It’s good to pause sometimes and reflect on how God actually saves us. What does it mean to be “born again”? What is the Holy Spirit doing in our lives when we come to Christ—and even long after we’ve made that initial decision to follow Him?
In a recent teaching, we explored the role of the Holy Spirit in the order of salvation, a framework that helps us understand the process of how God draws us, redeems us, and transforms us. What became clear is this: salvation is not just a moment—it’s a divine process, and the Holy Spirit is at the center of it.
The Spirit Unites Us with Christ
At the heart of the Spirit’s work in salvation is union with Christ. That’s the big idea. Everything the Spirit does—conviction, justification, new birth, sanctification—is aimed at bringing us into deeper union with Jesus and, through Him, into communion with the triune God.
Salvation isn’t just a change in status. It’s a change in relationship. As Paul writes in Romans, we are baptized into Christ’s death and raised with Him in newness of life. The Holy Spirit unites us to Christ’s saving work, and this union is both vertical (with God) and horizontal (with the church).
The Order of Salvation: A Spirit-Led Journey
Theologians often use the phrase ordo salutis, or “order of salvation,” to describe the Spirit’s progressive work. While it’s not a rigid formula, it helps us trace the movement of grace in our lives.
Here’s a simplified overview of how the Holy Spirit leads us:
- Prevenient Grace – God’s Spirit begins working in us before we even know it. He softens our hearts, dispels lies we’ve believed about God, and opens us to the possibility of trust.
- Conviction of Sin – The Spirit shows us the truth about ourselves—not to shame us, but to wake us up. When we compare ourselves not to others, but to Christ, we realize our need for a Savior.
- Repentance – The Spirit gives us the faith and courage to turn from sin. This isn’t just behavior modification—it’s the beginning of a new way of being.
- Justification – Through faith in Christ, the Spirit applies the saving work of Jesus to us. We are declared forgiven. Clean. Made right with God.
- Regeneration (New Birth) – Here’s where things get deep. The Spirit doesn’t just change our legal standing; He changes us. We are born again—our inner self is renewed, our desires transformed, and our moral command center (our spirit) brought to life.
Regeneration: More Than Forgiveness
Regeneration means we’re given a new heart. The Holy Spirit moves in and brings with Him the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and more. These aren’t just virtues to aspire to. They are evidence of new life. The Spirit replaces hatred with love, bitterness with mercy, and fear with peace.
One helpful image we explored was this: our spirits are to our souls what the brain is to the body. In sin, our spirits are dead—disconnected from God. But when the Spirit moves in, He turns the lights on. We begin to think and feel and live differently because we’ve been plugged into divine life.
Shame, Fear, and the Healing Work of the Spirit
At the root of much of our sin is shame. We fear rejection. We fear not being enough. We fear being exposed. But the Spirit applies the healing power of Jesus’ cross to the deepest parts of us. Jesus removes our shame, and when shame is gone, fear and sadness lose their grip. Only then can the fruit of the Spirit grow in us.
This is not mere behavior change. This is transformation from the inside out.
Sanctification: The Work Continues
Even after we’re born again, there’s still work to do. The Spirit leads us into sanctification, the process of being conformed to the image of Christ. This means:
- Breaking sinful habits
- Healing hidden wounds
- Forming holy patterns through the means of grace (Scripture, prayer, worship, sacraments)
It’s not just about stopping sin. It’s about becoming like Jesus. And the Holy Spirit does this shaping work patiently, persistently, and lovingly.
Glorification: The Hope Ahead
The final step in the Spirit’s work is glorification—the resurrection of the body and the restoration of all things. Our bodies will be raised, our souls will be reunited with our glorified flesh, and we will dwell in the fullness of God’s presence forever. The Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will raise us, too (Romans 8:11).
Final Thoughts: Not Just Awakened, But Born Again
Too many people today live with a cultural Christianity that’s more about attendance than transformation. They may be awakened—religious, moral, interested in church—but not born again. And there is a world of difference. Being a Christian isn’t about knowing the right answers. It’s about knowing Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and becoming new from the inside out.
As Jesus said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again.”
Are you walking in newness of life? Have you experienced not just the forgiveness of sins, but the transformation of your desires, your attitudes, your soul?
If not, ask the Holy Spirit to make you new. He’s ready. The cross has made the way open. And the Spirit is eager to fill you with the very life of God.
