Garrett vs. Dr. Ligon Duncan

Through the years I have written critical analyses against several men who wrote apologetically for the proposition "regeneration precedes faith." One of those men was Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III and his article titled "UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES Which Came First? Faith or Regeneration," July 20, 2005. I referred to it in my blog when I wrote against his thesis in that article. (See here) I wrote it in 2009.

The credentials of Dr. Duncan are quite well known in Calvinist circles, he being a leading Presbyterian of the Calvinist tradition. Dr. Duncan did communicate with me as I wrote a series on his error. Let me cite a few paragraphs from that analysis. 

To them the whole gospel rests upon this question! To them, if one does not put regeneration and salvation before faith, then he is unsound in the gospel or not preaching the gospel at all.

Duncan continues:

"To begin with, this issue involves the heart of the good news and the grace of God. One’s answer to this question necessarily reflects one’s understanding of the whole of the gospel message. For instance, if you say that belief must precede the new birth, then you must also say (1) that all men are not really spiritually dead before regeneration; (2) that saving faith is not a gift of God; (3) that the natural man does accept the things of the Spirit; (4) that an unbeliever can believe at any time by his own power, apart from God’s regeneration; and, (5) that men can come to Christ without the Father drawing them."

Are these five consequences true logical deductions, reductio ad absurdum, of those who put faith before regeneration?

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The scriptures do put faith before salvation, including rebirth. This does not mean that there is any gap in time between faith and the new birth. As soon as one believes, he is born again. And, we can say the same thing in the reverse. As soon as one is born again, he believes. Still, when two things are mentioned, one must be put first and the scriptures more often than not put faith before salvation, including regeneration.

According to Duncan, the great Calvinist theologians, such as John Calvin, Theodore Beza, Jonathan Edwards, Archibald Alexander, John Gill, Abraham Booth, Charles Spurgeon, etc., men who did not put the new birth prior to faith, were men who did not understand the basic gospel! Were men who were guilty of the five consequences listed by Duncan? Duncan says John Calvin and Martin Luther, because they did not put the new birth before faith, did not believe men were spiritually dead prior to faith and regeneration! Were men who did not believe faith was a gift of God! Were men who believed that the natural man received the things of the Spirit and could believe at any time they choose! Were men who believed that sinners could come to Christ without being first drawn!

Does putting faith before regeneration cause one to logically deny that sinners are spiritually dead? I have dealt with this accusation before.

But such an argument wrongly assumes that unbelief (or the absence of faith) is not an essential part of spiritual death. Likewise, it wrongly assumes that belief (or faith) is not an essential part of spiritual life.

Duncan continues:

"Now, these are serious contentions, to say the least. Moreover, there is a real danger of losing sight of vital biblical truth in our generation if we do not come to grips with this question. Two of the great emphases bequeathed to evangelical Christians from the sixteenth century reformers by our Lutheran and Calvinist forebears, in their Herculean labor to recover the biblical gospel, are the inability of man and the sovereign grace of God in salvation. These biblical doctrines are compromised by the assertion that faith precedes regeneration."

And what is Duncan trying to do? Is he not trying to be a "reformer" himself? Is he not trying to "refine" the teachings of Luther and Calvin? He apparently doesn't believe that Calvin or Luther went far enough. This is what I hear from Hyperists all the time. They claim to be the refiners of what these first reformers taught! He is wiser than they! He is the corrector of these men! What pride and arrogance!

It is underhanded for Duncan to use the names of Luther and Calvin in such a manner as to leave the impression that these men agreed with him and the Hyperists in putting regeneration before faith. They are really inconsistent and contradictory on this matter. In one breath they will claim agreement with Luther and Calvin on the "ordo salutis," and then, in the other breath, say that they are improving and refining their views! They will in one breath say that these men were in agreement with them, and then say, in the other breath, that these men did not distinguish between regeneration and conversion!

Duncan accuses Luther and Calvin of compromising Biblical truth, yea, the gospel itself, by their putting of faith before regeneration! By Duncan's judgment, these men were in great error, and denied the gospel, all because they did not put regeneration before faith!

