Let us review what we received through regeneration.
First, we received the life of God through regeneration. This life includes God’s nature and resurrection power. Once we receive the life of God, we have the nature of God, which is related to God’s attributes, and the resurrection power of God, which is related to His actions. Therefore, those who have the life of God spontaneously can be what God is and do what God does. What God is and what He does come out of His life. Since this life is in us, it enables us to live out the image of God and to live out God.
Second, we received the law of life through regeneration. The law of life is the innate ability of life. Every kind of life has an innate ability, which is its natural capability. This innate ability or capability is manifested according to a natural law, the law of life. We need to remember these terms: innate ability, capability, and law. The innate ability of life, the natural capability of life, or we may say, the law of life, regulates us from within according to God.
Every living creature has a law within its life. The higher the life, the stronger are its law, its innate ability, and its natural capability. Because the life of God is the highest life, the innate ability and the natural law within God’s life are the strongest.
The way that a hen lives and lays eggs is not controlled by an outward law given by man but by the innate ability of its life, which is a natural law. The law of life within a hen enables it to live a hen’s life and lay eggs regularly. This is not only the case with animal life but also with plant life. For example, an apple tree will bear apples when it grows to a certain stage. This is not the result of outward regulations and demands but of an innate ability or capability of life, that is, its natural law.
Third, we received a new heart through regeneration. A new heart is related to both nature and innate ability. In regard to nature, our heart was hardened; it was as hard as stone. But now it has been softened, and it is as soft as flesh. Our heart has been changed from a heart of stone into a heart of flesh (Ezek. 36:26). Our heart was hardened in the past because of the fall; it was as hard as stone. It was stubborn toward God, rejected God, opposed God, and forsook God. Thus, it was a “heart of stone.” However, at the time of our regeneration, God caused our heart to repent of sin and become soft toward Him; hence, our “heart of stone” became a “heart of flesh.” Our old heart was as hard as stone, but the new heart that God has given us is a soft heart.
According to the innate ability of our new heart, our heart now inclines toward God, loves God, and desires God. All our inclinations, affections, delights, and desires toward things are functions of our heart. Before we were regenerated, our heart inclined toward sins, desired the world, and loved lustful things. However, when God regenerated us, He renewed our heart, causing it to incline toward God, delight in God, desire God, and love God.
Fourth, we received a new spirit through regeneration (v. 26). We need to pay attention to the nature and innate ability of our new spirit. The nature of our new spirit is living; our new spirit is our old, deadened spirit which has been renewed and enlivened. Man was damaged by the defilement of sin because of the fall. Thus, the human spirit lost its function toward God and became deadened. However, when God regenerated us, He put His life into our spirit and quickened our spirit, making our spirit alive. In this way, our deadened spirit became a new and living spirit; this new, living spirit has been restored in its function and use toward God. The innate ability of our new spirit allows us to touch God, contact God, know God, and taste God.
We must be clear about the different functions of the heart and spirit. The heart enables us to adore God, love God, and desire God, but it does not enable us to contact God. Our heart has the desire but not the ability to contact God. The ability to contact God rests with our spirit; we can contact God and touch God only by the spirit. Concerning the things of God, our heart has a willingness, but only the spirit has the necessary ability. When our heart is willing and our spirit is exercised, we can contact God. On one hand, if we have an able spirit but an unwilling heart, we will not be able to contact God. On the other hand, if we have a willing heart but an unexercised spirit, we still will not be able to contact God. Therefore, we must clearly understand that the heart is related to willingness and the spirit to ability.
We often say that someone does not have a heart for God. By this, we mean that he is not willing to receive God and does not desire God. When a person has a heart for God, he is willing to receive God and desires God. This is the first step. The second step is to exercise the spirit. It is not enough for a person to have a heart and use only his heart; he must exercise his spirit as well. Many Christians have a heart for the Lord, but few exercise their spirit. It is precious when a brother or a sister has a heart for the Lord and loves the Lord, but it is even more precious when they exercise their spirit to contact the Lord. The heart needs to be moved, and the spirit needs to be exercised. The heart is related to emotion, and the spirit is related to ability. It is not enough simply to have a heart; we must also learn to exercise our spirit.
However, in order for a person to exercise his spirit, he must first have a willing heart. If he is unwilling to seek and love God, he will not be able to exercise his spirit. This is because our heart is the base, and our spirit acts according to the heart. We can exercise our spirit only when we love God and desire God with our heart. We emphasize learning to exercise our spirit because it is relatively simple to have a willing heart. As long as we do not allow anything other than Christ to occupy our heart, we can love God. However, we need to be trained in different aspects related to the spirit, because this involves matters that are not so simple. We need to be clear about the different functions of our heart and spirit.
God’s renewing of our heart is for our heart to be softened, and His renewing of our spirit is for our spirit to be enlivened. This is the reason He gives us a new spirit in addition to a new heart. If a person merely has a willing heart, he will still not be able to contact God. In order for him to contact God, he must exercise his spirit. We may desire God but still not contact God. We can contact God only when we exercise our spirit. This is the reason God gives us a new heart and a new spirit. My heart may be willing to pick up an object, but if my hands do not cooperate, I will not be able. This can be compared to having a desire but not the ability to achieve it. In order to contact God we need our heart in addition to our spirit. Our heart is related to willingness, and our spirit is related to ability.