opened, with the result that she listened to the words which were spoken by Paul. And of course, Lydia then repented and was baptized. And she said, if you judge me faithful in the Lord, come into my house. And she constrained them and they came in. So the Bible says the Lord opened her heart, with the result that she heard what Paul said and she repented and believed and she was baptized. Number six, regeneration is a once and for all cleansing while conversion is the continuation of the renewal which began in regeneration.

Now, let me illustrate that for you. In John chapter 13, our Lord was going to wash the feet of his disciples and he got to Peter. And Peter said, Lord, thou shalt never wash my feet. Our Lord said, if I wash thee not, thou hast no part of me. And then Peter said, Lord, not my feet only, but my head and my body. Wash me everywhere. And what did our Lord say? They that be whole need not to be washed save their feet. In other words, your feet is where you walk.

Three New Testament Illustrations of Salvation

Weaver identifies birth, creation, and resurrection as the only NT illustrations of salvation, each demonstrating the necessity of divine intervention.

So the question then is how do we illustrate this? How do we explain this? Well, the interesting thing is there are only three illustrations of salvation in the New Testament. The first illustration is given to us in John chapter 3, and that is the illustration of a new birth. The second illustration is that of creation, which you will find in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 6, and 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 17. And the third illustration is that of resurrection, which you will find in Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 1. Now each of these illustrations of salvation demonstrates very clearly the absolute necessity of divine intervention. There can be no birth apart from the will and the beginning of the Father. There can be no creation except God speaks the world into existence.

That's what He did according to Psalm 33, verses 6 through 9. He spoke and it happened. It came to pass. And then, of course, there can be no resurrection apart from a power without us. So it doesn't matter if you're talking about a birth, a creation, or a resurrection. Each one of these illustrations demonstrate the necessity of an outside power. No one can beget himself. No one and nothing can create itself or himself. And certainly no one can resurrect himself from the dead. You never pass a graveyard and see an arm sticking up or a foot sticking up or somebody's trying to raise it. No, no, no. It doesn't work like that. In other words, if any of these happen, there must, of necessity, be an outside power.

The Inability of Natural Man

Weaver cites John 3, 6, 8, and 12 to show that unsaved man cannot see, enter, come, hear, or believe without God's enabling.

So, let me show you this very quickly. I don't know if you've ever wondered, just even in the book of John, what natural man or unsaved man cannot do. I want to show you. Look in John 3 and verse 3.

Scripture Reading — John 3:3,5; 6:44; 8:43,47; 12:37-40

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. So an unsaved man just cannot see the kingdom of God. He cannot perceive it. Skip down to verse 5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. So unless a man is begotten of God, he cannot see the kingdom,

he cannot enter the kingdom. If you look in John 6 and verse 44, John 6, verse 44, here's something else that man cannot do. Look what he says. "No man can come unto Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him, and I will raise him up in the last day." So, man in his own strength, in his own ability, in his own nature, cannot see the Kingdom, cannot enter the Kingdom, cannot come to Jesus Christ. Now, if you'll look in John chapter 8 and verse 43. Here's another cannot. John 8 verse 43. Our Lord looks at the Pharisees and He says this, "Why do you not understand My speech? Even because you cannot hear My word." Wow! Skip down to verse 47. He that is of God heareth God's words. You therefore hear them not, because you're not of God. So let's see, a fallen man then cannot see, he cannot enter, he cannot come, he cannot hear. And if you look in John chapter 12, and notice beginning there with verse 37, John 12 verse 37. Our Lord says this, "But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him, that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who have believed our report and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed. Therefore, they could not believe. Because that Isaiah said again, he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted, and I should heal them." So according to John, the book of John, the words of our Lord, He's just simply saying an unsaved man cannot see, cannot enter, he cannot come, he cannot hear, he cannot believe.

Implantation: The Beginning of Life

Weaver compares physical conception to regeneration: life is implanted by God without the recipient's knowledge or cooperation, known only by later effects.

So let me give you four things today, and I want us to do some comparing. First of all, there must be implantation for life. There must be implantation. Let's consider physical birth. Physical birth begins with conception. What is conception? Conception is nothing more than the implantation of life. Life is implanted into the womb. It is not necessary for the father and the mother to know that life is implanted. It is simply there.

Both may be completely and totally ignorant of the fact that life is there for a while. And yet that life is there. That life exists without their knowledge and without the knowledge of others. And the only way that a mother discovers that she is pregnant is there begins to be signs of life within her body. Please listen to this. There would never ever be any signs or evidences of pregnancy if there was no life present. Life has to be present for there to be evidences.

Scripture Reading — Luke 15:24,32

Likewise, it is true in the spiritual realm. That's why the Bible said in Ephesians 2 and verse 1, "And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sins." So we have no life in and of ourselves. And if all of a sudden there begins to be an evidence of life, that life had to come from somewhere. You remember the passage in Luke chapter 15, when the prodigal son returned. And of course, the father slew the fatted calf and there was rejoicing. And the elder brother came back and he heard the rejoicing and he got angry and upset because he said, look, he said, you've never killed a fatted calf for me. And when your son comes home and he's been with the harlots and wasted your money, he said, you killed the fatted calf. You know what the Father said? He said, it was meet that we should make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead and is alive.

He was lost and now is found. So, our Lord then in Luke 15 compares the return of this boy as that of being alive. In John chapter 3, when our Lord says in verse 3, Verily, verily, I say unto you, you must be born again. That is actually an Aorist passive from gennao. The Aorist tells you that it's something that happened one time and it's over. And the passive tells you that you were not active. You were simply the recipient. It happened to you. So if I said to everyone in this room, James hit me, James was the one that was doing the action. I was the one that was receiving the action. I was passive. So when the Bible says that we were born, God birthed us. But we were passive in it, which I will explain momentarily.

Now, the same thing is true in 1 John 5 and verse 1. The Bible said, Whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ is born of God or has been begotten of God. The result of having been begotten of God is that you are believing now in the Lord Jesus Christ. So, we believe because we have been regenerated. So, our Lord in John chapter 3 is comparing the new birth with the physical birth.

So here's a question I'd like to ask you. How many of you decided to be born physically? I mean, come on. What part did you play in your physical birth? And the answer is absolutely none. Your physical birth was the result of the actions of your parents. Your birth was based upon their wills. You did not make a decision. You did not take the first step. You did not coerce your parents into having you.

You could not have because you didn't even exist. In other words, it was totally and completely their purpose that brought you into the world. And the same is true spiritually. We looked at James 1 in verse 18. Of His own will beget He us. Regeneration is the act of God alone. He is the Sovereign. He alone has the ability to give life. You remember that passage in John 1:12-13? He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But to as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to those that believed on His name, who were born, not of the will of man, nor of the flesh, but of God. When you take the negatives out, who were born of God. In other words, it was God who did the beginning. That's why the Bible says in Romans chapter 9 in verse 16, it is neither of him that runneth or him that willeth, but of God that showeth mercy. That's why in the book of Ephesians or Philippians chapter 2 in verse 13, it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure.

So regeneration is that act of God where God implants divine life in the soul. Regeneration is the secret and inscrutable work of God and is never directly perceived by man, but can only be perceived by its effects. It's the same thing with conception. Conception is not perceived by the person who is conceived. I mean, obviously, conversion is the evidence and manifestation of regeneration. But in regeneration, God works alone.

There is no cooperation of the sinner. Let me ask you a question. How can a child cooperate with his parents in conception? He can't. How can the thing that is created cooperate with the Creator? It can't. How can the dead man cooperate with His resurrection, again, because He is absolutely, totally dead. So just as it is impossible to know when conception takes place physically, it is likewise impossible to know when regeneration takes place. Both conception and regeneration are only known by their effects. So in order for a sinner to be saved, there must be first implantation. In order for a child to be born, there must first be implantation. OK, and regeneration is the implantation of life in the soul of man by a sovereign act of God. Secondly, there must be maturation. By that, I mean the life must mature. There's never going to be any manifestation without maturation. Once the physical conception is accomplished, shortly thereafter, there begins to be evidences of life.

Maturation: The Process of Conviction

Weaver explains that after regeneration, the Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin, leading the sinner to see Christ as the answer; the duration varies.

So here's a husband and wife, and the woman conceives. She may not know it. He may not know it. At least for a while. And shortly thereafter, there may be some signs that are actually demonstrating the fact that there may be life there. In fact, a woman may think that she has a virus. Or she may think that her hormones are out of whack, or she may think that, hey, I need to go on a diet, I'm gaining some weight all of a sudden, you know.

