REGENERATION.

 

A Sermon

Preached On Wednesday Evening, November 21, 1849

BY THE REV. C. G. FINNEY,

(Of America)

AT THE BOROUGH ROAD CHAPEL, SOUTHWARK.

THE PENNY PULPIT, NO. 1,472.

Modernized by Cliff Collins

 

"Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again'."  (John 3:7)

 

Tonight, I will speak on the passage that I've just read.  You may be familiar with the passage that contains this verse; however I will read it: 

 

"There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

 

Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

 

Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

 

Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

 

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"

 

Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?"  (John 3;1-10)

 

Are you a Jewish doctor, and you do not understand the doctrine of the new birth?  Have you never experienced it?  Are you a teacher in Israel, and yet you are ignorant of this great truth?

 

In speaking from the words of the text, I propose to show--

 

I. WHAT THE NEW BIRTH IS NOT.

 

II. WHAT IT IS.

 

III. WHAT NEW BIRTH IMPLIES.

 

IV. THAT THE NEW BIRTH IS NECESSARY IS A FACT TOO PLAIN TO BE CALLED INTO QUESTION.

 

 

I. I begin by telling WHAT THE NEW BIRTH IS NOT, because I know that many people who have not thought about it are likely to form some very false ideas concerning it.

 

(1.) The new birth mentioned here does not consist in creating any new mental or physical faculty.  Both Christians and sinners have the same powers and faculties of mind and body, and therefore sinners do not need any new faculties.  All they need to do is to use those faculties that they already possess in the manner that God requires them to be used.  They need no other mental or physical powers than those which they have; and God requires them to have no other powers than those which they were created with: as a result, the new birth cannot consist in, or imply, the creation of any new mental or physical powers.

 

(2.) New birth does not consist in any change of the capacity or structure of any of our mental or physical powers.  There is no change in the structure of our human faculties in regeneration, and God doesn't require any such change.  It's not necessary.  What mental or physical change is necessary?  None!  Then, no mental or physical change occurs in regeneration, or the new birth.

 

(3.) New birth does not imply any such change in the feelings of our mind that produces, through those feelings, a change in the actions of our mind; that is, a change is not introduced into our sensibilities or feelings, so that new feelings spring up, resulting in regeneration.  Yes, new feelings arise in the mind; but, as I will show later, these new feelings do not constitute regeneration, nor do they produce regeneration.

 

(4.) Regeneration does not consist in any change produced when we are purely passive.  I will discuss this later, but for now regeneration or the new birth does not consist in any change that takes place when we are completely passive, when our will is not involved. 

 

II. WHAT THE NEW BIRTH DOES CONSISTS IN.

 

(1.) The Scriptures everywhere represent the new birth, or regeneration, as a change of character.  It is a change from sinfulness to holiness.  Now, if this is true, there must be some voluntary action on the part of the sinner, or how could there be a change of moral character if he is passive and not active in it! 

 

What do we mean by moral character, and how is our moral character changed?  Our character depends on our will, and when our will is changed, our character is changed.  So regeneration is not involuntary, but it is a change of will and a change of character.  It is a departing from a state of sinfulness to a state of holiness.  How much virtue would there be in an involuntary holiness, a state into which we should be brought completely without our consent, in which we have no agency?  Certainly none at all!  Regeneration then, must consist in something in which our will is something more than passive.  It is true that in regeneration, we are recipients, and a passive recipient, in a certain sense, of God's influence; but this divine influence, instead of superseding our own agency, is only used in bringing about that change by our own agency, which constitutes regeneration.

 

(2.) The Bible represents regeneration as consisting in a change of character, as the beginning of a new and holy life.  It is often spoken of as a new creation, but it doesn't mean the creation, literally, of a new nature; but, as I have said, it means a change of character.  It is not a change in the substance of the soul, or of the body; but only a change in the use of them.  How did Adam and Eve pass from a state of holiness to a state of sinfulness?  I believe we all agree that Adam and Eve were holy before they sinned.  That when they sinned, they passed from a state of holiness to a state of sinfulness.  Now this was certainly a change of heart in them.  It is impossible that they acted that way without their hearts being changed.  We can see that there was a total change of their moral character.  Now how was this change produced?  What power took them from a state of holiness to a state of sinfulness?  Did their conduct imply that they had a change of substance, a change of nature, or some kind of involuntary change? 

