REGENERATION
word
corresponds
(Gr.
palingenesia),
occurs
only
twice
in
the
NT
(Mt
192«,
Tit
3'),
and
in
the
first
instance
denotes,
not
the
renewal
of
the
individual,
but
the
perfected
condition
of
things
at
the
Parousia
(cf.
Ac
3",
2
P
31';
see
Kestoration).
In
the
other
passage
(Tit
35),
the
expression
'the
washing
[laver]
of
regenera-tion'
connects
'the
renewing
of
the
Holy
Ghost'
with
the
rite
of
baptism,
which
is
its
outward
symbol
and
seal
(see
below).
The
doctrine,
nevertheless,
is
a
thoroughly
Scriptural
one,
and
the
change
in
question
is
expressed
by
a
great
variety
of
terms
and
phrases:
'born,'
'born
anew,'
'a
new
creation,'
'renewed,'
'quickened,'
etc.,
to
which
attention
will
immediately
be
directed.
The
fundamental
need
of
regeneration
is
recognized
in
the
OT
as
well
as
in
the
NT
(.e.g.
Ps
SI'"-
"),
though,
necessarily,
the
prophecies
speak
more
frequently
of
natiorml
renewal
(Jer
SI'"-
32"-",
Ezk
36»-28,
Hos
6'-'
etc.)
than
of
individual.
The
classical
passage
on
the
need
of
regeneration
is
Jn
Z'"'.
Spiritual
life,
it
is
taught,
can
come
only
from
a
spiritual
source,
and
man,
naturally,
has
not
that
life
(v.^).
Hence
the
declarations:
'Except
a
man
be
born
anew,
he
cannot
see
the
kingdom
of
God';
'Except
a
man
be
born
of
water
and
the
Spirit,
he
cannot
enter
into
the
kingdom
of
God.
.
.
.
Marvel
not
that
I
said
unto
thee.
Ye
must
be
born
anew
'
(vv.'-
')
.
The
miracle
is
wrought
by
the
Spirit
of
God,
whose
action
is
sovereign
(v.*).
Many
do
marvel,
like
Nico-demus,
at
the
strangeness
and
universality
of
this
demand
of
Christ;
yet
the
strangeness
will
disappear,
and
the
need
of
a
supernatural
agent
to
effect
the
change
will
be
felt,
if
due
consideration
is
given
(1)
to
the
vastness
of
the
change,
and
(2)
to
the
condition
of
the
human
nature
in
which
the
change
is
to
be
made.
(1)
It
is
sufficient,
to
show
the
vastness
of
this
change,
to
reflect
that
here,
and
elsewhere,
regeneration
means
nothing
less
than
a
revolution
of
such
a
kind
as
results
in
the
whole
man
being
brought
round
from
his
ordinary
worldly
way
of
feeling,
and
thinking,
and
willing,
into
harmony
with
God's
mind
and
will;
truly
brought
round
to
God's
point
of
view,
so
that
he
now
sees
things
as
God
sees
them,
feels
about
things
as
God
feels
about
them,
judges
of
things
as
God
judges
of
them,
loves
what
God
loves,
hates
what
God
hates,
sets
God's
ends
before
him
as
his
own.
Who
can
doubt,
if
this
is
the
nature
of
the
change,
that
it
does
not
lie
in
man's
own
powers
to
produce
it;
that
it
can
be
effected
only
through
a
higher
power
entering
his
being,
and
wojrking
the
change?
(2)
The
need
of
a
supernatural
agency
in
the
change
is
further
evident
from
the
condition
of
the
human
nature
in
which
the
change
is
wrought.
The
testimony
of
Scripture
is
uniform
that
man
has
turned
aside
from
God
(Ps
lV-\
Ro
3»ao,
and
that
his
nature
has
undergone
a
terrible
depravation
(Gn
6»
8^',
Ps
51^
Is
12-',
Ro
T""-,
Eph
21
-s
4i»-
>8
etc.);
that
the
bent
of
the
will
is
away
from
God
(Ro
8'-
8);
that
the
love
of
God
has
been
replaced
by
love
of
the
world,
and
the
self-seeking
principles
connected
therewith
(1
Jn
2"'
i«,
cf.
Jn
S".
«.);
that
the
better
nature
is
in
bondage
to
a
law
of
sin,
which
works
lawlessness
in
thought,
feeling,
and
desire
(Ro
7«-
^,
1
Jn
3*
RV).
Is
it
not
obvious,
leaving
out
of
account
altogether
the
darker
forms
in
which
evil
manifests
itself,
that
this
is
a
condition
of
soul
which
only
a
Divine
power
can
rectify?
Nothing,
therefore,
is
more
plainly
taught
in
Scripture
than
that
this
spiritual
change
we
call
regeneration
is
one
which
nothing
short
of
Divine
power
can
effect.
It
is
spoken
of
as
a
being
born
of
God
(Jn
!"•
"
3',
1
Jn
3°
etc.);
as
a
new
creation
(2
Co
5");
as
a
being
raised
from
the
dead
(Eph
2^-
").
It
is
compared
to
that
great
work
of
the
omnipotence
of
God
in
raising
Christ
Himself
from
the
dead
(Eph
l''-
^''
2i-
»).
