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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.
[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.
[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.
[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.
[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.
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