The Judge Who Paid Your Fine: Born Again and Declared Not Guilty

Sermon outline

Regeneration is God's merciful response to true repentance, a new birth that must grow into maturity, and justification is God's verdict of not guilty, paid for by Jesus and sealed by His blood, so no accusation of the devil can stand against you.

1. Regeneration: God's response to true repentance

   Regeneration is a divine act that imparts spiritual life and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Like the prodigal son, who came to himself in the pig pen and was received home with great joy, a lost person who turns to God is transformed and welcomed back into the family. Before the new birth we are spiritually dead, but when we accept Christ we become spiritually alive and reconciled to God.

   Illustration: The prodigal son, filthy, starving and in rags in the pig pen, received back as a cleaned and transformed person while the house rejoiced.

   “Regeneration is God's response to a person that truly repents.”

   • Luke 15:11-24
   • Romans 3:24-25

2. A washing and renewing by the Spirit, not by works

   Many religions teach that God weighs your good deeds against your bad deeds, but with Jesus Christ it is not so. According to Titus 3:5 we are saved by His mercy through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit. If God had mercy on us while we were still sinners, how much more mercy does He have for us now that we are His children?

   “So regeneration is totally God's work of mercy.”

   • Titus 3:5
   • 2 Corinthians 5

3. The new life must grow and develop

   God does not want you to stay an infant all your life. Some people grow old in years but never mature in the Word, still needing milk when they should be teachers, so learn to discern and to rightly divide the word of truth. Tests and trials are not there to put you down but to make you mature and make your feet stronger.

   Illustration: A ten-year-old still in nappies and crying for milk would mean something is wrong. A child who can talk asks mommy for porridge, and year by year moves from baby class to matric and university; the spiritual life runs parallel to the natural one.

   “I've joined the church so that I can be taught the word of God and not just be a convert, but I want to be a disciple of Christ.”

   • Hebrews 5:12-14
   • 2 Timothy 2:15

4. The necessity of regeneration: become skilful with the Word

   Nicodemus came to Jesus with a sincere question, and Jesus told him no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. Every time we study and hear the Word we grow, until we are no longer tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. A regenerated believer should be able to explain what they believe and correct an opinion or philosophy that is not in the Word.

   “So we must be able to come to a point in our regenerated life where we become skillful in handling the word of God.”

   • John 3:1-5
   • Ephesians 4:14

5. The effects of regeneration: a new position, a new lifestyle, a new purpose

   Regeneration gives a new position and relationship with God and a new lifestyle, turning from idols to serve the true God. It also gives an exciting new purpose: to be God's messengers, pleading with people to be reconciled to God. Winning people is not only the pastor's job; share your faith skilfully, do not condemn sincere people who are wrong, and measure every teacher, however famous, against the Word.

   Illustration: He was the first in his family to give his heart to the Lord, though one of the youngest. His family gave him a hard time and his mother told him she was born a Hindu and would die a Hindu, yet he kept sharing and she was saved, as were his sisters and his brother, who argued with him for years and became a pastor before he did.

   “You can't be in neutral gear, coasting to save petrol.”

   • 1 Thessalonians 1:9
   • 2 Corinthians 5:20
   • Matthew 24:24

6. Justification: a verdict of not guilty

   Moving into lesson five, he explains that justification, like regeneration, is a judicial word: a judge's verdict that the accused is innocent of all charges, so the case can never be raised again. When the devil, the accuser of the brethren, reminds you of your past, Jesus stands as your advocate and says the price has been paid, so answer him that you are justified and free. Righteousness is a nature imparted at the new birth, which is also why good works should be done in secret and not advertised.

   Illustration: A judge must sentence an old school friend and gives him a hefty fine, then goes behind the scenes and pays the fine himself because he loves him. And once a court finds you not guilty, the police cannot come and re-arrest you tomorrow for the same case.

   “You have been justified, just as if you have never sinned.”

   • Revelation 12:10
   • 1 John 2:1
   • Romans 8:34
   • Matthew 6:6

7. The blood still has power

   This is why we take communion, in remembrance of what Christ has done. We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, and we have the power of attorney to use the name of Jesus. Our justification is sealed by His resurrection, and as the Passover blood on the doorposts protected Israel, the blood of Jesus covers our whole lives, families and possessions, so plead the blood over them.

   Illustration: In his old job, items sent to the pathology labs were closed with a red wax seal so the receiver knew no one had tampered with them; believers are sealed the same way. He also recalls reading of a man of God who would simply say 'the blood of Jesus' in meetings and see the sick healed.

   “The blood has power, will never lose its power.”

   • Revelation 12:11
   • Romans 4:25
   • Exodus 12:7-13

8. The results of justification

   Justification brings the peace of God; no one can lay a charge against you once God has forgiven you; you are saved from the wrath to come with an advocate who speaks for you; you are heirs of eternal life and joint heirs with Christ; you are glorified, so God looks at you through Jesus and not in condemnation; and you reign in life through Jesus Christ. So use His name and authority in every area of life and call those things that be not as though they were.

   Illustration: Advocates are expensive, but ours has given us salvation for free.

   “But we have an advocate that has given us salvation for free.”

   • Romans 5:1
   • Romans 8:33
   • Romans 5:9
   • Titus 3:7
   • Romans 8:17
   • Romans 8:30
   • Romans 5:16-17
   • Romans 4:17