We had a dear friend, she's now dead, but she went to the doctor because she was feeling sick and she was telling how sick she really was. And he examined her and he says, you're not sick. She said, oh, yes, I am. I'm sick every morning. I'm sick to my stomach. He says, no, you're not sick. You're pregnant. She's about 45. She said, what? My baby is 21.

He said, I don't care. You're pregnant. You know, it may be where that life is there. You do not know it, but shortly there is going to be a maturation physically. And then not only is that mother going to know she's with child, the husband's going to know she's with child. And after a few months, everybody's going to know she's with child. OK, now. The same is true in the spiritual realm as well, because once life is implanted in the soul, then conviction begins. Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit, whereby He moves us and shows us our sins, and moves us to be grieved and broken over our sins. He shows us the just penalty of our sins. He shows us the wickedness and violence of our sins. He shows us our depravity.

He brings us to the end of ourselves. And then He opens our eyes and shows us that Jesus Christ is the answer and Jesus Christ alone is the answer. Let me give you a good, clear illustration of this. I want you to turn, holding John 3, to the book of Jeremiah chapter 31. Jeremiah 31. And I want you to look at verses 18 and 19. Jeremiah 31 verses 18 and 19.

Here's a wonderful picture, not only of regeneration and conversion, but actually a conviction after regeneration. So Jeremiah 31 verse 18.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:18-19

I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus. Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised as a bullock, unaccustomed to

yoke." There's confessing of sin.

Now look what he says. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned. For thou art the Lord my God. Now watch carefully. Surely after that I was turned, I repented. And after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh, I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth." So after God turned him, he was turned, and after he was turned, he repented. In other words, here is a picture of conviction after regeneration. I smote upon my thigh, I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. So, the truth of the matter is, here is maturation in conviction. How long does conviction take? The answer is, that is entirely up to the father. How long does it take to have a baby? You can usually answer nine months. But the truth is, a lot of women had babies in less than nine months. Some had babies. It took well over nine months.

When Alice was pregnant, I thought she'd been pregnant for 20 years. I mean, you know the truth. No, but I think the baby is going to be born when the baby is going to be born. The doctors can say, well, your due date is October the 5th. That doesn't mean a thing. It can be October the 3rd. It can be October the 12th. It can be October the 18th.

That's totally up into God's hands. Now, the same is true spiritually. It depends upon how God works with an individual as to whether or not he is convicted and that conviction is over with shortly or if there is a long time during conviction. Just like God knows how to deliver a physical baby, so God knows also how to deliver a spiritual baby. He knows exactly when that maturity is at its apex, at its zenith.

Manifestation: Conversion as the Evidence of Regeneration

Weaver asserts that regeneration always results in conversion, just as pregnancy results in birth; conversion is the conscious turning to Christ.

So, there must be implantation, there must be maturation. Thirdly, there must be a manifestation. The ultimate proof that life has been given is that a real live baby comes into being. Months and months of waiting are finally over and a baby is born. You know, something would be terribly wrong if an expected mother was always expected and never delivered a baby. Likewise, something would be terribly wrong if a convicted sinner was always convicted, but he never yet savingly came to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith. Something would be absolutely horrible. Just as a real life baby is proof indeed that a woman was pregnant, likewise a real genuine conversion is proof positive that a sinner has been regenerated.

What does the Bible say? James 1:18, of his own will begat he us. And the word begat he us literally means to cease being pregnant. In other words, once God matures us, spiritually, that sinner is going to come forth just like that child is going to come forth at the end of nine months. Those whom God regenerates, He converts. It is impossible to be regenerated without being converted. As a baby is brought forth in manifestation after implantation and maturation, even so it is true in the spiritual realm. Conversion is the act of God whereby He causes the regenerated in their conscious life to turn to Him in repentance and faith. Conversion follows regeneration just like a baby follows nine months of pregnancy. Regeneration and conversion are not necessarily simultaneous. You may be regenerated here on this particular date, but you may not be converted until months down the line. A woman may conceive on this particular date, but she doesn't have the baby right after she conceives. It may be seven months, it may be eight months, it may be nine months, it may be nine and a half months.

I'm just simply pointing out the fact regeneration and conversion are not necessarily simultaneous, just like conception and birth are not simultaneous. The period of conviction is totally up to the Father. The period of time between conception and birth varies, and the period of time between regeneration and conversion varies as well. Now, let me also say, it does not matter how long someone was pregnant. The issue is, was there a real live child born? Okay? So, it does not matter how long someone has been convicted. The issue is, was someone genuinely converted? Okay? Neither does it matter how long someone has been in labor or how long someone has been convicted. Suppose some woman who only had two children came up to my wife and said to her, I have two children. I was in labor for eight hours on each one of them. Have you ever been in labor for eight hours? And my wife would respond, no. And the woman says heartily, well, then you have never had a baby. Well, the truth of the matter is my wife would have had two times as many as she had. The issue is not how long were you in labor. The issue is not how long were you pregnant. The issue is was a real child born. The issue is not, have you been convicted this long? Have you been convicted about this?

No, no, no. It was a real sinner converted to Jesus Christ. Those whom the Father regenerates, the Holy Spirit always convicts. Now, let me give you a good, clear illustration. In John chapter 11, Lazarus dies. When our Lord hears that he's sick, he abides four days, still in the same spot. Finally, he tells his disciples, let's go again into Judea, that I may awaken Lazarus. Lazarus sleepeth. And they said, Lord, if he sleeps by this, you know, he's doing well. Our Lord said, no, you don't understand. He's dead. I go to awaken Him. And of course, you know how Mary and Martha come. And our Lord weeps.

They take Him to the tomb. He says, roll you away the stone. Martha said, Lord, by this time He's stinking, for He's been dead four days. Our Lord said, did I not tell you if you believed, you'd see the glory of God. And so they roll the stone away. And in a loud voice, Jesus Christ says, Lazarus, come forth. Now, here's the question. Did God give Lazarus life in that tomb that enabled him to walk out of that tomb? Or did God only give Lazarus life after he got up and walked out?

I think you know the answer. If God had not given him life in that tomb, he would have never gotten up and walked out. So when God gave Lazarus life in that tomb, that is a picture of regeneration. When Lazarus got up and walked out, that is the picture of conversion. Our Lord said, and he came forth wrapped in grave clothes, our Lord said, Loose him and let him go. And so once you have been converted, the old dead grave clothes are cast off, your old habits are broken, your old ways of thinking or doing are broken, and you put on a new life in Jesus Christ. And so the raising of Lazarus from the dead is a good, excellent picture of what you and I would call regeneration and conversion.

Assimilation: The Evidence of New Life

Weaver argues that genuine converts will cry out to God in prayer, hunger for Scripture, and grow in grace and knowledge, unlike stillborn professions.

Now, this should be obvious. In order to live, to exercise life, one must be able to assimilate oxygen and food. I know that in some cases women have gone through implantation, maturation, manifestation, and produced a stillborn child. While it is true that God never produces any stillborn children, that does not negate the fact that there are still plenty of stillborn children in our churches today. Those are the children to whom pastors and Christian workers have converted, given assurance, and granted a place in heaven all by their own. And the people have never, ever been regenerated by the grace and the power of God. I've told you, I'm sure of Billy Sunday, the Presbyterian evangelist, who was walking down the street and an old drunk met him, came staggering up. Why, Mr. Sunday, don't you recognize me? Billy said, no, I'm sorry, I do not. Why? He said, Mr. Sunday, surely you must recognize me. I'm one of your converts. Billy Sunday said, bless God, you must be. You're surely not one of God's.

And so that's the way it is. We've got a lot of converts ourselves that God never, ever regenerated. Now, let me ask you a question. Would you not think something was wrong? I mean, dreadfully wrong. If a newborn child never cried, was never hungry, was never thirsty, never, ever grew or developed, wouldn't you think something would be awfully wrong? Well, you can put two and two together and you say, if that child never cries and never hungers and never thirsts and never grows, he's dead. And that's true. Isn't it strange that we can put two plus two together and get four in the natural realm, but we can't put two plus two together and get four in the spiritual realm, because here we have multitudes of people who never cry, who never hunger. What is the first thing that a baby does when he's born? He cries. What is the first thing that a baby wants and desires when he's born? Milk.

