The next question is, in what does that great change consist which is
called regeneration, and which is indispensable to salvation from eternal
woe?
The old school Calvinists say it is a new nature created by God which
naturally acts right, in place of a depraved nature which naturally acts
wrong and only wrong. With this new nature man has power to obey God
acceptably, and without it he has no power of any kind.
The new school Calvinists say that regeneration is a change of the
depraved nature of man by God, attended by a _choice_ or _ruling purpose_
to obey God in all things made by man himself. They teach also that man
can and ought to make this choice without any help from God in changing
his depraved nature, and yet, owing to this evil nature, he never will do
so till God changes it. Meantime God points out no certain way of
obtaining this indispensable aid from him.(1)
The Arminians teach that regeneration consists either in the implanting of
a new nature by baptism, and the use of other means of grace, or in the
restoration of God’s Spirit which was withdrawn from man on account of
Adam’s sin, and in some degree restored by Christ’s death.
What must we do to be saved?
The next question for a race thus mournfully ruined is, “What must we do
to be saved?”
In reply, the old school Calvinist says, you can do nothing at all.
Whoever is saved will be regenerated by God, without reference to any
unregenerate doings. It is all decided not by man in any way, but by the
“decrees” and “election” of God.
The new school Calvinist says, You _can_ do all that God requires, so as
to be perfect in every thought, word and deed, from the beginning of moral
action to the close of life, but you certainly never _will_ feel or do a
single thing that is right and acceptable until regenerated; nor will you
ever do any thing to which any promise is offered by God as that which
will secure his interference to regenerate. It is all decided, not by man,
but by the “decrees” and “election” of God.
The Arminians say you can obtain regeneration and eternal life, by the use
of the means of grace set forth in the Bible and by “the Church.”
True virtue, or right moral action.
The next question is, what is true virtue, or right moral action?
By _moral action_ is meant the act of mind in _choosing_, in distinction
from intellectual and other acts of mind.
The Calvinists, both old and new school, teach that true virtue, or right
moral action in man, is choosing to obey God’s laws after regeneration
takes place. Previous to regeneration, every choice is sin and has no
moral goodness or rectitude. Thus truth, honesty, justice, self‐denial for
the good of others, obedience to parents, are all sin in an unregenerate
mind, and true virtue in the regenerate mind.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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