| Salvation and Regeneration | | Regeneration: Begetting, Conceiving, or Birthing? | | Regeneration: New Birth, or New Life? | | Regeneration in John 3: What were they thinking? | | God's Divine Accommodation in Disclosing His Plan to Man | | The Miracle of New Life | | New Life: Indissoluble and Unseverable | | Regeneration: Holiness and Eternal Life | | Regeneration and Eternal Security, Part 1 | | Regeneration and Eternal Security: Part 2 | | Regeneration and the Incarnation: So What's the Difference? | | So How is Jesus the "Only Begotten Son?" | | So What's Going on In John Chapter 3? | | Summary fo the Doctrinal Statement on Regeneration |
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Regeneration and Eternal Life
by
Ronald R. Shea, Th.M., J.D.
REGENERATION AND THE INCARNATION: SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE
The question naturally arises, "if man partakes of the divine nature in the regeneration, how are we any different than Jesus, who, though man, partakes of the divine nature?" Actually, there are a great many similarities between the incarnation of Christ and the regeneration of mankind: Just as humanity is regenerated by the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-8), so we read of Christ:
And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35
THE SIMILARITIES AND THE DIFFERENCES
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THE REGENERATION OF
HUMANITY |
THE INCARNATION OF
CHRIST |
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Some of Gods' attributes were passed to man: His eternal life (John 3:16) and His sinless nature (1 John 3:9). |
All of Gods' attributes were implanted in Christ
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The personality of the new man is derived from the personality of the original man, who was created in God's image, and began at the moment he was physically begotten. |
The personality of Christ derived from the pre-incarnate eternal Son of God, and thereby had no beginning. |
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The "sperma", an aspect of Gods' divine substance is present in the new man. (1 John 3:9) |
The fullness of Gods' substance dwells in Christ.
(Colossians 1:19) |
It is therefore clear that although the divine "begetting" of Christ and the regeneration of humanity are similar, Christ is unique, being qualitatively different from the rest of humanity. In spite of these significant differences however, the similarities are sufficient for God to regard Jesus and regenerate humanity as "brethren."
For both He who sanctifies and they who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not afraid to call them brethren."
Hebrews 2:11
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Regeneration and the Incarnation: So What's the Difference? |
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