What is Regeneration?
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a new nature by baptism, and [pg 010] the use of other means of grace, or in the restoration of God's Spirit which was withdrawn from man on account of Adam's sin, and in some degree restored by Christ's death.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.”