My graduate student advisor studied lens regeneration using the salamander as an experimental model system. These little critters can also regenerate limbs and tails – the biology involved is amazing. You might be surprised to know that the human liver also has remarkable capacity for regeneration. The goal of this very interesting process is restoration of something that was damaged or lost, i.e. a limb, a tail, part of the liver.
Regeneration is one of the many "re” words found in Scripture. Some examples include, redemption, renew, repent, reconciliation, resurrection and restore to name a few. According to Warren Cole Smith and John Stonestreet these “re” words unlock the central plot of the grand story of God’s cosmos from Genesis to Revelation (wow, another “re” word). These “re” words have a common connection because they all have to do with returning something – a person, a relationship or the universe to its original intended state. And that is the central plot in the Bible storyline, that God, in His timing, is going to restore the universe to its original state of goodness. This is good news, but how will He accomplish this in a person?
Nicodemus was a Pharisee, who certainly knew about the promises of restoration recorded in the Scriptures [e.g. Ezekiel 36:26-27]. He came to Jesus late one evening because he knew that He was a teacher sent from God [John 3:1-2]. Maybe questions about restoration were on Nicodemus’ mind because the first thing Jesus said to him was “I assure you that unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God” [John 3:3]. This answer totally puzzled Nicodemus, so Jesus explained, “The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven” [John 3:5-6]. When Jesus tells Nicodemus he must be born again, He is talking about regeneration which we can define as a secret act of God and the Holy Spirit in which a new spiritual life to given to us. We have no active role in this, and how this happens is a mystery to us. Jesus suggests this when He tells Nicodemus, “Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit” [John 3:8]. But, thanks be to God that He loves us enough to do this mysterious work of regeneration in our hearts.
Regeneration is an instantaneous, a one-time event. One moment we are spiritually dead and the next we are spiritually alive. Then over time, this mysterious change becomes revealed in our behavior and our desire to please God. John describes some of these changes in his first epistle. They include belief that Jesus is the Christ [1 John 5:1], refraining from a life of continual sin [1 John 3:9], having a Christlike love for others, especially brothers and sisters in Christ [1 John 4:7], overcoming the temptation of this world [1 John 5:3-4], and being kept safe from ultimate harm by Satan [1 John 5:18]. Paul also speaks of the results of regeneration when he talks about the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control [Galatians 5:22-23].
What about Nicodemus, was he born again? Did he ever show evidence of this? Scripture does not give us a definitive answer. However, we do know that when the Pharisees wanted to condemn Jesus, Nicodemus spoke in His defense [John 7:50] and when Jesus was buried, Nicodemus came with Joseph of Arimathea and brought spices for preparation of His body [John 19:39]. How about us? What evidences are we showing that confirms that we have experienced regeneration?