In this chapter we will give scriptural support for affirming that regeneration/rebirth is both mediate and immediate. It is needless for me to multiply citations from Calvinists of the past on this point as they are numerous. All the oldest and soundest Baptists affirmed that regeneration was both mediate and immediate, just as they affirmed that man was both active and passive in being born again. They also taught that salvation was both conditional and unconditional.
It is not necessary to show which comes first, God's mediate work or his immediate work, as both methods are employed in the work. If conviction of sin precedes regeneration, however, a point that has been proven in previous chapters, then it can easily be proved that God's mediate work precedes his immediate, for conviction of sin requires no immediate touch of the Spirit upon the soul. An illustration of how mediate work precedes immediate work is seen in the surgery that God performed upon Adam in creating woman. First, Adam desired a wife and companion, stemming from his loneliness, God responded to the situation by saying - "it is not good for Adam to be alone." Of course, it was God's intention all along to make Adam a wife. But, as a means to bring it about, God used means to bring Adam to desire a wife. Adam saw the animals with their mates and realized he had none. All this led to God operating upon Adam immediately and bringing Eve into being.
People who are sick and need surgery are led by means to request the surgical work of physicians but the work itself may be immediate as well as mediate. Further, the patient would be active in requesting surgery but passive in the surgery. Likewise, we may say that such surgery is both conditional and unconditional. The patient requests the surgery and that makes it conditional. But, when the patient is under anesthesia, the surgery is unconditional on the part of the patient.
Regeneration is a Resurrection
The illustration of the mediate and immediate work of God in the work of God in raising the spiritually dead may be seen in the case of the resurrection of the "dry dead bones" in the vision of Ezekiel. (Ezekiel 37) Two things effected the resurrection. The mediate cause was the speaking of the word of God through the mouth of the prophet to the dead bones. The immediate cause was the "wind," or breath and Spirit of God. The wind (Spirit) came into immediate contact with the dead but the Spirit also came mediately to the dead through the spoken word of the prophet. Thus, the resurrection was the result of God working both mediately and immediately, by the Spirit and the word.
"And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise." (Mark 5: 41)
Notice how there was both immediate touch - "he took her by the hand." But, there was also means, for he spoke words to her.
Further, the apostles raised the dead. They were instruments in the hand of the Lord. Thus the resurrection was mediated. But, it was also immediate for Peter says, in regard to such miracles - "why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?" (Acts 3: 12) The power of the Lord accompanied the instrument and made the instrument effective.
The Hand of the Lord
"And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the LORD Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord." (Acts 11: 20, 21)
Notice how faith and repentance ("believed and turned") were the work of God both immediately and mediately. God spoke his word through his evangelists. He was working mediately through them and the word they preached. But, notice also how something else attended the preaching of the word. "The hand of the Lord was with them." That is, the power of the Spirit attended the word, and was something distinct from it. The "hand of the Lord" actually touches the heart, soul, and mind. It is an immediate touch. Spirit touches spirit. But, at the same time, God is also operating through the word preached.
Regeneration is a Writing
"Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart." (II Cor. 3: 2, 3)
On this verse Dr. John Gill wrote;
"to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us; so that the apostles and ministers of the word were only amanuenses, Christ was the author and dictator; yea, he himself is the very matter, sum, substance, and subject of the epistle; he is formed in the hearts of his people in conversion, his image is stamped, his grace is implanted, his word, his Gospel dwells richly, his laws and ordinances are written here...now in writing these epistles, the ministers of the Gospel are only instruments, "ministered by us". They are made use of to show the sinner the black characters which are written upon him, and that what is written in him, and to be read by him, by the light of nature is not sufficient for salvation; they are employed as instruments in drawing the rough draught of grace in conversion, and in writing the copy over again, fairer and fairer; being the happy means blessed by God, for the building up of souls in faith and holiness, in spiritual knowledge and comfort."
Regeneration is a Circumcision
Regeneration is called a Circumcision. (See Rom. 2: 28, 29; Col. 2: 11) Circumcision is both mediate and immediate. The one performing Circumcision touches the human body part and yet uses a cutting instrument.
Regeneration is a Washing
Regeneration is a washing. (I Cor. 6: 11) In bathing one touches the the thing being washed and also uses means, such as water, soap, or a cloth. (Jer. 2: 22)
Regeneration is a Sealing
Regeneration is a sealing. (II Cor. 1: 22; Eph. 1: 13, 4: 30) Sealing involves direct touch and also the use of an instrument, the signet.
Regeneration is an Application of Blood
Regeneration is an application of the blood of Christ. (Ex. 12: 22; Heb. 9: 14-25) In sprinkling the blood an instrument was used (hyssop) and the blood came into direct contact with the person.
These examples show that it is false to affirm, as do the Hardshells, that a work cannot be both mediate and immediate. Further, it does not take away from the glory of the Lord for the work to be both mediate and immediate.
In our next series we will show how the work of regeneration is both viewed as being passive and active, and then we will follow with a series showing how salvation is both conditional and unconditional.
No comments:
Post a Comment