In the Harbinger for 1861, page 677, Isaac Errett says:

      We frequently find an error in the use of the terms here used as a caption, out of which grow many misunderstandings. They are popularly used as equivalents, or nearly so. Hence the consciousness of a change within is often accepted as an evidence of pardon. The natural result of abandoning rebellion and returning to the will of God--namely, a sweet peace and satisfaction of soul--is regarded and accepted as the voice of God conveying an inner revelation of forgiveness. Hence, too, when we insist on the Bible affirmation of baptism. "for remission of sins," it is caught up as an affirmation of baptismal regeneration, we are regarded as teaching that in baptism God makes an immediate communication to the soul, alike of regenerating power and of spiritual joy--giving through baptism an inner revelation of pardon and adoption. [495]

      It may be well, therefore, to clear these terms of ambiguity, and clearly mark the line of distinction between them.

      Regeneration is a new creation. When this term or its equivalents is applied to physical nature--as to the resurrection of the dead, and the new heavens and earth¹--it expresses a work of omnipotence wrought on inanimate matter, and is used in its literal sense. When applied to the spiritual nature of man, it expresses a work of grace wrought on a rational, responsible nature; and is used figuratively. It is a work resulting in new views, new principles, new affections, new aims, new enjoyments, and fully consummated in a new life.² It is wrought, not by omnipotence, but by the word of truth, through which the life-giving, life-sustaining power of the Spirit is communicated;³ and is consummated in baptism, through which the believing penitent enters into new relationships and a new life.⁴ A regenerated man, therefore, is a new creature in these particulars:

      1. He has new principles--being now a man of faith, where before he was an unbeliever, and walked by sight, "according to the course of this world." Thus while we read, in one passage, "circumcision availeth nothing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature;"⁵ we have the same sentiment expressed in the same epistle, substituting faith for the new creature: "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith."⁶

      2. He has new desires and affections--hating sin and loving righteousness--divorced in his heart from the world, and loving God. Hence the verse last quoted has the following attribute of faith specially mentioned: "which worketh by love."

      3. He sustains new relationships--having entered into the kingdom of God, where God is his Father, Jesus his King and Saviour, the Holy Spirit his Guest, the church his home, Christians his brethren, angels his servants, and the world, the flesh and the devil his enemies. He is "in Christ Jesus," a new creature. "Old things are passed away; behold all things are become new."⁷

      Now all this change--this series of changes--is internal, save the change of state or relationship accomplished by the birth of water--baptism. The first distinction, then, to be made is, That regeneration is wrought in or upon us; but the same can not be affirmed of the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness takes place in the heart of the party sinned against. "There is forgiveness with God." "Forgive one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Now when men forgive one another, does forgiveness take place in the heart of the offender? Nay, in the heart of the offended party. If A sins [496] against B, and forgiveness is ever exercised, every one must see that forgiveness is present as a matter of consciousness in the heart of B, and not in the heart of A. Therefore, while regeneration is wrought in us, forgiveness is accomplished in heaven, at the mercy-seat. It is the act of the Sovereign who holds the pardoning power. Is not this a very wide distinction--regeneration wrought on earth, forgiveness in heaven; regeneration wrought in the heart and in the life of the sinner, forgiveness in the heart of God? Is it not passing strange that they should ever be confounded?

      It is replied, however, that although God dispenses pardon at the mercy-seat, yet he conveys the evidence of pardon to the penitent in an immediate communication of the Holy Spirit, so that pardoning love is felt and known in the sinner's heart. On this we remark:

      1. That even were this true, the communication of pardon must still, in the nature of things, be widely different from that moral and spiritual change which is called regeneration. The fact that I hate sin and love righteousness and holiness, must always remain different from the fact that God has pardoned my sins. The former might be fully realized without any knowledge of the latter. The latter does not follow even as a logical consequence of the former, but simply because of the revelation God has made of himself in the gospel. But

      2. We deny that there is any such special revelation to the individual heart of forgiveness. We do not deny the power of God to make such communication, if he saw fit; but we deny that he has promised to make such revelation. We affirm that he has forbidden us to expect it.

      (a) In the general proclamation of pardon in the gospel, connecting the promise of pardon with certain conditions. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature; he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."⁸ Now this is a mere nullity if there is a special revelation of the fact of pardon, apart from the gospel. Indeed, if such special revelation assures the soul of pardon on any other than gospel conditions, it contradicts the gospel, and makes it a lie--which is worse than a nullity. On the other hand, if the special revelation merely reaffirms the gospel conditions, it is useless, since these are already known and substantiated as divine; and, on this supposition, the special revelation can not be given until the conditions are complied with, when it surely is not needed, and has no value. Moreover, there is so much danger of delusion in these internal revelations, that they must be tried by the external revelation before one knows whether to believe them or not! "I have heard what the prophets said that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I [497] have dreamed. How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? Yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams, which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully: what is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord."⁹ "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."¹⁰

      (b) It is forbidden by express Scripture precept. "Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above: ) or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."¹¹ Compare this with the passage from which it is drawn (Deut. xxx. 11-14,) and be satisfied that we have not to wait for special revelations.

