What is Regeneration?

Jonathan Dickinson and His Place in the Great Awakening

Jonathan Dickinson. Who was this guy? Jonathan Dickinson was a pastor in the early 1700s in New England, like Jonathan Edwards. In fact, Dickinson is usually considered the second most significant evangelical theologian in the colonies, second only to Jonathan Edwards.

He was actually named as the first president of Princeton Seminary, or what they called the College of New Jersey back then, so Princeton University. But soon, right after he accepts the position, he died, as happened with many of the early presidents.

Dickinson was really noted in particular for being a strong advocate for the Great Awakening, that it was a real work of the Lord, but also a very biblically critical advocate. He did point out areas where in some of the youthful exuberance of the revivalists, there were some errors, and he pointed out where those were and how they could correct them.

So really, a very distinguishing kind of preacher, the kind of guy that kind of got behind your armor and exposed errors. Chuck, you want to give us an overview of the sermon? Sure. The sermon.

John 3:3 and the Sermon's Four Main Questions

Is based off of John 3, 3. Jesus answered and said to him, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. There are four main points. They are, what are we to understand by the kingdom of God, which no unregenerate man can ever see?

What are we to understand by being born again, without which we cannot see the kingdom of God? Third, why this change, of which our Savior here speaks, is called a new birth? And fourth, why is it that the unregenerate cannot see God?

And then there are some applications. And of course, under each of those four points, there are numerous sub-points, and I think we'll be spending most of our time really with the second one, what are we to understand by being born again, without which we cannot see the kingdom of.

Dickinson's Definition of Regeneration

God? He gives his opening definition of the nature of the new birth in that second point. And in this definition, all of his sub-points are really kind of summed up. So let me just read that. Regeneration is a new spiritual and supernatural principle wrought by the Spirit of God in all the faculties of the soul, inclining and enabling unto the exercise of a life of faith in Christ and new obedience to God.

So all of his main points really are in that. So let's just jump in and look at them one at a time.

Sure.