Duncan is a Presbyterian and it is ironic that he goes against the great Calvinist leaders of his own denomination! Not only Calvin, but also men like Jonathan Edwards and Archibald Alexander, did not put regeneration before faith, and are thus guilty of denying the heart of the gospel!

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Duncan writes:

"There are many well-meaning evangelicals today who are quite adamant in their assertion that faith precedes regeneration, and it would not be difficult to multiply examples. For instance, one theologian recently insisted that God cannot (and, to say the same thing, God will not) regenerate a heart that will not admit him. More often, though, we hear it put positively: any person who is willing to trust in Christ as his personal Savior and Lord can receive the new birth."

Duncan here is truly ironic, if not hypocritical. It is laughable, that he, as a Hyperist, speaks of his counterparts, those who do not put regeneration before faith, be he a true Calvinist or Classical Arminian, as they who are "quite adamant in their assertion that faith precedes regeneration." I dare say that he and his Hyper Calvinist associates, such as those who participated with him in the T4G conference, far outdo his counterparts in their being "adamant" about regeneration preceding faith! It is Duncan and the Hyperist who say that getting the "ordo salutis" correct is the heart of the gospel! Also, it is the Hyperist view that may best be described as "assertion," not the classical view.

In the first couple of years writing in the Baptist Gadfly I wrote against a lot of the proponents of the born again before faith error. Besides Duncan I dissected the writings of R.C. Sproul, James White, Tom Ascol, and others of the same caliber. 

The Lampstand Warning!

 In searching the history of various Baptist churches in north Georgia, I ran across Union Baptist Church in Hull, Ga. The Union Primitive Baptist Church sits directly across the street. The  churches split over missions and evangelism in the 1800's. Union PB Church closed its doors years ago. Union Baptist is still going strong. The sign on Union Baptist advertises those "unauthorized" activities that the Primitives object to. The Union PB Church is dead, not even having a sign left. The Primitives stress that it is God who "adds to the church". And which church would that be? The Primitives "left things in God's hands", while the Missionary church chose to BE God's hands as the Body of Christ. The pictures speak for themselves. In the first pic we see death, In the second pic we see life and activity. See how desolate the PB church appears when looking at it from the Missionary Baptist church. Let this be a warning to the Missionary Baptists as well. This will be YOUR fate if you take your light and put in under a bushel. Not much else to say.

"Remember therefore from where you have FALLEN, and repent and do the WORKS you did at first. But if you do not, I am coming to you, and I will remove your lampstand from among the churches, unless you repent." (Rev 2:5)

 

On Regeneration

Carroll as Succinct as Boyce

B. H. Carroll

"...regeneration cannot be complete without faith."

[An Interpretation of the English Bible, Volume 10, pages 293, 294].

http://calvinistflyswatter.blogspot.com/

J. P. Boyce, in writing upon "Regeneration" and "Conversion," says:

"From the Scriptural teaching we see that the whole work of Regeneration and Conversion is included under the one term regeneration."

Let not the "regenerated before faith" people continue to claim Carroll and Boyce as believing what they believe about "regeneration."

The above was first posted by me back in 2008 at the Baptist Gadfly blog (here).

Addendum

CHAPTER XXXII - REGENERATION AND CONVERSION of Boyce's Systematic Theology (See here emphasis mine)

"At the outset of a discussion of these two subjects we are met by the question, whether they are not one and the same thing. They are unquestionably so intimately associated that it is difficult to separate them and point out the distinctions between them. The Scriptures connect the two under the one idea of the new birth, and teach that not only is regeneration an absolute essential in each conversion, but that in every intelligent responsible soul conversion invariably accompanies regeneration. It is not strange, therefore, that they are often confounded. Yet, after all, the Scriptures also teach that regeneration is the work of God, changing the heart of man by his sovereign will, while conversion is the act of man turning towards God with the new inclination thus given to his heart."

