The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 353

THE WORK OF REGENERATION

313

regeneration leaves our person unchanged, that it does not affect the sinner himself, but merely translates him into the sphere of an extra-

neous righteousness. No the Scripture speaks of a new creature, another birth, a being changed and renewed. And this can not be reconciled with the notion that the sinner should remain unchanged. ;

Regarding the question, what it is in the bud that has the potency to regenerate the wild trunk, the best-informed botanist can not discover the fiber or liquid that might have this power. He only knows that every bud has its own nature, and possesses the potency to produce another branch or tree of the same nature by its

own formative power. And this applies to the work

of regeneration.

In the center of

our being, ego, personality rules our nature, disposition, form of being, and existence, imparting its impress, form, character, and spiritual quality to

controlling center est

forms

we

press

it is

is

what we are and work and speak. That allby nature sinful and wicked. Under its fair-

but unrighteous.

Hence, willingly or unwillingly,

upon our being, working, and speaking the stamp of unrighteousness. According to age and development this nature of the ego chisels out of the marble of our being an evil and sinful man, corresponding to the image contained in our nature from which it proceeds. In regeneration God performs in this controlling center of our being a wonderful act, converting this nature, this formative force into something entirely different. Consequently our being, working, and speaking are henceforth controlled by another commandment, law of life, and government; and this new

formative force chisels another God, created in righteousness.

man

in us,

new and

holy, a child of

But this change is not completed at once. The tree grafted in March may remain inactive during that entire month, because there is as yet no working in its nature. But this is sure as soon as there is any action it will be according to the new, ingrafted :

nature.

And so it is here. The new, ingrafted life may lie dormant for a season, like a grain of wheat in the earth but when it begins to work it will be according to the nature of the new life. Hence ;

regeneration implants the life-germ of the

new man. -"vhom it conand from which W will proceed as surely as the wheat contained in the seed proceeds from it. tains in all his completeness,

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