⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 2 min read
Regeneration: God Gives New Life
Author: Dave Jenkins Show: Contending for the Word Q&AShow Summary
What is regeneration? Salvation involves the forgiveness of sins, faith in Christ, and the grace of God. Yet Scripture teaches that something deeper must happen: spiritually dead sinners must be given spiritual life.In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains that regeneration is the sovereign work of God by which He gives new life to those who are spiritually dead. It is not self-improvement, religious performance, or simply turning over a new leaf. It is God making sinners alive through the renewing work of the Holy Spirit.Listen or Watch
Key Scriptures
- John 3:3–8
- Titus 3:4–7
- Ephesians 2:1–10
- Ezekiel 36:25–27
Episode Highlights
- Humanity’s greatest need is not improvement but spiritual life.
- To be regenerated is to be born again by the work of God.
- Regeneration is a work of sovereign grace from beginning to end.
- Repentance, faith, love for Christ, and growing obedience flow from the new life God gives.
God Gives Life to the Spiritually Dead
Jesus told Nicodemus that a person must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. This new birth is not produced by human effort, religious activity, or moral reform. It is the work of the Holy Spirit, who gives life where there was once spiritual death.Regeneration reminds Christians that salvation is ultimately God’s work. He changes hearts, opens blind eyes to the truth of the gospel, and draws sinners to Himself through Jesus Christ. The result is not sinless perfection, but real transformation: a new love for Christ, a growing hatred of sin, a desire for God’s Word, and a desire to walk in obedience.For more biblical resources, visit Servants of Grace and explore Contending for the Word Q&A.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.
Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.
He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).
You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.
When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.
Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
