Regeneration Precedes New Birth

The following is taken (believe it or not) from a modern PB web page. But, more on that in a separate posting, perhaps. (see here) It is further proof that shows how the first "Primitive Baptists" saw "regeneration" as preceding the new birth, with the period of "law work" or conviction of sin filling the "gap" in between. They often talked about a sinner "going from Mt. Sinai (where conviction has put him) to Mt. Zion" (conversion by gospel faith). Thus, "regeneration" put the sinner under conviction, but the "new birth" brought "deliverance" by evangelical faith or conversion. I have presented all kinds of evidence to show how predominant this view was among the Hardshell founding fathers.

It shows how far today's Hardshells have departed from the faith in their denial of the necessity of both evangelical conversion and perseverance in the Christian faith, doctrines which their forefathers strongly adhered to. In the circular the highlighting is mine.

 From the Columbia Association Circular Letter, as published in Signs of the Times (Nov. 2, 1834).

"REGENERATION BEING THE IMPLANTING of spiritual life in the soul, it will assuredly be followed by spiritual action, and the regenerated soul will be born again as a new creature or new man being created in righteousness and true holiness, the principles of righteousness and heart holiness, will be manifested in the feelings and acts of the person thus quickened."

Do you see? Regeneration will always be followed by conversion.

The circular continued:

"The new man being a creation in righteousness, the individual being once regenerated will immediately have his attention directed to the Law as the standard of right, and will thereby test his acts and thoughts. Finding his works not conformed thereto, he will reject them, and turn from them with loathing, and will manifest a hungering and thirsting after righteousness. Finding the law to be spiritual, and his affections to be carnal, and his heart deceitful, he will lose all confidence in his own self-inspired resolutions, and all satisfaction in the excitement of those affections, and will turn from both with disgust, condemning even his tears and prayers as hypocritical. Feeling the justice of his condemnation as a transgressor, both in heart and in life, he acknowledges before God and men, that he richly deserves everlasting banishment from God, and therefore falls, a wretch undone, at the feet of Sovereign mercy to implore pardon, realizing this to be his last resort, and very much doubting, whether even the mercy of God can extend pardon to a wretch, so guilty and vile as he.

And when by faith he has a view of the efficacy and freeness of the atoning blood and righteousness of Christ (how did he know of the atoning blood apart from hearing the gospel? SG), as being substituted under the law for helpless sinners like him, a hope of being saved springs up in his breast, a sense of pardon flows through his soul, and he rejoices, not only in hope of acceptance with God, but also in the glorious fact, that in this way, everlasting righteousness is brought in, the law is honored, the sinner is justified and saved eternally, as a monument of the riches and glory of Divine Grace. It is this which makes him ever after cling to, and rely alone upon the righteousness of Christ for his acceptance with God. No, brethren, it is not an antinomian principle, but true righteousness of soul, which leads the believer to renounce all creature works as grounds of acceptance, and to trust only in, and plead only that righteousness of Christ for his acceptance."

Notice that conversion, or the new birth, is no "time salvation" but the one converted is "saved eternally."

The circular continued:

"Brethren, is this your experience? If so, you know for yourselves what regeneration is. But, if you know not these things, or if you are of those who ridicule the ideas here advanced as enthusiasm, still be assured, however ignorant others may be of them, we speak what we do know and testify that we have seen, and it still remains good, that no man receiveth our testimony, but as the Holy Ghost maketh him feel the truth of it."

Conversion was not optional, not a mere "time salvation," not something that was only certain for a few of the elect, not something resulting from free will and human effort (as is believed by today's PBs), but was as sure as was regeneration. That is why many of the PBs oldest churches say that they believe that "all the elect will be both regenerated and converted," the latter being the new birth, having the church as the mother.