So let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 4. Then we'll go to 1 Peter chapter 2. Galatians chapter 4. And then we'll go to 1 Peter. Look in Galatians chapter 4 and let's begin reading there with verse 4. Galatians 4, verse 4, the Bible says, But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Now watch verse 6, And because you are sons, you are already regenerated, you're already adopted. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Just like it is normal and natural for a real, live, first-born baby to cry, it is normal and natural for a real-born child of God who's been converted by the grace of God to call God Father and to pray. And may I say also again, he said he sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying, Abba, Father. Abba is a Hebrew word which just simply means Papa. And Papa is a term of endearment. It's a term of love. So we cry, Papa, Father. In other words, we understand there is a relationship that exists. And it is an intimate relationship because of God's grace. So, the first thing we do once we are converted is we learn to call God our father and we learn to pray to him. Note, if you would now in First Peter, chapter two and verse one, look at what the Bible says. First Peter 2 and verse 1.

Wherefore, laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby." There is something wrong with a professing Christian who never prays. There's something wrong with a professing Christian who never calls God his Father. And there's something dreadfully wrong with a professing Christian that never, ever hungers for the Word of God. If we have been truly regenerated and converted by God, we will hunger after His Word. It is our milk. It is our meat. It is our nourishment. As physical babies cannot grow without milk, spiritual babies cannot grow without the milk of the Word of God.

It's absolutely necessary and essential. Let me show you. Turn right over to 2 Peter 3. I've pointed this out before, but in light of what I'm preaching. Let me say it again. 2 Peter 3 and verse 18. The Bible says, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen. When he says, but grow in grace and, the little word and is the Greek word kai. That word kai is translated in our Bibles many times as even. So you could read verse 18, but grow in grace even in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In other words, if you're not growing in knowledge, you're not growing in grace. And the only way you're going to grow in knowledge is to have the milk of the word and the meat of the word.

So one of the evidences of a child that is genuinely born alive is if he cries. The next evidence is he desires milk. And the same is true with a spiritual child. We cry and we desire the milk of the words. Stillborns do not cry, neither do they eat. Those who are born alive do both. You look around at church members who have no desire to pray, no desire to study, no desire to learn.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Distinction between regeneration and conversion

Summary: Regeneration is God's sovereign, once-for-all act of imparting spiritual life; conversion is the conscious human response of repentance and faith.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'regeneration is the immediate act of God in imparting the principle of life. Conversion is the act of man by the power of the indwelling Spirit, repenting and believing.'

Sovereignty of God in salvation

Summary: Salvation originates entirely from God's will and power, not human decision or effort.

Evidence: Weaver quotes James 1:18: 'Of His own will begat He us' and emphasizes that regeneration is based on God's sovereign will.

Necessity of divine intervention

Summary: Man is totally unable to save himself; salvation requires God's outside power, illustrated by birth, creation, and resurrection.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'There can be no birth apart from the will and the beginning of the Father. There can be no creation except God speaks... there can be no resurrection apart from a power without us.'

Assurance through evidence of new life

Summary: True regeneration is evidenced by prayer, hunger for God's Word, and obedience, not by a past decision or experience.

Evidence: Weaver cites Galatians 4:6 and 1 Peter 2:2 to show that spiritual children cry 'Abba, Father' and desire the milk of the Word.

Danger of false assurance

Summary: Many professing Christians lack evidence of regeneration and are like stillborn children, having been given false assurance by human efforts.

Evidence: Weaver warns: 'there are still plenty of stillborn children in our churches today... people have never, ever been regenerated by the grace and the power of God.'

Key Arguments

Regeneration is monergistic, not synergistic

Summary: God alone regenerates; the sinner is passive and contributes nothing, just as a baby does not cooperate in conception.

Evidence: Weaver argues: 'How can a child cooperate with his parents in conception? He can't. How can the thing that is created cooperate with the Creator? It can't.'

Regeneration precedes and causes conversion

Summary: Conversion is the fruit and evidence of regeneration; one cannot be converted without first being regenerated.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'regeneration is the cause of our conversion and conversion is the fruit and the evidence of being regenerated.'

The new birth is analogous to physical birth

Summary: Jesus' use of birth imagery in John 3 teaches that spiritual birth, like physical birth, involves implantation, maturation, manifestation, and assimilation.

Evidence: Weaver outlines the four stages: 'there must be implantation for life... there must be maturation... there must be a manifestation... there must be assimilation.'

Conviction is a necessary part of maturation

Summary: After regeneration, the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, leading to repentance; the duration of conviction varies.

Evidence: Weaver explains: 'once life is implanted in the soul, then conviction begins... He shows us our depravity.'

Genuine conversion produces ongoing spiritual growth

Summary: True converts will pray, desire Scripture, and grow in grace; lack of these indicates a stillborn profession.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'If we have been truly regenerated and converted by God, we will hunger after His Word.'

Scripture References

John 3:1-12

Context: Weaver reads the passage about Nicodemus and Jesus' teaching on the new birth, emphasizing 'born again' as 'born from above'.

James 1:18

Context: Weaver quotes this verse to show that regeneration is by God's sovereign will: 'Of His own will begat He us.'

John 3:8

Context: Weaver uses the wind analogy to illustrate the sovereignty and inscrutability of regeneration.

Luke 22:31-34

Context: Weaver cites Jesus' words to Peter to show that conversion can occur multiple times in a believer's life.

Acts 16:14-15

Context: Weaver references Lydia's conversion to illustrate that the Lord opens the heart (regeneration) leading to response (conversion).

John 13:8-10

Context: Weaver uses Jesus washing the disciples' feet to illustrate that regeneration is once-for-all cleansing, while conversion involves ongoing cleansing.

1 Corinthians 3:6-7

Context: Weaver quotes Paul to emphasize that God gives the increase in salvation, not human effort.

John 3:3,5; 6:44; 8:43,47; 12:37-40

Context: Weaver strings these verses together to demonstrate the total inability of natural man to see, enter, come, hear, or believe.

Mark 10:17-27

Context: Weaver recounts the rich young ruler to show that salvation is impossible with men but possible with God.

Ephesians 2:1

Context: Weaver quotes this verse to affirm that we are spiritually dead until God quickens us.

Luke 15:24,32

Context: Weaver references the prodigal son to illustrate that conversion is a passing from death to life.

1 John 5:1

Context: Weaver cites this verse to argue that belief is the result of being born of God.

John 1:12-13

Context: Weaver quotes to show that the new birth is not of human will but of God.

Romans 9:16

Context: Weaver references this verse to emphasize that salvation depends on God's mercy, not human will or effort.

Philippians 2:13

Context: Weaver quotes to show that God works in believers both to will and to do His good pleasure.

Jeremiah 31:18-19

Context: Weaver uses Ephraim's bemoaning to illustrate conviction after regeneration: 'after that I was turned, I repented.'

John 11:1-44

Context: Weaver uses the raising of Lazarus to picture regeneration (life given in the tomb) and conversion (coming forth).

Galatians 4:4-6

Context: Weaver quotes to show that because believers are sons, God sends the Spirit crying 'Abba, Father'—evidence of new life.

1 Peter 2:1-2

Context: Weaver cites to show that newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, a mark of genuine conversion.

2 Peter 3:18

Context: Weaver explains that growing in grace is linked to growing in knowledge of Christ, which comes through the Word.

Historical References

Billy Graham's book 'How to be Born Again'

Context: Weaver critiques the title, arguing the Bible never tells how to be born again because only God can regenerate.

Albert Barnes' commentary on James 1:18

Context: Weaver quotes Barnes to support that regeneration is traced solely to God's sovereign will.

Billy Sunday, Presbyterian evangelist

Context: Weaver tells an anecdote about Billy Sunday encountering a drunk who claimed to be his convert, illustrating false conversions.

Important Quotes

Of His own will begat He us.

Significance: Weaver repeatedly uses this verse to emphasize that regeneration is entirely God's sovereign act, not human decision.

The wind bloweth whither it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Significance: Weaver uses this to illustrate that regeneration is sovereign and inscrutable, known only by its effects.

Regeneration is the implantation of divine life into the soul, and conversion is the evidence and exercise of that life that has been implanted by God.

Significance: This is Weaver's central thesis, summarizing the relationship between the two works of God.

How can a child cooperate with his parents in conception? He can't. How can the thing that is created cooperate with the Creator? It can't. How can the dead man cooperate with His resurrection, again, because He is absolutely, totally dead.

Significance: Weaver uses rhetorical questions to stress the passivity of the sinner in regeneration.

Surely after that I was turned, I repented.

Significance: Weaver quotes Jeremiah 31:19 to show that repentance follows God's turning (regeneration), not precedes it.

Those whom God regenerates, He converts. It is impossible to be regenerated without being converted.

Significance: Weaver asserts the inseparable link between regeneration and conversion, countering any notion of a regeneration that never manifests.

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby.

Significance: Weaver uses 1 Peter 2:2 to show that a genuine convert will have an appetite for Scripture, a mark of spiritual life.

