Regeneration Conversion—Reformation —
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plied to his own soul. “Mercy, and not sacrifice,” is the argu ment, the mercy secured by the work of Him whom God hath appointed to be the propitiation for our sins. But when the supplicating and believing sinner awakes to a consciousness that his prayer has been heard, he finds that he is a new creature. The work has been wrought without his conscious ness of it at the moment. All he knows is that something has taken place within him—a great “change.” He is a new creature. He dares to hope and to believe that he is a son of God; and he cries in the ecstacy of a new life: “Abba, Father” (Dear Father) ! “The Spirit Himself beareth wit ness with our spirit that we are the children of God,” and subsequently we learn that we are heirs of a rich Father— “heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ,” with whom we are to both suffer and reign. CONVERSION (which really means only “change”) , we have said, is included in the idea of regeneration; but the words do not mean the same thing. Regeneration implies con version; but there may be conversion without regeneration. The danger is that the distinction may not be observed and that, because there is a visible conversion, it may be supposed that there must be a prevenient regeneration. Conversion may be a mere mental process; the understanding convinced, but the heart unchanged. It may be effected as education and refinement are effected. The schools are constantly doing it. It is what they are for. Regeneration involves a change of mind; but conversion may be effected while the moral condi tion remains unchanged. Regeneration can occur but once in the experience of the same soul; but conversion can occur many times. Regeneration implies a new life, eternal life, Divine life, the life of God in the soul of man, a Divine son- ship, the continuous indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Conversion may be like that of King Saul, when he took a place among the prophets of Jehovah, or like that of Simon the sorcerer, who
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