Why does man need to be regenerated? Although the meaning of regeneration might be clear to us, we also need to be impressed with the need for regeneration. Man’s need for regeneration is twofold. On the negative side, all of mankind was damaged, due to Adam’s disobedience and is now constituted with the satanic nature. On the positive side, we need the life of God (Regeneration? 6-7). Morality, self-improvement, and teachings are unable to meet man’s need. Neither are they able to improve man’s heart which is “deceitful above all things, and it is incurable” (Jeremiah 17:9). Regeneration alone satisfies these aspects of man’s need.

We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are constituted with the satanic nature.

All of Mankind is Constituted with the Satanic Nature

Man needs regeneration not because of his sinful outward conduct, but because of his sinful inward constitution. We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are constituted with the satanic nature. Man is corrupted and fallen by nature due to his inward element, not to his outward actions (Lee, Footnotes 623-624).

• In Genesis chapter 2 God warned man, represented by Adam, not to partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If he ate of it, God said, he would “surely die”(v. 17).
• In Genesis 3 man partook of the tree after being seduced by the serpent, Satan (v. 6). By partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve were “poisoned” by Satan’s sinful nature. This is referred to as the “fall,” for through this act all mankind became corrupted, damaged and constituted with the sinful nature of Satan. Romans 5:12 explains, “Through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin, death; and thus death passed on to all men” (see also 5:17-19).

God therefore has no intention to improve our fallen condition; instead, He desires to change our nature, our constitution.

God therefore has no intention to improve our fallen condition; instead, He desires to change our nature, our constitution. Through regeneration He is able to add Himself into us so that we might become partakers of His nature (2 Peter 1:4) and be reconstituted with His life (Colossians 3:4; Galatians 2:20). Man’s only hope is to bury the fallen, old constitution, to put it to death, and to receive the life of God (Romans 6:3-9).

"Regardless of the kind of human life we have, as long as we do not have the divine life, we need to be regenerated"

Man’s Basic Need Is the Life of God

To say that man needs regeneration only because he is constituted with the satanic nature indicates an incomplete and inadequate understanding of man’s need for regeneration. The basic reason man needs to be regenerated is that he lacks the life of God (Regeneration, 7). Witness Lee writes, “Regardless of the kind of human life we have, as long as we do not have the divine life, we need to be regenerated” (10). According to this higher, deeper realization, we can see beyond the matter of man’s fall, in Genesis 3, to God’s original intention, in Genesis 1 and 2, for man to partake of His life.

• In Genesis 1 God created man in His image and according to His likeness (v. 26). Just as a glove is made in the image and likeness of a hand for the purpose of containing a hand, so man was made to contain God.
• In Genesis 2 God placed man in front of the tree of life (representing God as life). God intended that man would partake of Him as the tree of life, thereby receiving His eternal life (2:17; 3:22-24).

God’s desire and purpose is for man to have His divine life. Therefore, even if we were sinless, we would still fall short of this desire. Again, Witness Lee provides a clear explanation:

God’s purpose is that we may obtain His own uncreated life and be transformed by this life into His image to be like Him. Even if our human life had not been corrupted by the fall of man in Genesis 3, we would still need to be regenerated. In Genesis 1 and 2, Adam was without sin, yet he was void of God’s life. Thus, God placed him before the tree of life that he might receive the life of God and be regenerated. God’s purpose in creating man is not merely to obtain a sinless man, but even more to have a God-man, one who has God’s own life and nature. (7-8)

"godly" behavior apart from the life of God is merely an unsustainable outward performance.

Morality, Self-improvement, and Teachings Are Unable to Meet Man’s Need

From the very beginning, man needed God’s life. Today it is no different; man’s essential need has not changed. Man needs regeneration simply because he lacks the life of God. Morality, self-improvement, and ethical or religious teachings could never meet this need. Neither should we think that it is sufficient for us to behave like a child of God. Only regeneration can meet man’s inward need. For example, a monkey can pretend to be human. It can dress and act like a man, but the fact remains—its life is still that of a monkey. After some time it inevitably reverts back to the “monkey” life. In the same way, “godly” behavior apart from the life of God is merely an unsustainable outward performance. Man’s basic need is God’s life, and this need is met only through regeneration.