Discussion Questions

How does understanding the distinction between regeneration and conversion affect your assurance of salvation?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that many Christians confuse these terms, leading to uncertainty about genuine salvation.

In what ways does the physical birth analogy help you grasp the nature of spiritual birth?

Context: Weaver develops the analogy of implantation, maturation, manifestation, and assimilation throughout the sermon.

Why is it important to recognize that regeneration is entirely God's work, without human cooperation?

Context: Weaver argues from James 1:18 and the birth analogy that we are passive in regeneration.

What role does conviction of sin play in the process of conversion, and how might its duration vary?

Context: Weaver describes conviction as the maturation phase, using Jeremiah 31 and the pregnancy analogy.

How can we discern genuine conversion from a false profession, according to the evidences Weaver presents?

Context: Weaver points to prayer, hunger for Scripture, and obedience as marks of new life, warning against stillborn professions.

What does the raising of Lazarus teach us about the relationship between regeneration and conversion?

Context: Weaver uses John 11 to illustrate that life is given before the response of coming forth.

How should the truth that 'salvation is of the Lord' impact our evangelism and view of human ability?

Context: Weaver cites Jonah 2:9 and the 'cannots' of John to stress total dependence on God.

Applications

Examine your own conversion for evidence of regeneration

Summary: Weaver urges listeners to look for the effects of regeneration—prayer, hunger for the Word, and obedience—rather than relying on a past decision.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'If we have been truly regenerated and converted by God, we will hunger after His Word.'

Avoid giving false assurance to professing Christians

Summary: Weaver warns pastors and Christians not to assure people of salvation based on a mere profession without evidence of new life.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'there are still plenty of stillborn children in our churches today... people have never, ever been regenerated.'

Cultivate a life of prayer and Scripture intake

Summary: Weaver applies the assimilation stage by calling believers to cry 'Abba, Father' and desire the milk of the Word for growth.

Evidence: Weaver cites Galatians 4:6 and 1 Peter 2:2 to show that spiritual children naturally pray and hunger for Scripture.

Rest in God's sovereignty for salvation

Summary: Weaver encourages believers to trust that salvation is God's work from start to finish, removing pride and anxiety.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'anybody that I am able to reach for the Lord Jesus Christ, it's all in the hands of God, and God receives all the honor.'

Understand that ongoing conversion is part of the Christian life

Summary: Weaver notes that believers may experience multiple 'conversions' as they turn back to God after straying, citing Peter's example.

Evidence: Weaver explains: 'there are many conversion experiences throughout one's life's journey' using Luke 22:31-34.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T15:19:25Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T04:35:39Z

