The Almighty Power of Regeneration

 The Almighty Power of Regeneration


For God to save a dead, lost, rebellious sinner required Him to "move heaven and earth," (as the old saying goes).  It is a far more spectacular wonder that the Triune God of glory would redeem (even) one fallen human being, than that He would create the entire cosmos. As the Puritans were fond of saying, "God used His fingers to create the world; but He employed His strong arm to bring about atonement for a sinner," [not an exact quote].

 

. . . And this mighty power is all associated together with The Holy Spirit Himself, the Gospel of Grace itself (which is the "power of God for salvation," [Rom. 1:16a]), the Resurrection of Jesus Christ's physical body from the dead, and the Regeneration (new birth/life) that is effected by God's Spirit when He brings to miraculous life the souls of spiritually dead elect people (at the very moment of their being born again).

 

The Almighty Power of Regeneration continues throughout the entire course of a true saint's life.  It does not abate, dissipate, go away, get suspended, or get overwhelmed (even by the world, the flesh, and/or the devil).  It persists in and through sanctification; and it is perfected and forever promulgated through an everlasting glorification (all in Jesus Christ).

 

But The Almighty Power of Regeneration also does some other amazing things for us here, while we traverse this sinful (fallen) "sod."  One of these "things"--and this is truly mind-boggling--is that this power of God, this supernatural heavenly dynamic causes us (the redeemed/regenerated saints) to be able (again, by grace alone) to keep our covenant (baptismal) vows to God in and as His church.  Flowing out of this, and being subordinate to it, is the God-given ability to live a life of integrity--with regard to all other "promises" that we make: be they marriage vows, civil contracts, or simply the keeping of our word.

 

The regenerating power of The Holy Spirit actually allows us to not only be called "the children of God," (Jn. 1:12)--but (in fact) to demonstrate (by grace) that we *are* "the children of God," (Php. 2:15/1 Jn. 3:10).

 

There is no doubt, but that we saints do not always "sense" of "feel" that we have been endowed with "The Almighty Power of Regeneration."  But this fact notwithstanding, we who are in Christ actually are (endowed with it--always).  Even our Lord Jesus Christ, who had (and gave) The Holy Spirit and His power "without measure," (Jn. 3:34), had to undergo times during His bodily sojourn here on earth when it seemed that this divine strength was not functioning--like when He languished in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:38), and (especially) when He suffered and died for His church on the cross (Matt. 27:46).  That power was always available to Him--but out of love for His elect and for our salvation, He did not always avail Himself of it (Matt. 26:53).

 

So, the way we should think about and value The Almighty Power of Regeneration as it attends our lives here on earth, as we are the church of the Living God, is to see its goal in us to be more and more Christlikeness, day-by-day.  This great strength is not to be misapplied, nor is it to be neglected.  God will make sure this does not happen in the lives and hearts of His blood-bought children.  The Almighty Power of Regeneration entirely focuses our attention, affection, and gaze upon the Person of Jesus Christ, who is, even for us, bringing all things under His sovereign rule (1 Cor. 15:28).

 

Rev. Mark J. Henninger

Treatise #126

5 August 2026

 

https://theologicaltreatisesinretirement.blogspot.com

https://henningerdevotions.blogspot.com

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