"II. From the Scriptural teaching we see that the whole work of Regeneration and Conversion is included under the one term regeneration."

Also, regarding John Gill, whom the Hardshells fail to quote precisely, I have written thusly:

Let me cite once again the words from that disputed section of Gill's Body of Divinity ("Of Regeneration"), words which follow the section Jason and the Hardshells say taught Hardshell views.

"Though after all it seems plain, that the ministry of the word is the vehicle in which the Spirit of God conveys himself and his grace into the hearts of men; which is done when the word comes not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost; and works effectually, and is the power of God unto salvation; then faith comes by hearing, and ministers are instruments by whom, at least, men are encouraged to believe: "received ye the Spirit", says the apostle, "by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith": (Gal. 3:2), that is, by the preaching of the law, or by the preaching of the gospel? by the latter, no doubt."

Gill here gives what he believes is the teaching of scripture on regeneration. He defines regeneration as the receiving of the Spirit of God and his grace into the heart. He believes that regeneration, so defined, is by the means of the gospel being believed! These words show that Gill did not believe that "regeneration," narrowly defined, is where the Spirit and grace of God were received! (as cited by me many places, but see here )

ALMOST PERSUADED

 Elder David Marks was a Free WIll Baptist preacher (1805-1845), born in Shandaken, Ulster County, N. Y., on Nov., 4, 1805. As I read his story, I was amazed at the maturity he showed while a teenager. Can you even imagine a teenager today being able to articulate as he did, with the fervency he had, and being willing to do what he did? As I read about his life, the word "persuade" or "persuaded" kept appearing. It immediately brought my mind back to a song we sang at church in my childhood, called "Almost Persuaded". I also thought of the Apostle Paul trying to convince King Agrippa that Jesus is the Christ, to which Agrippa replied, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian."

At age 13, he set out on foot for Providence, R. I. He walked 368 miles before arriving at Brown University. However, upon his arrival he was informed that tuition would be free, but no other funds were available for boarding or clothing. He then walked 368 miles back home. On June 11, 1819, he was baptized and became a member of the Freewill Baptist Church in Phelps. The following year he joined the Freewill Baptist Church in Junius. At age 15, he felt the call of God leading him to enter the ministry. He left home and began preaching.

He is mostly known for his sermon called "Nothing".  One day he rode his horse into Ancaster, Ontario, announcing he would preach. A crowd gathered, and Marks asked if anyone had a topic to suggest. A man mockingly said, "Nothing!"  Marks began preaching on "nothing." "God created the world from nothing", he said. "He gave us laws in which there is nothing unjust. There is nothing in us to justify us.There will be nothing to comfort sinners in death. But while Christians have nothing of which to boast, we have Christ. And in Him, we have nothing to cause us grief, nothing to disturb our peace, and nothing to fear in eternity." Finishing his sermon, Marks mounted his horse and left.

Elder Marks wrote this at age 17. "I retired to a grove and dedicated myself anew to the Lord; solemnly covenanting to live near the fountain of goodness that I might know the height and depth of perfect love and more successful in winning souls to Christ. Alas! How many when the Lord calls and makes them sensible of the awful danger of living in sins still harden their hearts and refuse their best, only eternal friend admission...unprepared to meet the awful swelling of Jordan. O Savior help me, teach me to persuade them."

 "Sunday, June 17, I preached to four large congregations in Rushford and Centerville. The power of Emmanuel was present in each meeting, and sinners wept as they viewed themselves in the gospel glass…Wednesday, I preached in China (New York); the day after, walked thirteen miles in the rain, and attended three meetings. My shoes were worn off my feet; and reaching the last appointment in Boston, Erie Co., I was much wearied; my feet were blistered, and so painful, that I was obliged to sit with them on a pillow, while speaking to the people. But amidst my privations and sufferings for the cause of Christ, my heart felt that more than double was rendered, by seeing one sinner this evening persuaded to turn and live."