Clean Transcript

Salvation Illustrated and Explained

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Let's open our Bibles to John chapter 3. John chapter 3. And the title of the message is Salvation Illustrated and Explained. And I will tell you why I'm preaching this message. Notice John chapter three, beginning there in verse one, very familiar passage. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of the water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.
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Marvel not that I say to thee, you must be born again. The wind bloweth whither it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but thou canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth. So is everyone that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said to him, Art thou a master of Israel and knowest not these things? Verily I say unto thee, We speak that we do know and testify that we have seen, and you receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things? I wanted to explain the difference, or I might also say the relationship between regeneration and conversion.
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In the past two weeks, I've had three individuals particularly come to me and tell me they were unsure as to whether or not they were genuinely saved. And I tried to answer their questions and share some things with them from Scripture. But we must have a proper understanding between regeneration and conversion. These are two distinct and different works of God, yet they are intimately related. And if we're going to discern whether or not we are genuinely converted, we certainly need to know these differences. Unhappily, most Christians can neither define nor distinguish between regeneration and conversion. In fact, most Christians believe that those terms are synonymous, and therefore they may be used interchangeably. They are not synonymous, and they are not interchangeable.
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Even many years back, Billy Graham wrote a book entitled How to be Born Again. Interestingly enough, nowhere in the Bible does the Bible tell you how to be born again. Now, the Bible does tell you that you must be born again, but it never tells you how to be born again. And the reason being is because only God can regenerate. Only God can give us the new birth.
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In fact, there's a passage, and I want you to look at it, James 1 in verse 18. I will come back and repeat this verse several times today. But James 1:18 says this, "Of His own will begat He us." Notice now, of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits. And of course, that is true. The Bible says of his own will begat he us. Now, Albert Barnes in his commentary says this on that verse. The idea is that the fact that we are begotten to be his children is to be traced solely to His will.
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He purposed it, and it was done. The antecedent in the case on which all depended was the sovereign will of God." So when God regenerates, He actually begets. And His regeneration, His begetting, is based upon His own will and His own purpose. In other words, there has never been anyone saved on accident. Never has anyone been saved accidentally. No. Whatever God does, God does purposely and deliberately. And when He moves, He always moves according to His purpose.
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Now, the interesting thing about the word beget. The Bible said, "...of his own will, begat he us." The Greek word is apokueo, and it literally means, listen, to bring forth, to bring forth unto birth, to bring forth from the womb, to give birth, and to cease being pregnant. You will hear this again just shortly. So, the Bible said, "...of his own will, begat he us," that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures. Now, the verse, the word begat is also in the Aorist tense, which means it happens once and for all.
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When God regenerates, it is not repeated in the individual's life. There is no such thing as being born again and again and again and again and again. No, when God works, his work is perfect and he only regenerates one time.
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Now in John 3 and verse 8, you have a wonderful illustration there of God's sovereignty and of regeneration proper, for he says, "The wind bloweth whither it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit." So you may hear the wind, but you have no idea where that wind originated or where it is going. The only way that you can really discern the wind is by its effects. And so the same is true in regeneration. The way that you can discern regeneration is simply by its effects. So, let me give you several distinctions to begin with between regeneration and conversion.
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So, I want you to listen. I've got seven of them listed. Number one, regeneration is the immediate act of God in imparting the principle of life. Conversion is the act of man by the power of the indwelling Spirit, repenting and believing. Number two, regeneration is the single act of God and it is never repeated. Conversion is the beginning of a holy life. But listen, there are many conversion experiences throughout one's life's journey.
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For instance, you remember that passage in Luke chapter 22, beginning there, verse 31 through 34, where our Lord said, Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have thee, that he may sift thee as wheat. But he said, I pray for thee, listen carefully, that thy faith fail not. And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. So Peter was already a believer. Our Lord said, I pray for you that your faith fail not, that yet when thou art converted, strengthen your brethren. In other words, you're going to deny me, but when you are turned back, then you strengthen your brethren.
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So there are times in our lives not just counting our initial conversion to Jesus Christ, but there are times when we get off the path and we have to turn back into the path. So, regeneration is a single act of God, while conversion can be several times during one's life. And number four is this, or number three I should say, regeneration is not in itself an experience, while conversion is a series of Christian experiences.
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Now in this chapter, our Lord is going to compare the new birth with being born physically. So just like there is no consciousness in the child when the child is conceived, he doesn't know he's conceived. He doesn't know there's life there. So there is not any consciousness particularly in the individual when God imparts life into his soul.
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Now later on I'm going to explain to you certainly the effects are going to be made known. But repentance and faith are experiential. They are something that you experience. Regeneration is something that is done in you, but you do not experience it as such. Number four, regeneration is the cause of an individual turning to the Lord. Conversion is when the individual actually turns to the Lord in repentance and faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. Now, you know that repentance is God's gift and faith is likewise God's gift. But God's not going to repent for us. He's not going to believe for us. So the difference is regeneration is the cause of our conversion and conversion is the fruit and the evidence of being regenerated. Number five, regeneration is Lord opening the heart. Conversion is when the individual turns to Christ in obedience.
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For instance, in Acts 16, verses 14 and 15, the Bible tells us that Paul went down by the river where women gathered together to pray. And he spoke to the women. And the Bible said that there was a certain woman there by the name of Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, listen now, whose heart the Lord opened, with the result that she listened to the words which were spoken by Paul. And of course, Lydia then repented and was baptized. And she said, if you judge me faithful in the Lord, come into my house.
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And she constrained them and they came in. So the Bible says the Lord opened her heart, with the result that she heard what Paul said and she repented and believed and she was baptized. Number six, regeneration is a once and for all cleansing while conversion is the continuation of the renewal which began in regeneration.
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Now, let me illustrate that for you. In John chapter 13, our Lord was going to wash the feet of his disciples and he got to Peter. And Peter said, Lord, thou shalt never wash my feet. Our Lord said, if I wash thee not, thou hast no part of me. And then Peter said, Lord, not my feet only, but my head and my body. Wash me everywhere. And what did our Lord say? They that be whole need not to be washed save their feet. In other words, your feet is where you walk.
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And back in those days, most people wore sandals. And it was their feet that got dirty. And obviously, a part of hospitality in those days was when you went in someone's house, they presented a bowl so that you could wash your feet. And you'd usually walk around barefooted, I guess, in the house. So our Lord said, they that be whole need not be cleaned but their feet.
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In other words, what he's saying is if you've been saved, you have been saved. But there is the everyday nitty gritty and dirtiness of life. That's what you have to take care of. So regeneration is once for all. But conversion is a continual cleansing in the Sabbath life. In regeneration, we have God's power, the power of the Holy Spirit. But in conversion, the power is not of us, but in us by God's sovereign choice.
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Now, the point I would make here is this. If we recognized the difference between regeneration and conversion, it would save an awful lot of sin in the lives of pastors and Christians in general whom God has used to reach others. What do I mean by that? Well, no one is going to be converted unless they've been first regenerated. Regeneration is by the power of God, of course. Conversion is also by the power of God. But you remember what the Apostle Paul said in First Corinthians, chapter 3. He said, I've planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. And then he said, who then is Apollos and who then is Paul? I know. What are we? We're nothing. The one that is important is God who gave the increase.
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So that means anybody that I am able to reach for the Lord Jesus Christ, it's all in the hands of God, and God receives all the honor and all the glory, and the same with you. Now, here's the important thing I want you to remember right now. And that is, regeneration is the implantation of divine life into the soul, and conversion is the evidence and exercise of that life that has been implanted by God.
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So the question then is how do we illustrate this? How do we explain this? Well, the interesting thing is there are only three illustrations of salvation in the New Testament. The first illustration is given to us in John chapter 3, and that is the illustration of a new birth. The second illustration is that of creation, which you will find in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 6, and 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 17. And the third illustration is that of resurrection, which you will find in Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 1. Now each of these illustrations of salvation demonstrates very clearly the absolute necessity of divine intervention. There can be no birth apart from the will and the beginning of the Father. There can be no creation except God speaks the world into existence.
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That's what He did according to Psalm 33, verses 6 through 9. He spoke and it happened. It came to pass. And then, of course, there can be no resurrection apart from a power without us. So it doesn't matter if you're talking about a birth, a creation, or a resurrection. Each one of these illustrations demonstrate the necessity of an outside power. No one can beget himself. No one and nothing can create itself or himself. And certainly no one can resurrect himself from the dead. You never pass a graveyard and see an arm sticking up or a foot sticking up or somebody's trying to raise it. No, no, no. It doesn't work like that. In other words, if any of these happen, there must, of necessity, be an outside power.
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Now, in John chapter 3 and verse 3, when Nicodemus comes and he says to the Lord that, you're a great teacher, and we know that God sent you because no man can do these miracles that you are doing except God be with him. And our Lord just cut to the chase and He said, verily, verily, I say unto you, you must be born again. Now the Greek word for again is the word anothen, which literally means you must be born from above. It is true that one must be born again, but being born again is being born from above. Now, if you will look at this, look in verse 5 just to show you right now the distinction between the natural and the spiritual. Jesus answered in verse 5, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water, that would be the physical birth, and of the spirit, that's the spiritual birth, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Then if you look down, if you would please, the verse six, he says that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.
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So obviously, there is a comparison here between the physical birth and the spiritual birth, and they are distinct, but there are similarities at the same time. Now, I want you to go back to verse three. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Now the word cannot, of course, is a negative. But the word cannot, which is a negative, comes from the Greek word dunamai, which means to be able, to have power, to do something of one's own ability or resources. So he is saying in verse 3 that no man in his own power, of his own ability, of his own resources, can even see the Kingdom of God. This is where we get our English word dynamite, dynamic, and dynamo from.
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So, let me show you this very quickly. I don't know if you've ever wondered, just even in the book of John, what natural man or unsaved man cannot do. I want to show you. Look in John 3 and verse 3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. So an unsaved man just cannot see the kingdom of God. He cannot perceive it. Skip down to verse 5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. So unless a man is begotten of God, he cannot see the kingdom, he cannot enter the kingdom. If you look in John 6 and verse 44, John 6, verse 44, here's something else that man cannot do. Look what he says. "No man can come unto Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him, and I will raise him up in the last day."
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So, man in his own strength, in his own ability, in his own nature, cannot see the Kingdom, cannot enter the Kingdom, cannot come to Jesus Christ. Now, if you'll look in John chapter 8 and verse 43. Here's another cannot. John 8 verse 43. Our Lord looks at the Pharisees and He says this, "Why do you not understand My speech? Even because you cannot hear My word." Wow! Skip down to verse 47.
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He that is of God heareth God's words. You therefore hear them not, because you're not of God. So let's see, a fallen man then cannot see, he cannot enter, he cannot come, he cannot hear. And if you look in John chapter 12, and notice beginning there with verse 37, John 12 verse 37. Our Lord says this, "But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him, that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who have believed our report and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed. Therefore, they could not believe. Because that Isaiah said again, he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted, and I should heal them." So according to John, the book of John, the words of our Lord, He's just simply saying an unsaved man cannot see, cannot enter, he cannot come, he cannot hear, he cannot believe.
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So very clearly then, we're seeing someone who is absolutely, totally, completely dependent upon God. Now, unless God intervenes, man is totally and helplessly and hopelessly lost. A good illustration would be in Matthew, not in Matthew, but in Mark chapter 10. You remember the rich young ruler who came running to our Lord? And he said, good master, what must I do that I may inherit eternal life? And our Lord said, why call you me good? There's none good, but one that is God. In other words, if I'm good, I'm God. And if I'm God, you don't come running into my presence demanding something of me. Well, anyhow, the young man went away extremely sorrowful because he's very rich. And our Lord said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter the kingdom of God.
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And the verse says his disciples were astonished and they asked this question. Who then can be saved? That's verse 26. Verse 27 says, our Lord responds, with men, it, salvation, is impossible, but not with God. With God, all things are possible. So our Lord just simply said, it's impossible for a man to save himself. That's why Jonah 2 verse 9, the Bible says salvation is of the Lord.
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Now, there is a correlation in John chapter 3 between the physical birth and the spiritual birth. Okay? Although there are dissimilarities, there are similarities as well. And so when our Lord said, verily, verily, I say to you, you must be born again, Nicodemus asked this question, how then can a man be born a second time? Can he enter into his mother's womb and be born again? Our Lord said, no, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
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So let me give you four things today, and I want us to do some comparing. First of all, there must be implantation for life. There must be implantation. Let's consider physical birth. Physical birth begins with conception. What is conception? Conception is nothing more than the implantation of life. Life is implanted into the womb. It is not necessary for the father and the mother to know that life is implanted. It is simply there.
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Both may be completely and totally ignorant of the fact that life is there for a while. And yet that life is there. That life exists without their knowledge and without the knowledge of others. And the only way that a mother discovers that she is pregnant is there begins to be signs of life within her body. Please listen to this. There would never ever be any signs or evidences of pregnancy if there was no life present. Life has to be present for there to be evidences.
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Likewise, it is true in the spiritual realm. That's why the Bible said in Ephesians 2 and verse 1, "And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sins." So we have no life in and of ourselves. And if all of a sudden there begins to be an evidence of life, that life had to come from somewhere. You remember the passage in Luke chapter 15, when the prodigal son returned.
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And of course, the father slew the fatted calf and there was rejoicing. And the elder brother came back and he heard the rejoicing and he got angry and upset because he said, look, he said, you've never killed a fatted calf for me. And when your son comes home and he's been with the harlots and wasted your money, he said, you killed the fatted calf. You know what the Father said? He said, it was meet that we should make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead and is alive.
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He was lost and now is found. So, our Lord then in Luke 15 compares the return of this boy as that of being alive. In John chapter 3, when our Lord says in verse 3, Verily, verily, I say unto you, you must be born again. That is actually an Aorist passive from gennao. The Aorist tells you that it's something that happened one time and it's over. And the passive tells you that you were not active.
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You were simply the recipient. It happened to you. So if I said to everyone in this room, James hit me, James was the one that was doing the action. I was the one that was receiving the action. I was passive. So when the Bible says that we were born, God birthed us. But we were passive in it, which I will explain momentarily.
