SPIRITUAL BIRTH AND CONVERSION

T. at Z. asks the following:

a. Are spiritual birth and conversion the same?

b. Is it possible for a person to be born again without being conscious of this?

Spiritual birth is very clearly dealt with in the Canons of Dort or the Eive Articles against the Remonstrants or Arminians. Not only this or that godly minister, but the whole Netherlands church, yea, the churches of all countries of the Reformation assembled at Dordrecht in 1618, have pronounced with one accord that spiritual birth is the quickening of the elect sinner. In the third and fourth heads of doctrine of the Canons of Dort it states very clearly:

“And this is the regeneration so highly celebrated in Scripture, and denominated a new creation: a resurrection from the dead, a making alive, which God works in us without our aid.” And what is the fruit of this regeneration or spiritual birth? Let me state this also with the words of that same article:

“Whereupon the will thus renewed, is not only actuated and influenced by God, but in consequence of this influence, becomes itself active. Wherefore also, man is himself rightly said to believe and repent, by virtue of that grace received.”

Spiritual birth thus comprises:

a. The quickening or making alive, and

b. The renewal of the walk of life.

On this renewal of the walk our Confession of Faith has its eye in Article 24, saying: “We believe that this true faith being wrought in man by the hearing of the Word of God, and the operation of the Holy Ghost, doth regenerate and make him a new man, causing him to live a new life, and freeing him from the bondage of sin.”

From the comparison of the above mentioned confession-writings it will be clear to everyone:

a. That spiritual birth or regeneration in a limited sense, that is to say, the quickening of the elect but dead sinner, with the infusing of faith coincides and takes place before the sinner can believe; and —

b. That regeneration in a wider sense, that is to say, the fruit of the new creation and raising up from death, follows upon faith and cannot he separated therefrom.

If you want to call the revelation of spiritual birth or regeneration, “conversion,” there is no objection to it. Conversion is then a fruit of spiritual birth (in a limited sense).

Bear in mind, however, that the fruit directly follows the regeneration. It is soul-misleading to say, as the Neo-Reformed (“neo” means “new,” “recent” — a new or modern style. A more extended form of the word is neology, which also means a new theory or doctrine.) that we can come into the world with the seed of spiritual birth and then live 40 or 50 years in sin, to then finally convert ourselves; and the seed will bud forth. Thus Paul is called a regenerated persecutor of the Church of God. God’s Word teaches us so differently. That Word says, I John 5:1: “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth Him that begat loveth Him also that is begotten of Him.” And again I John 3:10: “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother.” Accordingly the form for the administration of the Lord’s Supper declares that all who live in sin “have no part in the Kingdom of Christ.” When the Lord renewed Paul’s heart on the way to Damascus, life was at once revealed. Before that time Paul was spiritually dead. The great wonder of this regeneration bore fruit immediately.

When a distinction is made between regeneration and conversion, these should not be separated. The tree is known by its fruit.

This does not say, however, that every one is assured or conscious of the good work which God has glorified in his heart. God’s work can be hidden before his eye. So often it may seem that all his convictions, praying, mourning over sin, cleaving unto God’s people, etc., are only by virtue of a good bringing up and misses the true mark.

The concerns of the regenerated soul are many. In him, however, are the operations of life and those are manifested in word and walk.

— the late

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