In the day that Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, he died spiritually, and a
person who is spiritually dead cannot beget a child who possesses
spiritual life.
Therefore, all by natural descent enter this world "alienated
from the life of God" (Eph 4:18), "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph 2:1).
This is no mere figure of speech, but a solemn fact.
Every child is born entirely destitute of a single spark of spiritual life, and therefore if ever it
is to enter the kingdom of God, which is the realm of spiritual life (Rom
14:17), it must be born into it.
The more clearly we are enabled to discern
the imperative need of regeneration and the various reasons why it is
absolutely essential in order to a fallen creature being fitted for the
presence of the thrice holy God, the less difficulty are we likely to
encounter when we endeavor to arrive at an understanding of the nature
of regeneration, what it is which takes place within a person when the
Holy Spirit renews him.
For this reason particularly, and also because
such a cloud of error has been cast upon this vital truth, we feel that a
further consideration of this particular aspect of our subject is needed.
Jesus Christ came into this world to glorify God and to glorify Himself by
redeeming a people unto Himself.
But what glory can we conceive that
God has, and what glory would accrue to Christ, if there be not a vital and
fundamental difference between His people and the world? And what
difference can there be between those two companies but in a change of
heart, out of which are the issues of life (Pro 4:23): a change of nature or
disposition, as the fountain from which all other differences must
proceed—sheep and goats differ in nature.
The whole mediatorial work of
Christ has this one end in view.
His priestly office is to reconcile and bring His people unto God; His
prophetic, to teach them the way; His kingly, to work in them those
qualifications and bestow upon them that loveliness which is necessary to
fit them for the holy converse and communion with the thrice holy God.
Thus does He "purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works" (Ti 2:14). "Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the
kingdom of God? Be not deceived" (1 Corinthians 6:9).
But multitudes are
deceived, and deceived at this very point, and on this most momentous
matter. God has warned men that "the heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked" (Jer 17:9), but few will believe that this is true of
them.
Instead, tens of thousands of professing Christians are filled with a
vain and presumptuous confidence that all is well with them.
They delude
themselves with hopes of mercy while continuing to live in a course of
self-will and self-pleasing. They fancy they are fitted for Heaven, while
every day that passes finds them the more prepared for Hell.
It is written
of the Lord Jesus that "he shall save his people from their sins" (Mat1:21), and not in their sins: save them not only from the penalty, but also
from the power and pollution of sin.
To how many in Christendom do
these solemn words apply, "For he flatters himself in his own eyes, until
his iniquity be found to be hateful" (Psalm 36:2).
The principle device of Satan is to deceive people into imagining that they
can successfully combine the world with God, allow the flesh while
pretending to the Spirit, and thus "make the best of both worlds."
But
Christ has emphatically declared that "no man can serve two masters"
(Mat 6:24). Many mistake the force of those searching words: the true
emphasis is not upon "two," but upon "serve"—none can serve two
masters. And God requires to be "served"—feared, submitted unto,
obeyed; His will regulating the life in all its details, see 1 Samuel 12:24-25.
"You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve" (Mat
4:10).
3. Man's unsuitedness to God The need for regeneration lies in
man's unsuitedness to God. When Nicodemus, a respectable and religious
Pharisee, yes, a "master in Israel," came to Christ, He told him plainly
that "except a man be born again" he could neither see nor enter the
"kingdom of God" (John 3:3, 5)—either the Gospel-state on earth or the
Glory-state in Heaven.
None can enter the spiritual realm unless he has a
spiritual nature, which alone gives him an appetite for and capacity to
enjoy the things pertaining to it; and this, the natural man has not.
So far
from it, he cannot so much as "discern" them (1 Corinthians 2:14). He has
no love for them, nor desire after them (John 3:19).
Nor can he desire
them for his will is enslaved by the lusts of the flesh (Eph 2:2-3).
Therefore, before a man can enter the spiritual kingdom, his
understanding must be supernaturally enlightened, his heart renewed,
and his will emancipated. There can be no point of contact between God
and His Christ with a sinful man until he is regenerated. There can be no
lawful union between two parties who have nothing vital in common. A
superior and an inferior nature may be united together, but never
contrary natures.
person who is spiritually dead cannot beget a child who possesses
spiritual life.