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Now, the same thing is true in 1 John 5 and verse 1. The Bible said, Whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ is born of God or has been begotten of God. The result of having been begotten of God is that you are believing now in the Lord Jesus Christ. So, we believe because we have been regenerated. So, our Lord in John chapter 3 is comparing the new birth with the physical birth.
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So here's a question I'd like to ask you. How many of you decided to be born physically? I mean, come on. What part did you play in your physical birth? And the answer is absolutely none. Your physical birth was the result of the actions of your parents. Your birth was based upon their wills. You did not make a decision. You did not take the first step. You did not coerce your parents into having you.
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You could not have because you didn't even exist. In other words, it was totally and completely their purpose that brought you into the world. And the same is true spiritually. We looked at James 1 in verse 18. Of His own will beget He us. Regeneration is the act of God alone. He is the Sovereign. He alone has the ability to give life. You remember that passage in John 1:12-13? He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But to as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to those that believed on His name, who were born, not of the will of man, nor of the flesh, but of God. When you take the negatives out, who were born of God. In other words, it was God who did the beginning. That's why the Bible says in Romans chapter 9 in verse 16, it is neither of him that runneth or him that willeth, but of God that showeth mercy. That's why in the book of Ephesians or Philippians chapter 2 in verse 13, it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure.
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So regeneration is that act of God where God implants divine life in the soul. Regeneration is the secret and inscrutable work of God and is never directly perceived by man, but can only be perceived by its effects. It's the same thing with conception. Conception is not perceived by the person who is conceived. I mean, obviously, conversion is the evidence and manifestation of regeneration. But in regeneration, God works alone.
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There is no cooperation of the sinner. Let me ask you a question. How can a child cooperate with his parents in conception? He can't. How can the thing that is created cooperate with the Creator? It can't. How can the dead man cooperate with His resurrection, again, because He is absolutely, totally dead. So just as it is impossible to know when conception takes place physically, it is likewise impossible to know when regeneration takes place. Both conception and regeneration are only known by their effects. So in order for a sinner to be saved, there must be first implantation. In order for a child to be born, there must first be implantation. OK, and regeneration is the implantation of life in the soul of man by a sovereign act of God. Secondly, there must be maturation. By that, I mean the life must mature. There's never going to be any manifestation without maturation. Once the physical conception is accomplished, shortly thereafter, there begins to be evidences of life.
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So here's a husband and wife, and the woman conceives. She may not know it. He may not know it. At least for a while. And shortly thereafter, there may be some signs that are actually demonstrating the fact that there may be life there. In fact, a woman may think that she has a virus. Or she may think that her hormones are out of whack, or she may think that, hey, I need to go on a diet, I'm gaining some weight all of a sudden, you know.
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We had a dear friend, she's now dead, but she went to the doctor because she was feeling sick and she was telling how sick she really was. And he examined her and he says, you're not sick. She said, oh, yes, I am. I'm sick every morning. I'm sick to my stomach. He says, no, you're not sick. You're pregnant. She's about 45. She said, what? My baby is 21.
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He said, I don't care. You're pregnant. You know, it may be where that life is there. You do not know it, but shortly there is going to be a maturation physically. And then not only is that mother going to know she's with child, the husband's going to know she's with child. And after a few months, everybody's going to know she's with child. OK, now. The same is true in the spiritual realm as well, because once life is implanted in the soul, then conviction begins. Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit, whereby He moves us and shows us our sins, and moves us to be grieved and broken over our sins. He shows us the just penalty of our sins. He shows us the wickedness and violence of our sins. He shows us our depravity.
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He brings us to the end of ourselves. And then He opens our eyes and shows us that Jesus Christ is the answer and Jesus Christ alone is the answer. Let me give you a good, clear illustration of this. I want you to turn, holding John 3, to the book of Jeremiah chapter 31. Jeremiah 31. And I want you to look at verses 18 and 19. Jeremiah 31 verses 18 and 19.
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Here's a wonderful picture, not only of regeneration and conversion, but actually a conviction after regeneration. So Jeremiah 31 verse 18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus. Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised as a bullock, unaccustomed to yoke." There's confessing of sin.
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Now look what he says. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned. For thou art the Lord my God. Now watch carefully. Surely after that I was turned, I repented. And after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh, I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth." So after God turned him, he was turned, and after he was turned, he repented.
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In other words, here is a picture of conviction after regeneration. I smote upon my thigh, I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. So, the truth of the matter is, here is maturation in conviction. How long does conviction take? The answer is, that is entirely up to the father. How long does it take to have a baby? You can usually answer nine months. But the truth is, a lot of women had babies in less than nine months. Some had babies. It took well over nine months.
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When Alice was pregnant, I thought she'd been pregnant for 20 years. I mean, you know the truth. No, but I think the baby is going to be born when the baby is going to be born. The doctors can say, well, your due date is October the 5th. That doesn't mean a thing. It can be October the 3rd. It can be October the 12th. It can be October the 18th.
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That's totally up into God's hands. Now, the same is true spiritually. It depends upon how God works with an individual as to whether or not he is convicted and that conviction is over with shortly or if there is a long time during conviction. Just like God knows how to deliver a physical baby, so God knows also how to deliver a spiritual baby. He knows exactly when that maturity is at its apex, at its zenith.
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So, there must be implantation, there must be maturation. Thirdly, there must be a manifestation. The ultimate proof that life has been given is that a real live baby comes into being. Months and months of waiting are finally over and a baby is born. You know, something would be terribly wrong if an expected mother was always expected and never delivered a baby. Likewise, something would be terribly wrong if a convicted sinner was always convicted, but he never yet savingly came to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith. Something would be absolutely horrible. Just as a real life baby is proof indeed that a woman was pregnant, likewise a real genuine conversion is proof positive that a sinner has been regenerated.
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What does the Bible say? James 1:18, of his own will begat he us. And the word begat he us literally means to cease being pregnant. In other words, once God matures us, spiritually, that sinner is going to come forth just like that child is going to come forth at the end of nine months. Those whom God regenerates, He converts. It is impossible to be regenerated without being converted. As a baby is brought forth in manifestation after implantation and maturation, even so it is true in the spiritual realm. Conversion is the act of God whereby He causes the regenerated in their conscious life to turn to Him in repentance and faith. Conversion follows regeneration just like a baby follows nine months of pregnancy. Regeneration and conversion are not necessarily simultaneous. You may be regenerated here on this particular date, but you may not be converted until months down the line. A woman may conceive on this particular date, but she doesn't have the baby right after she conceives. It may be seven months, it may be eight months, it may be nine months, it may be nine and a half months.
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I'm just simply pointing out the fact regeneration and conversion are not necessarily simultaneous, just like conception and birth are not simultaneous. The period of conviction is totally up to the Father. The period of time between conception and birth varies, and the period of time between regeneration and conversion varies as well.
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Now, let me also say, it does not matter how long someone was pregnant. The issue is, was there a real live child born? Okay? So, it does not matter how long someone has been convicted. The issue is, was someone genuinely converted? Okay? Neither does it matter how long someone has been in labor or how long someone has been convicted. Suppose some woman who only had two children came up to my wife and said to her, I have two children. I was in labor for eight hours on each one of them. Have you ever been in labor for eight hours? And my wife would respond, no. And the woman says heartily, well, then you have never had a baby. Well, the truth of the matter is my wife would have had two times as many as she had. The issue is not how long were you in labor. The issue is not how long were you pregnant. The issue is was a real child born. The issue is not, have you been convicted this long? Have you been convicted about this?
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No, no, no. It was a real sinner converted to Jesus Christ. Those whom the Father regenerates, the Holy Spirit always convicts.
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Now, let me give you a good, clear illustration. In John chapter 11, Lazarus dies. When our Lord hears that he's sick, he abides four days, still in the same spot. Finally, he tells his disciples, let's go again into Judea, that I may awaken Lazarus. Lazarus sleepeth. And they said, Lord, if he sleeps by this, you know, he's doing well. Our Lord said, no, you don't understand. He's dead. I go to awaken Him. And of course, you know how Mary and Martha come. And our Lord weeps.
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They take Him to the tomb. He says, roll you away the stone. Martha said, Lord, by this time He's stinking, for He's been dead four days. Our Lord said, did I not tell you if you believed, you'd see the glory of God. And so they roll the stone away. And in a loud voice, Jesus Christ says, Lazarus, come forth. Now, here's the question. Did God give Lazarus life in that tomb that enabled him to walk out of that tomb? Or did God only give Lazarus life after he got up and walked out?
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I think you know the answer. If God had not given him life in that tomb, he would have never gotten up and walked out. So when God gave Lazarus life in that tomb, that is a picture of regeneration. When Lazarus got up and walked out, that is the picture of conversion. Our Lord said, and he came forth wrapped in grave clothes, our Lord said, Loose him and let him go. And so once you have been converted, the old dead grave clothes are cast off, your old habits are broken, your old ways of thinking or doing are broken, and you put on a new life in Jesus Christ. And so the raising of Lazarus from the dead is a good, excellent picture of what you and I would call regeneration and conversion.
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So here is always a manifestation, just like a woman will never, ever be pregnant forever, never, never, never. A sinner's not going to be convicted forever, never, never. If he's truly, genuinely convicted, sooner or later, there's going to be a conversion. He's going to repent of his sins and exercise faith in Jesus Christ. So let me go further. There must be implantation. There must be maturation. There must be a manifestation. And lastly, there must be assimilation.
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Now, this should be obvious. In order to live, to exercise life, one must be able to assimilate oxygen and food. I know that in some cases women have gone through implantation, maturation, manifestation, and produced a stillborn child. While it is true that God never produces any stillborn children, that does not negate the fact that there are still plenty of stillborn children in our churches today. Those are the children to whom pastors and Christian workers have converted, given assurance, and granted a place in heaven all by their own. And the people have never, ever been regenerated by the grace and the power of God.
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I've told you, I'm sure of Billy Sunday, the Presbyterian evangelist, who was walking down the street and an old drunk met him, came staggering up. Why, Mr. Sunday, don't you recognize me? Billy said, no, I'm sorry, I do not. Why? He said, Mr. Sunday, surely you must recognize me. I'm one of your converts. Billy Sunday said, bless God, you must be. You're surely not one of God's.
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And so that's the way it is. We've got a lot of converts ourselves that God never, ever regenerated.
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Now, let me ask you a question. Would you not think something was wrong? I mean, dreadfully wrong. If a newborn child never cried, was never hungry, was never thirsty, never, ever grew or developed, wouldn't you think something would be awfully wrong? Well, you can put two and two together and you say, if that child never cries and never hungers and never thirsts and never grows, he's dead. And that's true. Isn't it strange that we can put two plus two together and get four in the natural realm, but we can't put two plus two together and get four in the spiritual realm, because here we have multitudes of people who never cry, who never hunger. What is the first thing that a baby does when he's born? He cries. What is the first thing that a baby wants and desires when he's born? Milk.
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So let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 4. Then we'll go to 1 Peter chapter 2. Galatians chapter 4. And then we'll go to 1 Peter. Look in Galatians chapter 4 and let's begin reading there with verse 4. Galatians 4, verse 4, the Bible says, But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Now watch verse 6, And because you are sons, you are already regenerated, you're already adopted. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
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Just like it is normal and natural for a real, live, first-born baby to cry, it is normal and natural for a real-born child of God who's been converted by the grace of God to call God Father and to pray. And may I say also again, he said he sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying, Abba, Father. Abba is a Hebrew word which just simply means Papa. And Papa is a term of endearment. It's a term of love. So we cry, Papa, Father.
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In other words, we understand there is a relationship that exists. And it is an intimate relationship because of God's grace. So, the first thing we do once we are converted is we learn to call God our father and we learn to pray to him. Note, if you would now in First Peter, chapter two and verse one, look at what the Bible says. First Peter 2 and verse 1.
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Wherefore, laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby." There is something wrong with a professing Christian who never prays. There's something wrong with a professing Christian who never calls God his Father. And there's something dreadfully wrong with a professing Christian that never, ever hungers for the Word of God. If we have been truly regenerated and converted by God, we will hunger after His Word. It is our milk. It is our meat. It is our nourishment. As physical babies cannot grow without milk, spiritual babies cannot grow without the milk of the Word of God.
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It's absolutely necessary and essential. Let me show you. Turn right over to 2 Peter 3. I've pointed this out before, but in light of what I'm preaching. Let me say it again. 2 Peter 3 and verse 18. The Bible says, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen. When he says, but grow in grace and, the little word and is the Greek word kai. That word kai is translated in our Bibles many times as even. So you could read verse 18, but grow in grace even in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In other words, if you're not growing in knowledge, you're not growing in grace. And the only way you're going to grow in knowledge is to have the milk of the word and the meat of the word.
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So one of the evidences of a child that is genuinely born alive is if he cries. The next evidence is he desires milk. And the same is true with a spiritual child. We cry and we desire the milk of the words. Stillborns do not cry, neither do they eat. Those who are born alive do both. You look around at church members who have no desire to pray, no desire to study, no desire to learn.
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They're never hungry for the Word of God. Something is seriously wrong. Regeneration is the implantation of life. Conversion is the evidence and the fruit of that life. We can know regeneration by its effects. A child should be like his father, wants to be like his father. And when you get to Matthew 5 and verse 45, the Bible says, therefore be ye perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. Now, it is true we're not perfect in this life. We never will be perfect in this life. That still does not negate the fact that we desire to be perfect. I don't want to sin against God. I know I do sin, but I don't want to. And we will be perfect in heaven, but until we get into glory. The truth of the matter is we should be constantly and continually bringing our lives in conformity to the Word of God. And the way we do that is by crying to our Heavenly Father in prayer and by being nourished on the milk and the meat of the Word of God.
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So just like in a physical birth, there must be implantation, maturation, manifestation and assimilation. The same is true in the spiritual. God must regenerate us. He must mature us through conviction. Then He manifests His regenerating grace in conversion. And then we live on the milk and meat of His Word as we cry to Him. How do I know whether or not I'm genuinely saved? Well, John can answer that for us. Because in 1 John 2 and verse 3, the Bible says, And hereby we do know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. Verse 4 says, He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. In other words, the man that has been genuinely converted is the man who is constantly and continually endeavoring to bring his life into conformity to the Word of God in obedience so that he might honor his heavenly Father. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to You this day. We thank You for Your Word.
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We thank You for Your truth. We thank You, Father, that salvation is by grace through faith alone. Help us to understand. Help us to comprehend. Help us to see the absolute necessity of prayer and thanksgiving and reading and studying and nourishing our lives on Your Word. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T15:19:25Z

