Saturday, September 30, 2017

Regeneration, Not Compulsion (PhD Edit)



Regeneration, Not Compulsion

Within Reformed theology, regeneration is viewed as an initial one time act of the Holy Spirit in a person,[1] and a person is therefore understood to be converted and therefore able to freely believe.[2] My view is that it is indeed God’s choice alone to regenerate and therefore he alone is active in regeneration,[3] but simultaneously as a person is regenerated they believe in Christ. 

Therefore although I view God as the initiator of regeneration I reason that logically, in order to avoid any suggestion of force or coercion,[4] as God regenerates the saved person, he or she simultaneously believes.[5] There is ‘no compulsion of the will in regeneration.’ states Shedd.[6]  Calvin reasons that a person is not forced or coerced to believe in the gospel.[7] 

I would view conversion as taking place simultaneously with regeneration in a person, although again I state that God alone via the Holy Spirit causes the regeneration process.[8] This means as God chooses to regenerate a person he simultaneously persuades one to freely believe.[9]

Murray states that regeneration is logically antecedent to any conscious response,[10] and I reason that God’s choice to commit the act of regeneration must be antecedent due to the corrupt and sinful nature of persons.[11] The work of salvation was confined to God’s part in the calling.[12]  This does not prohibit God from causing a compatibilistic human choice within conversion at the moment that God’s initial eternal choice to regenerate[13] becomes a divine act of regeneration.[14]  As persons were regenerated they would hear the call of salvation, repent and believe in Christ.[15]  I would view conversion as an aspect of regeneration, which is the beginning of the Christian experience.[16] Regeneration was to encompass the entire divine plan of recreation from the initial change in persons to the ultimate culmination of a new heaven and new earth.[17]

BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 2: God and Creation, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.

BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 3: Sin and Salvation in Christ, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College.

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book IV, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College.

CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

FRANKE, JOHN R. (2005) The Character of Theology, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.

KIERKEGAARD, SOREN (1847-1848)(1955)(1966)  On Authority and Revelation, Translated by Walter Lowrie, New York, Harper and Row, Publishers, Incorporated.

KIERKEGAARD, SOREN (1848-1849)(1961)  Christian Discourses & The Lilies of the Field and The Birds of the Air & Three Discourses at The Communion on Fridays, Translated by Walter Lowrie, New York, Oxford University Press.

MURRAY, JOHN (1937-1966)(1977) Collected Writings of John Murray, Vol. 2:  Select Lectures in Systematic Theology, Edinburgh, The Banner of Truth Trust.

THIESSEN, HENRY C. (1956) Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

WEBER, OTTO (1955)(1981) Foundations of Dogmatics, Volumes 1 and 2, Translated and annotated by Darrell L. Guder, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

September 30, 2017

Using more philosophical terminology (philosophy of religion) as parallel explanation to theology; God as the primary cause, causes salvation for those human beings in Jesus Christ. The secondary causes, humanity in Jesus Christ, are also named ‘agents’, embrace the atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ provided to them. Humanity does not cause, in the sense of contributing to salvation, but embraces salvific work, when chosen.

A person does not just ‘wake up’ one day as a Christian, humanly speaking, without having any idea of why he/she believes. It is reasoned out as an aspect of the regeneration process.

This compatibilistic system is not a form of incompatibilism, libertarian free will or hard determinism. It is a form of soft determinism and not force or coercion. Human beings are a secondary cause in the sense that they can rationally accept and believe the gospel. Humanity cannot create salvation or save self from fallen nature (Romans) and their unrighteous and legal status (Romans).

The unregenerate do not create hades or the lake of fire. The unregenerate do not create their sinful natures and unrighteous legal status (Romans), but they certainly embrace these things as secondary agents or secondary causes in thoughts, acts and actions.



[1] Murray (1937-1966)(1977: 172).  Erickson (1994: 249).
[2] Murray (1937-1966)(1977: 172). 
[3] Murray (1937-1966)(1977: 172).  I agree with Murray on this point.
[4] Compatibilism allows for limited but significant human freedom.  Kierkegaard suggests that Christianity is a religion of freedom and Christians are convinced to voluntarily give up all contrary to Christ. Kierkegaard (1847-1848)(1955)(1966: 186).  The term convinced is a good one and I reason this is a work of the Holy Spirit.
[5] This is my compatibilist theory which is in line with that of Feinberg  and which will be discussed later in this Chapter.
[6] Shedd (1874-1890)(1980: 136-137 Volume 2). 
[7] Calvin (1543)(1996: 68). 
[8] Murray (1937-1966)(1977: 172).
[9] This allows for a limited but significant human freedom within the salvation process that is not incompatibilism. Salvation remains alone a work of God.  Weber writes that God with his freedom effects both human freedom and human bondage as he reaches out to a saved person through the Word of God. Weber (1955)(1981: 245).  This would be a work of the Spirit.
[10] Murray (1937-1966)(1977: 172).
[11] Murray (1937-1966)(1977: 168-169).
[12] Bavinck (1918)(2006: 53).
[13] As God is eternal this choice could be viewed as such. Humans of course are not eternal.
[14] Persons have via the Holy Spirit been molded and transformed in order to freely believe. Thiessen, an incompatibilist, states that in regeneration the human is passive and is active in conversion. Thiessen (1956: 367). I agree concerning regeneration, and I can agree in regard to conversion, only if by active the human being is convinced freely via the Holy Spirit and is not assumed to have incompatibilist free will.
[15] Bavinck (1918)(2006: 53).
[16] Franke notes that the Scripture explains that the Holy Spirit continued to guide the earliest Christians. Franke (2005: 132).  The Spirit continues to work in regenerated/converted believers that embrace the gospel.
[17] Bavinck (1918)(2006: 53).

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