Part 1
Our Nature

Titus 3:1-8, 1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. 3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

There is a term used within the Church that examines our nature call regeneration. It speaks of our spiritual change brought about in a person’s life by an act of God. In regeneration a person’s sinful nature is changed, and he/she is enabled to respond to God in faith. The word regeneration occurs two times in the bible Titus 3:1-8 and Matthew 19:28 and literally means to be “born again”. I’m afraid there are too many who profess that they are Christians, yet there is no change of heart.

When we are born again there is a radical change of mind, will and nature. In 1 Corinthians 5:17, This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! Wow, this regeneration that Christ does in and through us extends to the whole nature of man, changing a person’s desire and restoring him to a right relationship with God in Christ. So if we confess that we are a Christian but there is no change there is a serious problem. I know that before I became a Christian doing things that were wrong didn’t bother me or how they impacted others, but after I became a Christian and did something wrong I came under conviction of the Holy Spirit which really bother me until I came into obedience to Christ. So the question to us is, “Are you sure you have been born again?” it carries eternal consequences!