A NT text that interests me concerning regeneration is 1 John. John's concern of being born speaks of regeneration. Quotes are in the NASB
2:29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who
practices righteousness is
born of Him.
3:9 No one who is
born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he
cannot sin, because he is
born of God. ( I am skipping 5:18 which is very similar).
5:1 Whoever
believes that Jesus is the Christ is
born of God, and whoever
loves the Father loves the child born of Him.
In a way, these texts speak to the "ordo salutus" (order of salvation). The word "born" occurs 6 times in those three verses.
(If you read 5:1 in the ASV it is literally rendered "
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and whosoever loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him." and you can see that the word occurs 3X. If you read greek, please consult the GNT).
The point about the word "born" is that 5 of the 6 times it occurs in the perfect tense (
speaks of a past event with continuing result).
2:29 We have the word "born" in green that is in the perfect tense that speaks of something in the past (born/regeneration), and also has a present tense participle that mentions the continuing result... doing righteousness. If one is regenerated in the past, the result is that one does righteousness beginning at the moment of regeneration.
3:9 The one who is regenerated in the past also has a continuing result in that he cannot sin.
5:1 The one who is regenerated in the past, has the continuing result of faith and also loving the others who are regenerate.
Regeneration can be separated from justification-faith-and sanctification as a distinct work of the Holy Spirit even if there is no chronological difference. The question is not chronology but logical order. Regeneration proceeds faith, justification, and sanctification because out of the work of regeneration flows all the continuing results spoken of in 1 John. It is the source spring from which the river of faith and sanctification flows. Regeneration is the moment God touches the heart and turns it from hardened stone into hearts of human flesh. It is the moment that the yoke of our slavery to sin in broken forever (3:9 and 5:18). Regeneration is a gift (Phil 1:29 because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer in his behalf
. It is completely the work of God without any requirement on the part of man. That is different than justification in that there is a human requirement for justification--> faith and faith alone.
I have read some who talk about God forcing men to believe as thought God has to twist the will of man. Other talk about God turning us into Robot believers. How little they understand the reformed/biblical doctrine of regeneration. In regeneration, God changes the heart and we come running with desire and love for God. We run to God not out of force, not as a Robot, but with hearts wide open to the glory of our God.