It
is
a
complete
renewal,
transformation,
of
the
inner
REGENERATION
man
(Ro
12',
Eph
4?^,
Col
3'«,
Tit
3=,
1
P
1«-
^).
Yet,
while
so
distinctively
a
supernatural
work,
it
is
made
equally
clear
that
it
is
not
a
magical
work;
not
a
work
bound
up
with
rites
and
words,
so
that,
when
these
rites
and
ceremonies
are
performed,
regeneration
is
ipso
facto
effected.
This
is
the
error
of
sacerdotalism,
which
binds
up
this
spiritual
change
with
the
rite
of
baptism.
It
would
be
wrong
to
say
that
baptism
has
no
connexion
with
the
change,
for
it
is
often
brought
into
most
intimate
relation
with
it
(Ro
6*,
Tit
3*,
1
P
3";
perhaps
even
in
Clirist's
words,
Jn
3';
with
the
historical
examples
of
the
connexion
of
the
receiving
of
the
Spirit
with
baptism,
Ac
2''
W-'
etc.).
Baptism
is
connected
with
regeneration
as
outwardly
representing
it,
and
being
a
symbol
of
it;
as
connected
with
profession
(1
P
321),
and
pledging
the
spiritual
blessing
to
faith;
but
it
neither
operates
the
blessing,
nor
is
indispensable
to
it,
nor
has
any
virtue
at
all
apart
from
the
inward
susceptibility
in
the
subjects
of
it.
In
some
cases
we
read
of
those
on
whom
the
Spirit
of
God
fell,
that
they
were
baptized
afterwards
(Ac
10"-
**),
and
in
all
cases
faith
is
presumed
to
be
already
present
before
baptism
is
administered;
that
is,
the
inward
decisive
step
has
already
been
taken.
On
the
other
hand,
when
we
look
to
the
means
—
the
instrumentality
—
by
which
the
Holy
Spirit
effects
this
change,
we
find
it
always
in
Scripture
declared
to
be
one
thing,
namely,
the
word.
This
is
what
is
meant
by
saying
that
regeneration
is
effected,
not
magically,
but
by
the
use
of,
rational
means.
It
is
connected
with
the
outward
call
of
the
gospel
(hence
the
older
divines
were
wont
to
treat
of
this
subject
under
the
head
of
'vocation,'
or
'effectual
calling').
We
speak,
of
course,
only
of
adults,
of
those
who
are
capable
of
hearing
and
understanding
the
call,
and
are
far
from
limiting
the
grace
of
God
in
infants,
or
others
whom
this
call
does
not
or
cannot
reach.
What
is
affirmed
is,
as
regards
those
who
have
come
to
years
of
intelligence,
that
God's
dealing
with
them
is
through
the
word,
and
this
is
the
constant
representation.
The
OT
equally
with
the
NT
extols
the
saving,
convert-ing,
quickening,
cleansing,
sanctifying
power
of
the
word
of
God
{e.g.
Ps
19™-
119).
Jesus
declares
the
word
to
be
the
seed
of
the
Kingdom
(Lk
8").
He
prays:
'Sanctify
them
in
the
truth;
thy
word
is
truth'
(Jn
17").
Conversion,
regeneration,
sanctification,
are
connected
with
the
word
(Ac
ll's-^',
Eph
1",
Col
1«,
1
Th
2",
2
Th
2>5,
Ja
118,
I
p
123-26
['Begotten
again,
not
of
corruptible
seed,
but
of
incorruptible,
through
the
word
of
God,'
etc.])
If
this
is
the
nature,
generally,
of
regeneration,
then
it
has
what
may
be
termed
a
psychology;
that
is,
there
is
a
process
which
the
mind
goes
through
in
the
experience
of
this
spiritual
change.
The
Spirit
of
God,
doubtless,
has
innumerable
ways
of
dealing
with
human
souls;
still,
if
we
look
closely,
it
will
be
found
that
there
are
certain
elements
which
do
in
some
degree
enter
into
all
experience
in
regeneration,
and
furnish,
so
far,
a
test
of
the
reality
of
the
change.
There
is
first,
of
necessity,
the
awakening
of
the
soul
out
of
its
customary
spiritual
dormancy
—
out
of
that
deep
insensibility
to
spiritual
things
in
which
ordinarily
the
natural
mind
is
held
(Eph
5",
cf.
Ro
14"-
12).
Especially
there
comes
into
view
here
the
peculiar
awakening
of
the
soul
through
the
conscience,
which
takes
the
form
of
what
we
call
conviction
of
sin
towards
God
(cf.
Ac
16M-
3»).
Probably
no
one
can
undergo
this
spiritual
change
without
in
some
degree
being
brought
inwardly
to
the
realization
of
his
sinful
condition
before
God,
and
to
the
sincere
confession
of
it
(Ps
51«).
The
law
of
God
has
its
place
in
producing
this
conviction
of
sin;
but
law
alone
will
not
produce
spiritual
con-trition.
See
Repentance.
For
this
there
is
needed
the
exhibition
of
mercy.
Hence
the
next
stage
in
this
spiritual
process
is
that
described
as
enlightenment
—
growing
enlightenment
in
the
knowledge
of
Christ
