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that man does not co-operate in later stages of the work of redemption. It is quite evident from
Scripture that he does.
G. THE USE OF THE WORD OF GOD AS AN INSTRUMENT IN REGENERATION.
The question arises, whether the Word of God is used as a means in regeneration or not; or, as
it is frequently put, whether regeneration is mediate or immediate.
1. THE PROPER IMPORT OF THE QUESTION.
Careful discrimination is required, in order to avoid
misunderstanding.
a. When the older Reformed theologians insisted on the immediate character of
regeneration, they often gave the term “immediate” a connotation which it does not have to-
day.
Some of the representatives of the school of Saumur, as Cameron and Pajon, taught that in
regeneration the Holy Spirit supernaturally illumines and convinces the mind or the intellect in
such a powerful manner that the will cannot fail to follow the prevalent dictate of the practical
judgment. He works immediately only on the intellect, and through this mediately on the will.
According to them there is no immediate operation of the Holy Spirit on the will of man. In
opposition to these men, Reformed theologians generally stressed the fact that in regeneration
the Holy Spirit also operates directly on the will of man, and not merely through the mediation
of the intellect. To-day the question of mediate or immediate regeneration is a slightly
different, though related, one. It is the question of the use of the Word of God as a means in
the work of regeneration.
b. The exact form of the question ought to be carefully noted.
The question is not, whether
God works regeneration by means of a creative word. It is generally admitted that He does.
Neither is it, whether He employs the word of truth, the word of preaching in the new birth, as
distinguished from the divine begetting of the new man, that is, in securing the first holy
exercises of the new life. The real question is, whether God, in implanting or generating the
new life, employs the word of Scripture or the word of preaching as an instrument or means.
The discussion of this matter often suffered in the past from the lack of proper discrimination.
2. CONSIDERATIONS THAT FAVOR A NEGATIVE ANSWER.
Dr. Shedd says: “The influence of the
Holy Spirit is distinguishable from that of the truth; from that of man upon man; and from that
of any instrument or means whatever. His energy acts directly upon the human soul itself. It is
the influence of spirit upon spirit; of one of the trinitarian persons upon a human person.
Neither the truth, nor a fellow-man, can thus operate directly upon the essence of the soul
itself.”[Dogm. Theol. II, p. 500.] The following considerations favor this view: