Regeneration — The Spiritual Man

Regeneration

Before a person is regenerated, their spirit is separated from God—it is dead. In this context, death means separation from life. God is the ultimate definition of life. Since death is separation from life, and God is life, then death is separation from God. When a person’s spirit is apart from God, it is as good as dead—it cannot commune with Him. The soul then takes control of the entire being, living either in ideals or in stimulations, while the body’s lusts and desires cause the soul to yield to them.

The human spirit is originally dead; thus, it must be revived. What the Lord Jesus told Nicodemus about being “born again” refers to the regeneration of the spirit. Regeneration is not a physical matter, as Nicodemus supposed, nor is it something that happens within the soul. This is because not only must the “body of sin” be destroyed (Romans 6:6), but also, “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24)—which speaks of the soul. What we must especially emphasize is this: regeneration is the impartation of God’s life into the human spirit. Because Christ has atoned for our soul and has abolished the principle of the flesh, we who are united with Him partake in His resurrection life—a life that knows no death. Our union with Christ in His death enables us to receive the beginning of His resurrection life in our spirit. Regeneration is entirely a matter of the spirit; it has nothing to do with the soul or the body.

What makes humans special in God's creation is not that we have a soul, but that we have a spirit—and this spirit is joined with the soul to become a person. This union makes man uniquely outstanding in the universe. According to the Bible, the human soul alone has no relationship with God. It is by the spirit that a person relates to God. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit. Only spirit can connect with spirit. Only spirit can worship Spirit. Thus, in the Bible we see: only the spirit can serve God (Romans 1:9; 7:6; 12:11); only the spirit can know spiritual things (1 Corinthians 2:9–12); only the spirit can worship the Spirit-God (John 4:23–24; Philippians 3:3); only the spirit can receive revelation from the spiritual God (Revelation 1:10; 1 Corinthians 2:10).

Therefore, we must remember: God's set way of dealing with man is through man’s spirit. It is through the human spirit that God accomplishes His purpose. However, if the human spirit is to fulfill God's purpose, it must remain in continual, living union with God and must never act according to the external desires, emotions, or ideals of the soul, lest it violate this divine law. If one does act in such a way, death ensues. This death is the breaking of the union between the spirit and God, which severs the flow of divine life. As previously stated, this does not mean the spirit ceases to exist, but that it relinquishes its noble position to the soul. When the human spirit yields to the urges of the "outer man"—its ideals and desires—it loses its fellowship with God, and that is death. Those who are “dead in trespasses and sins” are those who “follow the desires of their hearts” (Ephesians 2:1, 3).

The life of an unregenerated person is nearly always ruled by the soul. On one hand, they experience emotions such as fear, amazement, joy, pride, compassion, pleasure, love, astonishment, shame, longing, remorse, stimulation, and delight. On another hand, they engage in mental activities such as idealism, imagination, superstition, doubt, speculation, investigation, analysis, contemplation, and reflection. In yet another aspect, they pursue desires for ability, wealth, social standing, freedom, status, reputation, praise, and knowledge, while also displaying decisions, dependence, courage, endurance, fear, indecision, self-reliance, stubbornness, and assertiveness. These are all the operations of the soul—emotionally, intellectually, and volitionally. Is this not what fills human life?

Yet regeneration does not come through any of these soul activities. Feelings of remorse, sorrow for sin, even tears and resolutions are not salvation. Confession of sins, resolve, and many religious feelings are not regeneration either. Intellectual judgments, knowledge, acceptance in the mind, or resolutions to pursue goodness, beauty, and virtue are all operations of the soul, and the spirit may remain completely untouched. In matters of salvation, human reason, emotion, and will are not fundamental—they are secondary and subordinate. They are servants, not masters. Therefore, whether it be bodily discipline, emotional stirring, demands of the will, or mental understanding that leads to self-improvement or transformation, none of these is the biblical definition of regeneration. Biblical regeneration occurs in a deeper place than body or soul—it is in the human spirit, where the Holy Spirit imparts God’s life to a person.

Thus, every worker for the Lord must understand: our natural talents cannot bring about regeneration. The Christian life and ministry—from beginning to end—must never rely on the power of the soul. Otherwise, all our results will remain in the realm of the soul and will never reach into a person’s spirit. We must rely on the Holy Spirit to impart the life of God to people.