BIBLE REGENERATION -- No. 2

     In this chapter we desire to notice what regeneration is not.

     Regeneration is not simply an ease of conscience because you feel you have done your duty.

     Good works and charitable deeds are often performed in order to atone for past convictions and neglected duties. This will bring a relief of conscience, but this is not regeneration.

     Souls may go to the altar and weep and pray until they feel relieved and yet not be regenerated. God will encourage those who make an honest confession and forsake all sin; for the time being they may be wonderfully lifted above their surroundings, and yet not be truly regenerated. God will encourage all honest souls as fast as they take sides against themselves and walk in every ray of light. At times this encouragement will be so great as to cause them to shout aloud for joy and yet this is not necessarily regeneration.

     One may be very strict and plain on lines of dress, conversation, business transactions, or Sunday observance and yet be void of regenerating grace.

     The very anticipation of getting saved will produce a sense of joy and gladness, but this is not regeneration. A soul who has had a hard struggle to get to God and is almost discouraged, suddenly feels that the Lord is drawing nigh, and the thought is so rapturous that he begins to shout and thinks this to be the witness. The same might be said of holiness seekers.

     You may be so zealous for your belief and its advancement as to cause you to spend much time and money, and still be utterly ignorant of saving grace.

     It is possible to preach testify and pray with seemingly as much power and inspiration as in former days, yea, prophesy like King Saul under the influence of the Spirit (1 Sam. 19:23), and yet be lacking the tenderness and simplicity of your "first love."

     There is a vast difference between the Spirit's drawing near and coming upon one from without, and His coming into the heart to abide and set up His kingdom. We have often seen souls weep and pray until the Spirit drew near and encouraged them, but instead of pressing on until a real work of grace had been wrought in the heart, they took up with an eased conscience and fleeting blessing. This renders it almost impossible for God Himself to bring such surface-satisfied souls into a real experience of grace. Regeneration implies even more than making wrongs right, and receiving in return great relief that for the time being seems to satisfy. It implies not only forgiveness for all the past, but power and grace to overcome every unpleasant circumstance in the future. The past is not only canceled, but the power and dominion of sin are completely broken.