Salvation Illustrated and Explained

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver distinguishes between regeneration and conversion, using the physical birth analogy from John 3 to explain that regeneration is God's sovereign, once-for-all act of implanting spiritual life, while conversion is the conscious turning to Christ in repentance and faith. He emphasizes that regeneration is known only by its effects—prayer, hunger for Scripture, and obedience—and warns against false assurance based on mere profession without evidence of new life.

Introduction: The Need to Distinguish Regeneration and Conversion

Weaver explains that many Christians confuse regeneration and conversion, but understanding their differences is essential for assurance of salvation.

Scripture Reading — John 3:1-12

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of the water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.

Seven Distinctions Between Regeneration and Conversion

Three New Testament Illustrations of Salvation

Weaver identifies birth, creation, and resurrection as the only NT illustrations of salvation, each demonstrating the necessity of divine intervention.

The Inability of Natural Man

Weaver cites John 3, 6, 8, and 12 to show that unsaved man cannot see, enter, come, hear, or believe without God's enabling.

So, let me show you this very quickly. I don't know if you've ever wondered, just even in the book of John, what natural man or unsaved man cannot do. I want to show you. Look in John 3 and verse 3.

Scripture Reading — John 3:3,5; 6:44; 8:43,47; 12:37-40

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. So an unsaved man just cannot see the kingdom of God. He cannot perceive it. Skip down to verse 5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. So unless a man is begotten of God, he cannot see the kingdom,

Implantation: The Beginning of Life

Weaver compares physical conception to regeneration: life is implanted by God without the recipient's knowledge or cooperation, known only by later effects.

Scripture Reading — Luke 15:24,32

Likewise, it is true in the spiritual realm. That's why the Bible said in Ephesians 2 and verse 1, "And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sins." So we have no life in and of ourselves. And if all of a sudden there begins to be an evidence of life, that life had to come from somewhere. You remember the passage in Luke chapter 15, when the prodigal son returned. And of course, the father slew the fatted calf and there was rejoicing. And the elder brother came back and he heard the rejoicing and he got angry and upset because he said, look, he said, you've never killed a fatted calf for me. And when your son comes home and he's been with the harlots and wasted your money, he said, you killed the fatted calf. You know what the Father said? He said, it was meet that we should make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead and is alive.

Maturation: The Process of Conviction

Weaver explains that after regeneration, the Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin, leading the sinner to see Christ as the answer; the duration varies.

Here's a wonderful picture, not only of regeneration and conversion, but actually a conviction after regeneration. So Jeremiah 31 verse 18.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:18-19

I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus. Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised as a bullock, unaccustomed to

yoke." There's confessing of sin.