 

The Bible gives us a very clear account of it.  When they were holy, Adam and Eve considered God as supreme, and obeyed Him voluntarily.  For certain good reasons, God did not want them to eat a certain fruit.  He had given them an appetite for fruit, and there was nothing sinful in gratifying their appetite with fruit proper for them to eat; fruit that was not forbidden. They had indulged their appetite many times before with fruit and they had not sinned in doing this.  They had a constitutional desire for knowledge; and under certain circumstances and under certain conditions, it was lawful for them to gratify this desire and seek knowledge.  Now Satan suggested to Eve that God was selfish in having prohibited them from eating that fruit He had forbidden: "For," he said, "God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."  (Gen 3:5)  And when Eve saw that the fruit was pleasant to her eyes, and that it could make her wise, she took the fruit and ate it, and then she gave it to her husband, and he ate some.  Now by doing this, did they change their constitutions or their natures, or did they simply withdraw their allegiance from God, and in spite of His requirements, yield themselves to their own appetites in a prohibited manner?  As a result, they placed more importance on the gratification of their appetites than in obeying God, and valuing obeying God as their highest gratification. 

 

Now, observe, their appetites were fine all by themselves; and if their appetites had been regulated by God's will, everything would have been fine.  But they changed their own hearts, for, what happened was simply the result of a change in the disposition of their minds.  Instead of preferring God's authority to their own gratification, they chose to prefer their own gratification to God's authority and the interests of His kingdom.  Now, let me ask, What would have been regeneration for Adam and Eve?  Suppose God had come to them immediately after they had sinned, and required that they must be born again.  Suppose He had said, "You must be born again or you cannot see the kingdom of God," and they had asked, "What do You mean?" What would have been the natural answer that God would have given them?  Would God tell them that they must have some new faculty, some newly implanted appetites, and undergo a change of nature?  Let me ask you, what was wrong with their nature?

 

Just a few moments before this, they were living in holiness and obedience to God, and now they simply withdrew their obedience to Him, and yielded themselves to obey their own selfish appetites.  Now, what does God require of them?  Why, simply that they will turn back again to the state in which they had been previously, to consecrate themselves once again to God.  That instead of committing themselves, as they had done by this act, to their own gratification, they should reverse this situation, and once again devote themselves to the authority and service of God. 

 

Therefore, regeneration must consist in a change of the disposition of our mind; it must consist in our voluntary consecration to God.  When Adam and Eve withdrew their allegiance from God, and committed themselves in the face of God's authority to gratifying their appetites, this constituted a fundamental change in their characters.  Please notice that they could not do what they did without deliberately preferring their own gratification to obeying God.  Committing themselves to sin, then, must have constituted an entire change of their character.

 

(3.) Thus regeneration consists in a change in our ultimate intention, or our purpose in life.  Our mind, in regeneration, withdraws itself from seeking self-gratification as our ultimate goal, and chooses a higher end than itself.  Our disposition is changed from supreme selfishness to devoting our entire being to the great end for which God lives, and for which He created us.  Regeneration, then, consists in ceasing to live sinfully and selfishly, and to live for God. 

 

III. SOME THINGS THAT ARE IMPLIED IN THIS CHANGE.

 

(1.) In regeneration, our mind receives a new and more impressive view of truth.  When we are regenerated, we obtain, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, a clear and vastly more impressive view of our relationship to God, of the real nature of sin and of holiness, of our duty to God and the great truths that are indispensably associated with regeneration.  It is because of the influence of the Holy Spirit that we have a new and more impressive perception of these truths. 

 

(2.) New views of truth and religion are implied as resulting from regeneration.  For example, when individuals have withdrawn from their devotion to themselves and selfish objects, and have devoted themselves to God, they naturally become different people.  Before regeneration, they view everything selfishly, and so they only like those things that agree with their own views or further their selfish interests.  They only care for God as far as they think He might be useful to them.  All their views are selfish.  If they fear God at all, it's only because they fear being made miserable by Him.  Or, if they obey Him, their obedience is the result of some selfish principle.  They hope to gain some selfish gratification by it.  All their views are purely selfish views.  Every unregenerate man looks at all things in a selfish light.  And everything he believes will promote his own interests, he seeks and loves.  But, when a man is born again, he no longer seeks his own interest as his supreme good; he has consecrated himself to God; and, as a result of this, he will sympathize with everything designed to promote the interests of Jehovah's kingdom. 

 

The change that takes place in his mind causes him to have new views and feelings concerning his relationship with God, and he now strives to promote God's glory, and extend His kingdom by making known His will.  Before, selfish interests ruled his conduct.  Self-gratification was his law and nothing but self interested him.  But now, he has an entirely different state of mind.  He has devoted himself to another end, and he looks at all things from a different point of view and values everything differently. 

 

What constitutes the particular difference between an unregenerated and a regenerated man?  There is no change in our physical or mental structure.  As far as substance is concerned, there is no change: but the attitude of our mind is entirely and radically changed.  Now this change of our mind will manifest itself in our life, for our will controls the action of our body.  If I will to move my arms, they must move unless there is some opposing force that is stronger than my will.  A change in my will necessarily produces a change in my life.

