CHAPTER X REGENERATION — CONVERSION —REFORMATION
BY REV. GEORGE W. LASHER, D. D., LL. D., Author of “Theology for Plain People” CINCINNATI, OHIO
In his “Twice-Born Men,” Mr. Harold Begbie gives us a series of instances wherein men of the lowest grade, or the most perverse nature, became suddenly changed in thought, purpose, will and life. Without intentionally ignoring the word “regeneration,” or the fact of regeneration, he em phasises the act of conversion in which he includes regenera tion which, in our conception, is the origin of conversion and a true reformation as a permanent fact. A weakness in much of the teaching of modern times is in that conversion and reformation are thrust to the front, while regeneration is either ignored, or minimized to nothingness. Jesus Christ did not say much about regeneration, using the equivalent word in the Greek ( paliggenesis ) only once, and then (Matt. 19:28) having reference to created things, a new order in the physical universe, rather than to a new con dition of the individual soul. But He taught the great truth in other words, the needful fact by which He made it evident that a regeneration is what the human soul needs and must have to fit it for the kingdom of God. In the other Gospels, Jesus is represented as teaching things which involve a new birth, without which it is impos sible to meet Divine requirements ; but in John’s Gospel it is distinctly set forth in the very first chapter, and the idea is carried through to the end. When (in John 1:12, 13) it is said that those who received the Word of God received also “power,” or right, to become God’s children, it is expressly 133
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