Who among us have walked 13 miles in the rain, with blistered feet, and amidst such pain, just to preach the Gospel? How many among us have never even walked next door to tell our neighbor about the Savior? What preacher today would preach to a mocking crowd in public? This man walked 13 miles, shoes worn off his feet, blistered so badly, he had to prop his feet on pillows. All this to see only "one sinner persuaded to turn and live."  Was that one sinner worth all the pain? I sense we will hear the answer when we reach Glory. All I can say is how convicted I became while reading his story. O Savior, help ME to teach, to persuade them!

 “He who is almost persuaded is almost saved, but to be almost saved is to be entirely lost.”

ALMOST PERSUADED

 “Almost persuaded” now to believe;
“Almost persuaded” Christ to receive;
  Seems now some soul to say,
  “Go, Spirit, go Thy way,
  Some more convenient day
    on Thee I’ll call.”

 “Almost persuaded,” come, come today;
“Almost persuaded,” turn not away;
  Jesus invites you here,
  Angels are ling’ring near,
  Prayers rise from hearts so dear;
    O wand’rer, come!

 Oh, be persuaded! Christ never fails—
Oh, be persuaded! His blood avails—
  Can save from every sin,
  Cleanse you without, within—
  Will you not let Him in?
    Open the door!

 “Almost persuaded,” harvest is past!
“Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last;
  “Almost” cannot avail;
  “Almost” is but to fail!
  Sad, sad that bitter wail—
    “Almost—but lost!”

 Be now persuaded, oh, sinner, hear!
Be now persuaded, Jesus is near;
  His voice is pleading still,
  Turn now with heart and will,
  Peace will your spirit fill—
    Oh, turn today!

 

 

Biblical Regeneration

The following citations are from my posting titled "Chapter 40 -- Biblical Regeneration" (See here).

I believe that the following words by J.M. Pendleton are appropriate to cite at this juncture. He writes under the heading, "Regeneration, With Its Attendants, Repentance And Faith," saying:

"It is evident that the Scriptures refer to a great change in all who become Christians--a change denoted by such forms of expression as the following: "Born again," (John 3:3); "Born of the Spirit" (John 3:5); "Born of God" (John 1:13); "Created in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:10); "Quickened together with Christ" (Eph. 2:5); "A new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17); "Renewed after the image of him that created him" (Col. 3:10); "Dead unto sin,...alive unto God." Rom. 6:11. This change is, in theological writings, usually called Regeneration, and it is inseparable from "repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20:21. For this reason the heading of this chapter has been selected, and I purposely present in closest connection Regeneration, Repentance, and Faith. Nor is it my intention to dwell on what has been termed "the order of time." Indeed, if the view of Calvin and Jonathan Edwards is correct, regeneration and repentance are in substance the same so that the question as to order of time is ruled out. Calvin says:

"In one word, I apprehend repentance to be regeneration, the end of which is the restoration of the divine image within us; which was defaced, and almost obliterated by the transgression of Adam."

The words of Edwards are these:

"If we compare one scripture with another, it will be sufficiently manifest that by regeneration, or being BEGOTTEN or BORN AGAIN, the same change in the state of the mind is signified with that which the Scripture speaks of as efffected by true REPENTANCE, and CONVERSION. I put repentance and conversion together, because the Scripture puts them together (Acts 3:19), and because they plainly signify much the same thing."

Regeneration occurs when one is converted to Christ by the gospel, when the sinner turns to God and Christ in faith and repentance.

Further, as I have shown in numerous writings (as have others before me), the first and oldest "Calvinists" or "Reformed" apologists saw conversion and regeneration (rebirth) as denoting the same phenomenon. The separating of evangelical conversion (repentance and faith) from "regeneration" makes regeneration a kind of prevenient grace. The words of Pendleton and Edwards are spot on in defining regeneration as conversion.

What say ye?

