E97 - Hope’s Harbor Gritty Bible Devotions - Causes & Effects of Salvation - Redemption/Calling/Regeneration - Part 2

Hope’s Harbor

Gritty Bible Devotions

Episode #97

Title: Causes of Salvation – Redemption – Calling - Regeneration

Date: March 13, 3923

Contact: info@hopesharbor.net

Key verse for Redemption:

Ephesians 1:7 – ‘In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.’

Hebrews 9:12 – ‘…but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.’

Hebrews 9:15 – ‘And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.’

Definition of redemption: ransom paid in full, that is Christian salvation: - deliverance. This means Jesus paid the ransom required because of our sin.

Key verse for Calling: Ephesians 1:18 – ‘the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling…’

Definition of calling: An invitation, as in an invitation to receive forgiveness.

Key verse for Regeneration: Titus 3:5 – ‘not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Definition of regeneration: spiritual rebirth, that is, spiritual renovation; specifically Messianic restoration. Regeneration happens when we are ‘born again.’ It is part of the process of how we are restored to fellowship with GOD.

Intro: Redemption - Calling, and Regeneration

GOD provided the means for the human race to be redeemed from the curse of death caused by sin. Then He calls us by invitation to believe His Son’s death on that cross was sufficient to pay the penalty for sin and pay it in full. On the cross, Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” Meaning He fulfilled the requirement of GOD’s law that sin must be atoned for. Only by the death of GOD’s perfect Son, Jesus, was our death penalty set aside.

The Gospel is GOD’s calling by invitation to accept the pardon Jesus earned on our behalf. And like any invitation, each person must choose whether to accept the invitation or decline it.

Regeneration occurs when we, by faith, ask GOD to forgive us based on what Jesus accomplished when He died for us. Regeneration is the process of our new spiritual birth Jesus described to a priest, Nicodemus, one night. This account is found in John, chapter 3. 

Devotion focus: What GOD did to cause salvation’s possibility

When the human race was lost to sin as recorded in Genesis, GOD didn’t just sit back wringing His hands. He always had the plan to redeem His creation from the curse of sin, and the Old Testament is a record of GOD’s forthcoming redemption. The prophets proclaimed a Messiah would one day redeem Israel. What they didn’t know was the process would involve the Messiah having to die for the sins of the world. Jesus made it possible for every human being on this earth to receive a pardon for their sins upon expressing faith in His death, burial, and resurrection.

This level of faith will reveal whether it is from the heart or only intellectual. Saving faith is evidenced by a changed life in each person claiming to be a Christian. Only faith from the heart will save anyone. Intellectual assent to Bible truth does nothing other than deceive the person holding it. James wrote in James 2:19 – ‘You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!’ This verse is better understood by what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21 - "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

Now, back to Jesus making redemption available to all by paying the penalty for all sins. If He already paid the penalty for sin, and this means all past sin, present sin, and future sin, then why are people still going to hell?

It is because they choose the penalty instead of the pardon. Their refusal to accept the Holy Spirit’s revelation of truth related to Jesus’s death, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and this is the unforgivable sin Jesus warned about in Matthew 12:31. Blasphemy in that verse means irreverence toward GOD, and in this context, that irreverence involves refusing to believe GOD’s Spirit as it relates to salvation. In effect, it is calling GOD a liar concerning the Bible’s warnings against hell. And by hell, I mean that consequence for refusing GOD’s gift of being pardoned.

With GOD’s redemption made available, He now calls all people to repent and be saved. Repent, in the context of salvation, means to turn away from a GOD-less mindset and turn to GOD for the saving of their souls. Jesus said in Mark 1:15 – ‘and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."’  According to Strong’s Concordance repent is this verse means to think differently, to reconsider.

So we see in Mark 1:15 Jesus calling us to Himself and His Gospel message.

Finally, we have GOD’s work of regeneration. It means rebirth, spiritual renovation, specifically Messianic restoration. Regeneration, like redemption, is available as part of becoming the redeemed people of GOD. The process takes place initially when someone asks GOD to forgive them, to save them. And when a person is reborn with a new spirit, regeneration continues as sanctification, which is a process of being set apart for GOD and made more and more like Jesus.

And this is where the work comes in, not to save ourselves by works, but to participate in Jesus’s workmanship of changing us within and preparing us for Heaven. We’re already going there as a result of being saved from the penalty of sin, but the preparation is for our training, not only learning how to live as a Spirit-filled Christian in this life, but it also prepares us for rewards in Heaven.

Jesus assures us in Luke 6:23 – “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven…”

Summary: GOD did the work already to make our salvation possible. For those who have gained their new life, they now experience the effects of GOD’s saving grace.

Action to consider: Study for yourself the topics of this series. Pray for understanding and keep at it until the knowledge goes into your heart.

Next week’s devotion: 3 Effects of Salvation: faith, repentance, justification