Therefore, all by natural descent enter this world "alienated
from the life of God" (Eph 4:18), "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph 2:1).
This is no mere figure of speech, but a solemn fact.
Every child is born entirely destitute of a single spark of spiritual life, and therefore if ever it
is to enter the kingdom of God, which is the realm of spiritual life (Rom
14:17), it must be born into it.
The more clearly we are enabled to discern
the imperative need of regeneration and the various reasons why it is
absolutely essential in order to a fallen creature being fitted for the
presence of the thrice holy God, the less difficulty are we likely to
encounter when we endeavor to arrive at an understanding of the nature
of regeneration, what it is which takes place within a person when the
Holy Spirit renews him.
For this reason particularly, and also because
such a cloud of error has been cast upon this vital truth, we feel that a
further consideration of this particular aspect of our subject is needed.
Jesus Christ came into this world to glorify God and to glorify Himself by
redeeming a people unto Himself.
But what glory can we conceive that
God has, and what glory would accrue to Christ, if there be not a vital and
fundamental difference between His people and the world? And what
difference can there be between those two companies but in a change of
heart, out of which are the issues of life (Pro 4:23): a change of nature or
disposition, as the fountain from which all other differences must
proceed—sheep and goats differ in nature.
The whole mediatorial work of
Christ has this one end in view.
His priestly office is to reconcile and bring His people unto God; His
prophetic, to teach them the way; His kingly, to work in them those
qualifications and bestow upon them that loveliness which is necessary to
fit them for the holy converse and communion with the thrice holy God.
Thus does He "purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works" (Ti 2:14). "Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the
kingdom of God? Be not deceived" (1 Corinthians 6:9).
But multitudes are
deceived, and deceived at this very point, and on this most momentous
matter. God has warned men that "the heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked" (Jer 17:9), but few will believe that this is true of
them.
Instead, tens of thousands of professing Christians are filled with a
vain and presumptuous confidence that all is well with them.
They delude
themselves with hopes of mercy while continuing to live in a course of
self-will and self-pleasing. They fancy they are fitted for Heaven, while
every day that passes finds them the more prepared for Hell.
It is written
of the Lord Jesus that "he shall save his people from their sins" (Mat1:21), and not in their sins: save them not only from the penalty, but also
from the power and pollution of sin.
To how many in Christendom do
these solemn words apply, "For he flatters himself in his own eyes, until
his iniquity be found to be hateful" (Psalm 36:2).
The principle device of Satan is to deceive people into imagining that they
can successfully combine the world with God, allow the flesh while
pretending to the Spirit, and thus "make the best of both worlds."
But
Christ has emphatically declared that "no man can serve two masters"
(Mat 6:24). Many mistake the force of those searching words: the true
emphasis is not upon "two," but upon "serve"—none can serve two
masters. And God requires to be "served"—feared, submitted unto,
obeyed; His will regulating the life in all its details, see 1 Samuel 12:24-25.
"You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve" (Mat
4:10).
3. Man's unsuitedness to God The need for regeneration lies in
man's unsuitedness to God. When Nicodemus, a respectable and religious
Pharisee, yes, a "master in Israel," came to Christ, He told him plainly
that "except a man be born again" he could neither see nor enter the
"kingdom of God" (John 3:3, 5)—either the Gospel-state on earth or the
Glory-state in Heaven.
None can enter the spiritual realm unless he has a
spiritual nature, which alone gives him an appetite for and capacity to
enjoy the things pertaining to it; and this, the natural man has not.
So far
from it, he cannot so much as "discern" them (1 Corinthians 2:14). He has
no love for them, nor desire after them (John 3:19).
Nor can he desire
them for his will is enslaved by the lusts of the flesh (Eph 2:2-3).
Therefore, before a man can enter the spiritual kingdom, his
understanding must be supernaturally enlightened, his heart renewed,
and his will emancipated. There can be no point of contact between God
and His Christ with a sinful man until he is regenerated. There can be no
lawful union between two parties who have nothing vital in common. A
superior and an inferior nature may be united together, but never
contrary natures.