      (c) Facts forbid it. Not Cornelius, nor Saul, nor the Ethiopian, could get a special internal revelation of pardon. The angel would not tell Cornelius. The Holy Spirit would not tell the Treasurer of Ethiopia. Jesus himself would not tell Saul. Cornelius had to send for Peter.¹² The eunuch had to learn from Philip.¹³ Saul had to learn from Ananias.¹⁴ From the day that Jesus ascended to heaven, there is not an instance of the evidence of pardon communicated in any other way than by the conditions and promises of the gospel, uttered by human lips. The evidence of pardon is in the gospel promise; and that promise being conditional, we approach it through compliance with the conditions. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."¹⁵ "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins."¹⁶ "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."¹⁷ "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved--for the same Lord over all is rich in mercy to all that call upon him." ¹⁸ "Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling upon the name of the Lord."¹⁹

      In perfect harmony with this, the Westminster Confession says: "The grace which is exhibited in or by the sacraments, rightly used, is not conferred by any power in them; neither doth the efficacy of a sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that doth [498] administer it; but upon the work of the Spirit and the word of institution, which contains, together with a precept authorizing the use thereof, a promise of benefit to worthy receivers."

      We are not forgetful of the passage so constantly quoted to prove this disputed point: "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God."²⁰ But this is wide of the mark. We are discussing the evidence of pardon--not the evidence of sonship.

      We are prepared now to put the distinction between regeneration and forgiveness in another form. Regeneration is a matter of consciousness--forgiveness is a matter of faith. We know we believe; we know we repent; we know we are baptized; these are matters of experience, because they are wrought in or upon us. But we can not feel or know that our sins are forgiven; we believe this--our faith resting on the promise of God. We feel in consequence of forgiveness--a feeling of peace and joy, proportioned to the clearness and fullness of our faith, flowing in upon the heart that embraces the promise of pardon in the gospel.

      Can not the reader now see that baptism can be for remission of sins, without involving the idea of baptismal regeneration? Baptism enables the proper subject of it to lay hold on the conditional promise of pardon, and say, this now is mine. It therefore simply conveys the Scriptural assurance of pardon to the person spiritually qualified to receive it.

      There is, indeed, a point of contact between regeneration and remission of sins. The latter is the immediate result of the former. The baptism which consummates regeneration in a change of state or relationship, is the very act which brings us to the gospel promise of pardon. But if any minds unaccustomed to nice discriminations, find themselves in danger of confusion at this point, let them reflect, that all that is generally called regeneration has preceded the act of baptism. The change of mind and of heart--the turning of the inner man to the knowledge and love of Jesus, to a trust in His sacrifice, and an acquiescence in his will--has already been accomplished in faith and repentance. Baptism but accomplishes a change of state--an entrance into new covenant relations; and in establishing covenant relations, entitles its subject to the covenant promise, "I will be merciful to your unrighteousness, and your sins and iniquities I will remember no more."²¹

      Gospel conditions run into each other and blend so perfectly, that we dislike to enter on too nice a classification. Yet it may assist to guide some minds aright if we present an outline of the gospel arrangement, so far as conditions are concerned. We simply forewarn the [499] metaphysical reader that we are aware how certainly these conditions run into each other, and how easily metaphysical cavils can be raised over this or any other syllabus:

1. Faith ultimates in a new heart, purified from selfishness, and trusting in Christ;
2. Repentance in a new life, redeemed from rebellion, and accepting the Lordship of Jesus;
3. Baptism in a good conscience, purified from the sense of guilt.

      So that the subject of these is

1. Pure in his desires;
2. Submissive to the will of God;
3. Pardoned and accepted as a child of God, and in his new state prepared to receive the Holy Spirit, and to live the Christian life.

1. Faith rests on the truth of God;
2. Repentance an the goodness of God;
3. Baptism on the authority of the Lord Jesus.

      We believe, because the truth of God banishes our doubts.
      We repent, because the unspeakable love of God conquers our stubbornness.
      We are baptized, because the authority of the Lord Jesus has become all in all to us.

      The result of all this is,

1. The forgiveness of sins.
2. Adoption into the family of God.
3. The earnest of the Spirit.
4. The hope of everlasting life.

      Is it not a new creation?

      This regenerated person has now, as his portion, until heaven is gained

1. The Word of grace, to guide him.
2. The Throne of grace, to shelter him.
3. The Spirit of grace, to comfort him.

      Continuing faithful to the end, he will be the subject of a physical resurrection of the dead; and a purified spirit in a glorified body will inherit the new heavens and earth, wherein righteousness shall dwell forever.

I. E.      

Source:

Isaac Errett. "Regeneration and Remission of Sin." The Millennial Harbinger 32 (December 1861): 677-682.

[MHA1 495-500]