One of the most maligned words in the Bible is “begat.” This is because we stumble over the long lists of them, not recognizing their importance. But to understand this word is to understand the nature of our salvation. James says “of his own will begat he us” — we were begotten into salvation.
Regeneration, which we must all experience if we are to experience the goodness of God, is to be born of a new father. But think about the miracle involved in this. We can imagine getting a new brother or sister, or a new son or daughter. But a new father? We need to meditate upon the image, and let it sink in.
This is one of the greatest miracle that God performs, and He does it all over the world. He has done it here, with us. New life, but do not think of this as a mere infusion of some spiritual joy juice. No, in regeneration God gives us a new set of ancestors.
Not only does He radically alter our future, He also gives us a new past.