Manifestation: Conversion as the Evidence of Regeneration

Weaver asserts that regeneration always results in conversion, just as pregnancy results in birth; conversion is the conscious turning to Christ.

Assimilation: The Evidence of New Life

Weaver argues that genuine converts will cry out to God in prayer, hunger for Scripture, and grow in grace and knowledge, unlike stillborn professions.

Salvation Illustrated and Explained

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	107201642594117
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Assurance, Providence, and Life in the Spirit: Walking With God
Genre	Sermon
Date	2020-10-07
Dictation Name
Book	Book 132: Romans: Assurance, Providence, and Life in the Spirit — Chapter 8
Source Timed Segments	73

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Need to Distinguish Regeneration and Conversion: Weaver explains that many Christians confuse regeneration and conversion, but understanding their differences is essential for assurance of salvation.
Seven Distinctions Between Regeneration and Conversion: Weaver lists seven key differences: regeneration is God's act imparting life, conversion is man's response; regeneration is once-for-all, conversion can be repeated; regeneration is not experiential, conversion is; regeneration causes turning, conversion is the turning; regeneration is God opening the heart, conversion is obedience; regeneration is once-for-all cleansing, conversion is ongoing renewal.
Three New Testament Illustrations of Salvation: Weaver identifies birth, creation, and resurrection as the only NT illustrations of salvation, each demonstrating the necessity of divine intervention.
The Inability of Natural Man: Weaver cites John 3, 6, 8, and 12 to show that unsaved man cannot see, enter, come, hear, or believe without God's enabling.
Implantation: The Beginning of Life: Weaver compares physical conception to regeneration: life is implanted by God without the recipient's knowledge or cooperation, known only by later effects.
Maturation: The Process of Conviction: Weaver explains that after regeneration, the Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin, leading the sinner to see Christ as the answer; the duration varies.
Manifestation: Conversion as the Evidence of Regeneration: Weaver asserts that regeneration always results in conversion, just as pregnancy results in birth; conversion is the conscious turning to Christ.
Assimilation: The Evidence of New Life: Weaver argues that genuine converts will cry out to God in prayer, hunger for Scripture, and grow in grace and knowledge, unlike stillborn professions.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Regeneration is monergistic, not synergistic

God alone regenerates; the sinner is passive and contributes nothing, just as a baby does not cooperate in conception.

Weaver argues: 'How can a child cooperate with his parents in conception? He can't. How can the thing that is created cooperate with the Creator? It can't.'

Regeneration precedes and causes conversion

Conversion is the fruit and evidence of regeneration; one cannot be converted without first being regenerated.

Weaver states: 'regeneration is the cause of our conversion and conversion is the fruit and the evidence of being regenerated.'

The new birth is analogous to physical birth

Jesus' use of birth imagery in John 3 teaches that spiritual birth, like physical birth, involves implantation, maturation, manifestation, and assimilation.

Weaver outlines the four stages: 'there must be implantation for life... there must be maturation... there must be a manifestation... there must be assimilation.'

Conviction is a necessary part of maturation

After regeneration, the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, leading to repentance; the duration of conviction varies.

Weaver explains: 'once life is implanted in the soul, then conviction begins... He shows us our depravity.'

Genuine conversion produces ongoing spiritual growth

True converts will pray, desire Scripture, and grow in grace; lack of these indicates a stillborn profession.

Weaver says: 'If we have been truly regenerated and converted by God, we will hunger after His Word.'

Scripture References

John 3:1-12: Weaver reads the passage about Nicodemus and Jesus' teaching on the new birth, emphasizing 'born again' as 'born from above'.
James 1:18: Weaver quotes this verse to show that regeneration is by God's sovereign will: 'Of His own will begat He us.'
John 3:8: Weaver uses the wind analogy to illustrate the sovereignty and inscrutability of regeneration.
Luke 22:31-34: Weaver cites Jesus' words to Peter to show that conversion can occur multiple times in a believer's life.
Acts 16:14-15: Weaver references Lydia's conversion to illustrate that the Lord opens the heart (regeneration) leading to response (conversion).
John 13:8-10: Weaver uses Jesus washing the disciples' feet to illustrate that regeneration is once-for-all cleansing, while conversion involves ongoing cleansing.
1 Corinthians 3:6-7: Weaver quotes Paul to emphasize that God gives the increase in salvation, not human effort.
John 3:3,5; 6:44; 8:43,47; 12:37-40: Weaver strings these verses together to demonstrate the total inability of natural man to see, enter, come, hear, or believe.
Mark 10:17-27: Weaver recounts the rich young ruler to show that salvation is impossible with men but possible with God.
Ephesians 2:1: Weaver quotes this verse to affirm that we are spiritually dead until God quickens us.
Luke 15:24,32: Weaver references the prodigal son to illustrate that conversion is a passing from death to life.
1 John 5:1: Weaver cites this verse to argue that belief is the result of being born of God.
John 1:12-13: Weaver quotes to show that the new birth is not of human will but of God.
Romans 9:16: Weaver references this verse to emphasize that salvation depends on God's mercy, not human will or effort.
Philippians 2:13: Weaver quotes to show that God works in believers both to will and to do His good pleasure.
Jeremiah 31:18-19: Weaver uses Ephraim's bemoaning to illustrate conviction after regeneration: 'after that I was turned, I repented.'
John 11:1-44: Weaver uses the raising of Lazarus to picture regeneration (life given in the tomb) and conversion (coming forth).
Galatians 4:4-6: Weaver quotes to show that because believers are sons, God sends the Spirit crying 'Abba, Father'—evidence of new life.
1 Peter 2:1-2: Weaver cites to show that newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, a mark of genuine conversion.
2 Peter 3:18: Weaver explains that growing in grace is linked to growing in knowledge of Christ, which comes through the Word.

Historical References

Billy Graham's book 'How to be Born Again': Weaver critiques the title, arguing the Bible never tells how to be born again because only God can regenerate.
Albert Barnes' commentary on James 1:18: Weaver quotes Barnes to support that regeneration is traced solely to God's sovereign will.
Billy Sunday, Presbyterian evangelist: Weaver tells an anecdote about Billy Sunday encountering a drunk who claimed to be his convert, illustrating false conversions.

Important Quotes

Of His own will begat He us.

Weaver repeatedly uses this verse to emphasize that regeneration is entirely God's sovereign act, not human decision.

The wind bloweth whither it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Weaver uses this to illustrate that regeneration is sovereign and inscrutable, known only by its effects.

Regeneration is the implantation of divine life into the soul, and conversion is the evidence and exercise of that life that has been implanted by God.

This is Weaver's central thesis, summarizing the relationship between the two works of God.

How can a child cooperate with his parents in conception? He can't. How can the thing that is created cooperate with the Creator? It can't. How can the dead man cooperate with His resurrection, again, because He is absolutely, totally dead.

Weaver uses rhetorical questions to stress the passivity of the sinner in regeneration.

Surely after that I was turned, I repented.

Weaver quotes Jeremiah 31:19 to show that repentance follows God's turning (regeneration), not precedes it.

Those whom God regenerates, He converts. It is impossible to be regenerated without being converted.

Weaver asserts the inseparable link between regeneration and conversion, countering any notion of a regeneration that never manifests.

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby.

Weaver uses 1 Peter 2:2 to show that a genuine convert will have an appetite for Scripture, a mark of spiritual life.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does understanding the distinction between regeneration and conversion affect your assurance of salvation?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that many Christians confuse these terms, leading to uncertainty about genuine salvation.

[Question]

In what ways does the physical birth analogy help you grasp the nature of spiritual birth?

[Context]

Weaver develops the analogy of implantation, maturation, manifestation, and assimilation throughout the sermon.

[Question]

Why is it important to recognize that regeneration is entirely God's work, without human cooperation?

[Context]

Weaver argues from James 1:18 and the birth analogy that we are passive in regeneration.

[Question]

What role does conviction of sin play in the process of conversion, and how might its duration vary?

[Context]

Weaver describes conviction as the maturation phase, using Jeremiah 31 and the pregnancy analogy.

[Question]

How can we discern genuine conversion from a false profession, according to the evidences Weaver presents?

[Context]

Weaver points to prayer, hunger for Scripture, and obedience as marks of new life, warning against stillborn professions.

[Question]

What does the raising of Lazarus teach us about the relationship between regeneration and conversion?

[Context]

Weaver uses John 11 to illustrate that life is given before the response of coming forth.

[Question]

How should the truth that 'salvation is of the Lord' impact our evangelism and view of human ability?

[Context]

Weaver cites Jonah 2:9 and the 'cannots' of John to stress total dependence on God.

Applications

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