GIDEON'S SIGN OF THE FLEECE - THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

"So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said—  look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.”  And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.  Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.” And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground." (Judges 6:36-40)

Continuing on with my talks and visits to old Baptist churches in Georgia, today I visited the Fishing Creek Baptist Church in Wilkes County. Founded in 1782, it is the fourth oldest Baptist church in Georgia, and was instrumental in founding the Georgia Baptist Association.What a wonderful man of God they have as pastor! Bro. Roy Cates at 86 years old, is still going strong preaching the Gospel. He has been pastor of Fishing Creek for 46 years and is the longest serving pastor in the church's history.

In talking with someone, I of course always want to know where they stand theologically, especially if the church has some history to it. When I asked Bro. Roy if he was a Calvinist, he immediately said, "Well what do you mean by that?" I said well do you believe in ________." He said "Then yes, I am a Calvinist.", Then I asked "Well do you believe in ________." He said "Then no I am not a Calvinist." I laughed so hard, as he is such a jovial, smiling man, that the way he answers questions, though serious, he has a way of putting the questioner at ease. The reason for the blanks, is because this article is not about theology, but about faithfulness.

I asked Bro. Roy about how he came to be pastor. He told me he was working for the state of Georgia when he was 40 years old, he had been preaching here and there for a few months. Fishing Creek invited him to preach for a few Sundays, while they were looking for a pastor. After a few weeks, the church approached him about being pastor. He said, "Nope, don't want it." After he said that, his mind kept going back to the needs of the church.The church had some divisive issues about a fellowship hall they were building. Bro. Roy felt God may be calling him to be pastor, but he wasn't sure, on top of the fact that he really had a good job, a young family, and did not want the responsibility. Yet he felt pulled somehow. So he told God he would ask for the "sign of the fleece", and issue two demands upon the church, and if they responded in the affirmative, he would take on the job. The first condition he imposed was that the vote to call him must be unanimous. So the church voted and it was unanimous. The next conditon, was the church must finish the fellowship hall, which had been left untouched for over a year, because of contention. To his astonishment, the church agreed! "Now" Bro. Roy said, "I was in a pickle. It was the most sour pickle I ever tasted, I just was not interested, and thought the church would never meet my conditions, but I promised the Lord, if He would give me the sign of the fleece, I would obey." So he obeyed and has been there ever since. Though the congregation is a small one at about 120 members, that is not bad for the extremely rural area they are in! Bro. Roy said the finances of the church have never been better and that just recently, he had gone to the church office, for no reason, but something kept telling him he needed to be there that day. A lady was driving by, saw his car at the church, and stopped and gave him a check for $40,000.00! She had sold some land, and wanted to give God a portion, even though she wasn't a church goer! God provides does He not?

Bro. Roy told me about a few years ago, when at an auction, a man he had been praying for came and sat beside him. During the auction, the man collapsed, and an ambulance was called. While waiting, Bro. Roy dropped to his knees praying for God's healing, as this man was lost and had been talking to Roy about the condition of his soul. The man later recovered and the doctors said they had no idea how he made it through. But I know! Once better, the man called on Roy, and he believed Christ for his salvation, and has been faithful ever since. Bro. Roy has had his hard times as he lost a son to suicide, leaving a wife and baby behind. He could hardly contain the tears as he told me about it. That baby is now a high school football coach in Jackson county, serving the Lord. God is faithful.

In closing, let me say, we are not exempt from pain or heartache because we are God's children. Let me also say that, when something is heavy on our heart about a decision we need to make, God is patient and not angry when we ask Him for the "sign of the fleece". In fact, He may be proud that we want to make sure it is of Him. On the other hand, we must be prepared for God's will, and be willing to accept His call, whatever it may be. How about you? Are you living out God's call for your life? Is He pulling your heart towards something and you really don't want to go there? Oh the happiest place to be, is where HE wants you to be! As the old song says "Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, BUT TO TRUST AND OBEY!"

These pictures capture the beautiful spirit of Bro. Roy. That pulpit he is preaching from is over 200 years old! The photo of him baptizing a young boy and embracing a young woman in the name of Jesus is what he lives for. The photo of Fishing Creek Baptist church with the rainbow pointing to God's ark of salvation says it all! Notice the fellowship hall that he required to be finished before accepting the pastorate.