Regeneration thoughts?

[earl40]

Is regeneration a mediate or immediate work of God?

 

[toddpedlar]

Is regeneration a mediate or immediate work of God?

At first I thought you were asking whether regeneration was monergistic or synergistic.... and that answer is obvious - it is monergistic, a work of the Holy Spirit. This is absolutely the case and any discussion of any instrumental cause in regeneration needs to bear this in mind. God and God alone regenerates.

As to your question: the best answer may be "yes".

Normally, the Spirit works with the preached word of God - so in that sense it is a mediate work. Peter clearly brings this point out in 1 Peter 1:23, and James in James 1:18. Paul also argues this way in the familiar passage Romans 10:14-15. (having also dealt with the power of God in the Gospel in Romans 1) Hence regeneration apart from the Gospel preached is hard to conceive of Biblically. Regeneration precedes faith logically, but a strong argument can be made that they are "bam-bam", i.e. that those regenerated by the Spirit of God exercise faith as they are regenerated. Such faith requires an object, and that object is provided by the Gospel truth preached.

That said, the preached word is not a guarantee - for it is effectual only upon the elect hearer. God acts as He will, regenerating the heart of His elect when and how He desires. Some come to faith at the preached Gospel - others, not elect, never will no matter how much the Gospel is preached to them. For many, I think, this is sufficient reason to argue that it is an immediate work of God, apart from the preaching of the Word. I don't think that's necessary, but it is something that many will argue.

In any case, the existence of an instrumental means, such as the preached Word, in regenerating the elect does NOT mean that regeneration ceases to be monergistic. That it is, and that, surely.

 

[earl40]

In any case, the existence of an instrumental means, such as the preached Word, in regenerating the elect does NOT mean that regeneration ceases to be monergistic. That it is, and that, surely.

This last line pins down why I brought it up. If regeneration comes "by" hearing the Gospel "by" preachers then in my muddled thinking it is no longer monergistic.

BTW the bam-bam is exactly how I see it and that is priceless.

 

[toddpedlar]

In any case, the existence of an instrumental means, such as the preached Word, in regenerating the elect does NOT mean that regeneration ceases to be monergistic. That it is, and that, surely.

This last line pins down why I brought it up. If regeneration comes "by" hearing the Gospel "by" preachers then in my muddled thinking it is no longer monergistic.

Well, that's the problem. Preaching has no effect whatsoever without the Spirit's work to regenerate the soul. God uses means for all kinds of things that HE alone is actually doing. You have to separate ultimate cause from instrumental cause... it's ok for God to use instruments in doing His work. It is still a monergistic work, though God has said He'll use means, normally, to effect the change that He brings about through those means. We have to listen to what God says about Himself and His work.

When you dig a hole in the ground, who is the cause of the hole being dug - the shovel, or you, using the shovel?

 

[earl40]

In any case, the existence of an instrumental means, such as the preached Word, in regenerating the elect does NOT mean that regeneration ceases to be monergistic. That it is, and that, surely.

This last line pins down why I brought it up. If regeneration comes "by" hearing the Gospel "by" preachers then in my muddled thinking it is no longer monergistic.

Well, that's the problem. Preaching has no effect whatsoever without the Spirit's work to regenerate the soul. God uses means for all kinds of things that HE alone is actually doing. You have to separate ultimate cause from instrumental cause... it's ok for God to use instruments in doing His work. It is still a monergistic work, though God has said He'll use means, normally, to effect the change that He brings about through those means. We have to listen to what God says about Himself and His work.

When you dig a hole in the ground, who is the cause of the hole being dug - the shovel, or you, using the shovel?

So would you say The Holy Spirit uses The Word to regenerate. I have the thought The Holy Spirit regenerates the person before they believe. Take Acts 16:14 for instance. It appears to say that God opened her heart before she believed. In other words, it appears she "was listening; and the Lord opened her heart" or was regenerated, and then responded.

14A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.

Of course I agree that regeneration does not happen apart from the preaching of His word but I have read where BB Warfield said regeneration "is an immediate and direct creative work of God the Holy Spirit upon the human soul." Now I do not know if he Warfield was using the word immediate as we are here but I suspect he was.

So far a "the hole in the ground" I suspect God can make a hole without a shovel or any tools.

 

[Peairtach]

Regeneration must happen for true justifying faith and true evangelical repentance to be implanted in the heart and life.

Before then the individual may have various forms of inchoate and non-salvific faith, and various levels of non-evangelical (legal) repentance and conviction of sin.

The Spirit of God may be working in the person by common grace but when He operates on the person by saving and irresistible grace then that person will be regenerated.