Is it important to know the moment of our regeneration?

The Lord knows when we were regenerated. What if we don’t? From one of our Ask Ligonier events, Burk Parsons considers if it is important for Christians to know the moment when we were born again by the Holy Spirit.

Is it important to know the moment of our regeneration?

#AskLigonier

[MrGTO]

Thanks for this. I know the time I was regenerated but not the exact time. At the end of the day, it is not the moment that saves us but Christ.

[aprilholton]

I remember walking around, just living my life, but knowing in my soul I had a "purpose" here on earth. When I was 8 years old I was approached by a demon through a window at night. The same moment I was filled with the Holy Spirit who said out of my mouth: You will NEVER get me!! My regeneration happened at 40 years old and lasted a weekend!! It was incredible, the best thing I have ever remember telling everyone I knew, so much that I lost my voice!! After all the good and bad I have been through, it has all been worth it, knowing I will see my Father in Heaven for eternity- Seriously can't wait!! I only wish being and becoming a born-again Christian would be celebrated MORE. I lost all my friends and most of my as long as I have Jesus, and can spread the gospel, I am fine!!

[benjaminlamptey]

I remember mine! It was two years ago today! At around this time! (Between 11-3pm, 7th Feb 2018)
I was reading Eph 2 with a friend, I'd never read the Bible expositionally before.
Praise God!

[evanstaffieri]

Awesome!! I live right outside Dayton, Ohio!! We need more faithful, Christ-honoring, gospel proclaiming, verse-by-verse expository preaching churches where I am located! Thank you all for your faithfulness in ministry!

[jacobbreuer]

On Monday, October 30th, 2017 at approximately 8:30am I was sitting on the couch waking up to do my regular morning workout. No tv or music. Just me and my thoughts in the quiet of the morning.

I began to contemplate on just how divided the whole world is, especially our country. Then, for the first time in my life the realization entered my mind that there is a spiritual battle going on between good and evil. Next thing I know my body fully submits to the floor onto my hands and knees. I began to uncontrollably weep and beg for forgiveness from God who I refused to believe in up until that point. After for what seemed like a few minutes of crying out repeatedly "please forgive me Father" and realizing just how horrible my sins are, another thought entered my mind that said "You will be okay." Hearing that in my head caused me to weep even more, but now with a heart of thankfulness.

Finally, I stood straight up and felt a sensation that rose up inside me causing full body goosebumps and my hands to raise in praise to God. I felt an overwhelming peace that I never had felt before. Couldn't that be considered as the moment of regeneration for me? Or maybe I am missing something. If I am I definitely open to be taught otherwise through scripture. I know everyone has different salvation experiences or journeys, but I do believe we are all saved the same exact way. By the grace of God alone.

I couldn't wait to tell my Mom who is a Christian, whom I repeatedly verbally abused by attacking her faith in Jesus. When I told her what happened she began crying and praising Jesus. She told me she had prayed many years for my salvation in Jesus.

Not many days after that I desired to start reading God's word, so my mom and I went to get me a bible. For a year I just read God's word and wondered why did God save me? I thought many times about how I don't deserved to be saved. I am a murderer (convinced a friend with benefits to have an abortion & hated my brother). I am a lying, thieving, blaspheming, fornicating, adulterer at heart. I verbally persecuted Christians. O' wretched man that I am! Exactly one year after my salvation I started attending a church, but was exposed to biblical truth mixed in with false teachings. Though I didn't fully realize that until after about a year of attending there.

Then, God directed me to Apologia Church on Youtube and I came across their Calvinism sermon series with Pastor Jeff Durbin and Dr. James White. I had never heard of Calvinism and the doctrines of grace before, but those biblical truths resonated deeply in my soul. It quenched my spirit and drew me even closer to God. Also, I heard for the first time the answer to my question on why God saved me. God chose to love me and save me for His glory alone. Thank you, Jesus!!!

I found out Apologia Church is near to where I live, so I now attend Apologia Church, which is how I found about R.C. Sproul and Ligonier Ministries. Thank you so much Ligonier Ministries for providing so much biblical content. I praise God for you and Apologia Church.

Now, by the grace of God, he has given me a heart to serve him doing outreach. Soli Deo gloria!

[jimwilliams]

I was either 8 years old or 21 years old, both incidents were remarkable and memorable. Either way, I've known the hand of the Lord on my entire life. Whether to protect me until I was saved or saved me first and from then on, it doesn't really matter to me. I know I'm His now at 65.

[justawretch]

I don't remember the exact time or date, because it was kind of traumatic, but I do remember the event. I wasn't even thinking about God, but about quantum physics and how mind-blowing and amazing it is. Then, it was like a switch was flipped and suddenly I KNEW, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there was a God and that it was the God of the Bible. I was filled with the fear of God. I realized that I was wicked and deserved punishment. I was wide-eyed and cowering expecting that at any moment I could and SHOULD be struck down. Then I realized that I'd been regenerated in that moment, God had shown me my wickedness and convicted my heart, disciplining me as a father should a child, and had therefore chosen me as one of His children before the foundation of the world and I was reduced to a sobbing wreck of gratitude. I thanked Him again and again. Ever since I've been a new creature. When I stumble, I repent and ask for help to be more like Jesus. Not because I have to, but because I WANT to. I'd heard the gospel all my life, was raised in church, but not until that moment did I truly have faith. There's no going back for me.

[SoCalDario]

Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. -Psalms 32:2 📜

[ForensicPI]

November 14th, 1991 at approx. 1205PM, while in a bloody shootout at a church in Los Angeles.

[soh]

Much like we don’t actually remember our physical birth, it makes sense that we won’t remember our spiritual birth. The fact that we are actually alive is evidence that we were born at a certain time in history but it’s not ever possible for any of us to recall the day and time when we were born. We only know when we were born bc someone else recorded it. The same would be true for a spiritual birth. The desire to live in righteousness, learn to love our enemies, striving to sin less and please God is evidence that at some point in our spiritual journey we have regenerated. God determines when we enter the world and so does regeneration. It is God who determines both out spiritual and physical birth.

[danieljackson]

"Message us for clear, concise, and trustworthy answers to your biblical and theological questions"


"We still don't know the exact moment they're regenerated". "No, we don't know. In one sense, we can't really know."


And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost - Acts 2:4
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. - Acts 10:44
And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. - Acts 11:15


I don't like working a 9-5.... How can I get a job taking people's 10% and give them answers like, "we don't know"?


Where can I get man's stamp of approval to preach instead of God's? Oh, my local seminary?

[milescoverdale]

It is our birth day, and we only take it as such, no more, no less

[joshuatcharles]

While Mr. Parsons is no doubt very well intended, I’ll go with Jesus’ answer to this question—universally believed and confessed by millennia of Christians in his one, holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, which I finally found after a lifetime of protestantism (after reading the Bible, no less!): “Unless you are born of water and spirit, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” We are regenerated when we are baptized.

Either Mr. Parsons is wrong, or millennia of Christians from the very first century were wrong.

I encourage everyone to read the Church Fathers! This is why protestantism is so dangerous. Everyone has their own answers to everything under the sun, and they are incoherent, and simply don’t take account of ALL of Scripture. Thank God for the Catholic Church and the living authority given to us by Christ.