REGENERATION AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN." This word of our Lord Jesus has
appeared to flame in the way of many, like the drawn sword of the
cherub at the gate of Paradise. They have despaired, because this
change is beyond their utmost effort. The new birth is from
above, and therefore it is not in the creature's power. Now, it
is far from my mind to deny, or ever to conceal, a truth in order
to create a false comfort. I freely admit that the new birth is
supernatural, and that it cannot be wrought by the sinner's own
self. It would be a poor help to my reader if I were wicked
enough to try to cheer him by persuading him to reject or forget
what is unquestionably true.
But is it not remarkable that the very chapter in which our
Lord makes this sweeping declaration also contains the most
explicit statement as to salvation by faith? Read the third
chapter of John's Gospel and do not dwell alone upon its earlier
sentences. It is true that the third verse says:
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God.
But, then, the fourteenth and fifteenth verses speak:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even
so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have eternal life.
The eighteenth verse repeats the same doctrine in the
broadest terms:
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that
believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed
in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
It is clear to every reader that these two statements must
agree, since they came from the same lips, and are recorded on
the same inspired page. Why should we make a difficulty where
there can be none? If one statement assures us of the necessity
to salvation of a something, which only God can give, and if
another assures us that the Lord will save us upon our believing
in Jesus, then we may safely conclude that the Lord will give to
those who believe all that is declared to be necessary to
salvation. The Lord does, in fact, produce the new birth in all
who believe in Jesus; and their believing is the surest evidence
that they are born again.
We trust in Jesus for what we cannot do ourselves: if it
were in our own power, what need of looking to Him? It is ours to
believe, it is the Lord's to create us anew. He will not believe
for us, neither are we to do regenerating work for Him. It is
enough for us to obey the gracious command; it is for the Lord to
work the new birth in us. He who could go so far as to die on the
cross for us, can and will give us all things that are needful
for our eternal safety.
"But a saving change of heart is the work of the Holy
Spirit." This also is most true, and let it be far from us to
question it, or to forget it. But the work of the Holy Spirit is
secret and mysterious, and it can only be perceived by its
results. There are mysteries about our natural birth into which
it would be an unhallowed curiosity to pry: still more is this
the case with the sacred operations of the Spirit of God. "The
wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound
thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, or whither it
goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit." This much,
however, we do know--the mysterious work of the Holy Spirit
cannot be a reason for refusing to believe in Jesus to whom that
same Spirit beareth witness.
If a man were bidden to sow a field, he could not excuse his
neglect by saying that it would be useless to sow unless God
caused the seed to grow. He would not be justified in neglecting
tillage because the secret energy of God alone can create a
harvest. No one is hindered in the ordinary pursuits of life by
the fact that unless the Lord build the house they labor in vain
that build it. It is certain that no man who believes in Jesus
will ever find that the Holy Spirit refuses to work in him: in
fact, his believing is the proof that the Spirit is already at
work in his heart.
God works in providence, but men do not therefore sit still.
They could not move without the divine power giving them life and
strength, and yet they proceed upon their way without question;
the power being bestowed from day to day by Him in whose hand
their breath is, and whose are all their ways. So is it in grace.
We repent and believe, though we could do neither if the Lord did
not enable us. We forsake sin and trust in Jesus, and then we
perceive that the Lord has wrought in us to will and to do of His
own good pleasure. It is idle to pretend that there is any real
difficulty in the matter.
Some truths which it is hard to explain in words are simple
enough in actual experience. There is no discrepancy between the
truth that the sinner believes, and that his faith is wrought in
him by the Holy Spirit. Only folly can lead men to puzzle
themselves about plain matters while their souls are in danger.
No man would refuse to enter a lifeboat because he did not know
the specific gravity of bodies; neither would a starving man
decline to eat till he understood the whole process of mutrition.
If you, my reader, will not believe till you can understand all
mysteries, you will never be saved at all; and if you allow self-
invented difficulties to keep you from accepting pardon through
your Lord and Saviour, you will perish in a condemnation which
will be richly deserved. Do not commit spiritual suicide through
a passion for discussing metaphysical subtleties.
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