VICTORIES OF REGENERATION

     When a person is converted his sins are forgiven and he is cleansed both from guilt and also from that depravity which has been acquired through his own personal sins. By this transaction he is restored to that freedom from guilt and that purity of heart with which he was born. Thus the words of Jesus are literally fulfilled, and this newly converted soul "becomes as a little child." It is like a child not only in innocence and purity, but also in that there still remains within that principle of evil which even the new-born child possesses.

     While all this is true with regard to the similarity of the two conditions, yet we wish to notice at least one point of marked difference. Although the infant yields to the sinful propensities within, yet God does not impute iniquity to it, for it possesses neither the wisdom nor the power to resist; but, on the other hand, the soul that is born again, not only has favor with God, but is also given power over both inward and outward sin. "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not" (1 John 5:18).

     We wish to notice the keeping power of the grace given to the regenerate along four special lines:

     1. The regenerated man has victory in his outward acts. He does not commit actual or willful sin. While through his ignorance and the unrecognized movings of inherent depravity, he may, for the time, be betrayed into wrong acts, yet these acts are innocently perpetrated and, when their character is revealed, are shunned. Because of the absence of willfulness -- that quality which is necessary to constitute actual sin -- such acts are not counted up against the perpetrator in the same sense as are intentional wrongs. Actual sin, in the evangelical sense, is any willful or intentional transgression of the moral law, or any voluntary yielding to the sinful nature within. This would exclude as sinful even sudden and impulsive fits of anger, for volition is necessary before this yielding is possible, no matter how sudden. While a person lives a justified life he is never betrayed into actual sin; he draws his strength from God, and Israel's Keeper is never surprised. Besides, actual sin forfeits justification.

     Read the following from Wesley's sermon, "The First Fruits of the Spirit," which properly qualifies this position:

     "On the other hand, there may be sudden assaults, either from the world, and frequently from our own evil hearts, which we did not, and hardly could, foresee. And by these even a believer, while weak in faith, may possibly be borne down, suppose into a degree of anger (not a fit of anger, but simply the feeling within); or thinking evil of another, with scarce any concurrence of his will. Now, in such a case the jealous God would undoubtedly show him that he had done foolishly. He would be convinced of having swerved from the perfect law, from the mind that was in Christ, and, consequently, grieved with a godly sorrow, and lovingly ashamed before God. Yet need he not come into condemnation. God layeth not folly to his charge, but hath compassion upon him, 'even as a father pitieth his own children.' And his heart condemneth him not; in the midst of that sorrow and shame, he can still say, 'I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.' "

     The justified man does not indulge in sinful or questionable amusements; he does not go to the movie, theater, circus, or dance, even for "recreation;" he does not play cards, chess, checkers, or any other so-called innocent game, to "relax his mind;" his days are too short to accomplish all his desires, and duties crowd too fast to allow the "killing of time."

     The life of a justified man is clean and upright. He pays his honest debts, he disdains to quarrel with his neighbor, he loves the associations of his own family better than any other, he is punctual in his religious duties -- he loves the courts of the Lord. He is diligent to "abstain from all appearance of evil." His walk is circumspect -- an example of godliness and piety. He is true to his convictions and ready for all of God's will. This is surely a victorious life, and is possible even while carnality remains in the heart, and anything short of it shows a lack of the grace of God.

     2. The regenerated man has victory in his conversation. He shuns vain and idle words, and strives that his conversation may be "yea, yea, nay, nay," knowing that "whatsoever is more than this cometh of evil," that is, it is produced by the evil nature within. As with his acts so also with his words, he may for the moment be betrayed into words which are not "convenient," yet when he discovers the trouble he quickly straightens up.

     The regenerate man is ready to obey the command, "Let thy words be few." He strives to protect the character of his neighbor by refusing to repeat stories which may be either idle gossip or truth.

     The lips of the justified man are filled with prayer and praise. He loves to sing the songs of Zion and to tell the wondrous works of the Lord. He overcomes not only by the blood of the Lamb but also by the word of his testimony. His "tongue is as the pen of a ready writer," for he has learned to "speak a word in season to him that is weary." He tells of the goodness of God in "the great congregation," and does not fear to even shout the praises of the Lord. He "opens his mouth wide" and the Lord fills it with either messages of love or with sin-revealing truths. He does not fail, to the best of his knowledge, to declare the whole counsel of God. If he is a preacher of the gospel, he does not

     "Smooth down the stubborn text to ears polite, And snugly tuck damnation out of sight."

     A tongue thus controlled certainly has a victory that can be gained only by the assisting grace of God, and one which is not thus controlled is void of the grace of God.

     3. The regenerate man has victory in his thoughts. While it is true that at times lie may awake to the fact that he has, unconsciously, allowed his thoughts to remain too long on forbidden territory, yet, when he beholds his error, he quickly "girds up the loins of his mind" and refuses to linger longer.

     The regenerate man loves to meditate on the things of God and hates every evil thought. He reads for improvement, especially on spiritual lines. He loves the Bible above all books, and hates trashy, sentimental literature because it is not congenial with the Spirit within. When evil thoughts are suggested, as quickly as possible he turns them aside and looks to God for more grace. Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, or of good report; if there be any virtue or praise, he thinks on these things.

     4. The regenerated man has victory over the sins of his heart. While sin remains within, yet it does not reign. In the graceless heart sin manifests its presence by strong and uncontrollable movements, but in the renewed heart grace so predominates that sin is held in check and grace triumphs. "Where sin abounded grace doth much more abound." God imputes sin only to that person who willfully accepts the sinful suggestions of the evil within. The justified person does not accept nor willfully follow these suggestions, but deliberately and by choice tramples them down and accepts that which is right. In the graceless heart sin reigns; in the simply regenerate heart sin remains but does not reign; in the wholly sanctified heart sin does not even remain.

     Concerning the victories of the life, conversation and heart of the regenerate man read the following from Wesley's sermon on "The First Fruits of the Spirit":

     "Now 'whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not;' 'walketh not after the flesh.' The flesh, in the usual language of St. Paul, signifies corrupt nature.

     "They who are of Christ, who abide in Him, 'have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts.' They abstain from all those works of the flesh; from 'adultery and fornication;' from 'uncleanness and lasciviousness;' from 'idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance;' from 'emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings;' from every design, and word, and work to which the corruption of nature leads. Although they feel the root of bitterness in themselves, yet are they endued with power from on high, to trample it continually under foot, so that it cannot spring up to trouble them; insomuch, that every fresh assault which they undergo only gives them fresh occasion of praise, of crying out, 'Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory, through Jesus Christ our Lord.' They who walk after the Spirit are also led by Him into all holiness of conversation."