 

(3.) A new life naturally results from regeneration.  A new outward life is not regeneration, but it results from it, like the law of cause and effect.  You see a man who is now devoted to God.  He is engaged in different pursuits than before; or if he is engaged in the same pursuits, he acts from a different spirit.  Is he a merchant?  When he was a sinner, his ruling motive in trade was selfishness.  The spirit of self-gratification was supreme in everything he did.  Now, his merchandise is God's.  The things that he possesses are not his own.  He is God's clerk, or steward, and he will not cheat anybody, because he knows that God does not want His servants to cheat.  He is transacting business for God; and, since he knows in his heart that God hates cheating, he will now be honest.  It's natural for him to be honest.  If it's not possible for him to be honest, he is not a regenerate man.  If his heart is honest, his life will be honest.  The same is true with everything else. Let it be understood, then, that when regeneration occurs, a man's whole life will be a law of honesty.

 

(4.) Another thing implied in regeneration is new sympathies and feelings.  Before, his sympathies and feelings were all enlisted in one direction, the direction of self.  You see a man in this state, and you try to excite him to perform some generous action, but you can't do it unless you can employ selfish motives as a means to accomplish your goal.  His self-interests are easily excited.  Show him how much he can gain by acting in the way you desire, and you may succeed, but no more.  All appeals to higher motives will fail. 

 

It is remarkable to what an extent this feeling of selfishness will develop itself.  Appeal to an unregenerate man's benevolence, and your appeal falls on deaf ears, because he is not concerned about it; but make an appeal to his selfishness and you can excite the deepest foundations of his being.  Talk to him about God, Christ, Religion, and his relationship to God, and his emotions are not stirred at all.  His sympathies do not lie in that direction at all.  How unresponsive he is if you tell him about his sins; he does not feel them, and can listen to you mentioning them without emotion. 

 

Then something happens.  His mind is changed, and he now lives for other interests.  Now, instead of being devoted to self, he is devoted to God, and everything relating to God and His kingdom reaches deep into his emotions and stirs up fountains of feeling within him.  Talk to him now about God's glory and the interests of men's souls.  Spread the world out before him, show him the condition of mankind, and I promise you, you will move him!  Before, if you expected to get any money from him you must show him the benefit that he would somehow gain; but now he has made God's interests his own interests, and he sympathizes with God and with Christ, and he has set his heart on promoting those interests which will glorify God and benefit man.  Now, simply show him the great field of Christian enterprise, and you fire his soul with love for men, and fill him with a desire to promote the kingdom and glory of God in the world.  He has consecrated himself and all that he has to these objects. 

 

Many times, I have been overwhelmed with the beautiful process that goes on in the soul, as the Christian grows in grace.  Sometimes I have looked on an old saint, who for many years has been thinking of and bathing his mind in the great truths of the gospel, who has had so much communion and sympathy with God that he has become beautifully and sweetly mellow.  So delicate, kind, and Christ-like were the feelings he would manifest, that I have often been charmed and cheered with the character of a fully developed Christian.

 

(5.) A great change takes place in the joys, sorrows, hopes, and fears of the soul that has experienced regeneration.  The joys of such a man are new and different.  Before, he would rejoice in the prospect of earthly good.  Now, he rejoices chiefly in seeing and hearing that the work of God is progressing in the land.  He now rejoices when he hears that God is pouring out his Spirit, and that souls are brought to Christ.  To him, this is an entirely new kind of joy.  Before, he could read a newspaper, and if it mentioned anything about a revival of religion, he would not read it.  Now, when he finds such an article in a newspaper, instead of passing it by, he will eagerly read it with joy and delight.  His whole being will be moved. 

 

The same is true with sorrow.  New and different things now produce sorrow.  Before, he would be saddened by some worldly loss because it adversely affected his own interests; but now tell him about a professing Christian who has backslidden, and he is more grieved at that than at all the earthly losses that he ever experienced.  He now grieves when he sees professing Christians living in sin, more grieved than all the worldly troubles and losses that he has ever endured.

 

(6.) Regeneration also implies repentance for past sin, and implies complete confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ.  It also implies peace of mind, which can't be obtained without repentance and faith in Christ; because the elements of discord are always stirring within the minds of the unregenerate.  But when they have withdrawn from the course their consciences disprove of, and they devote themselves to the end for which they were created, all the workings of their minds harmoniously blend and produce peace.  There is now no reproach of their conscience against their present course; all the powers and faculties within them are now in harmony; and in addition, there is fellowship with God and communion with the Holy Ghost.

 

(7.) Regeneration implies a state of self-denial.  Now I am not talking about not doing some of the outward customs and habits that you've been accustomed to indulge in.  I'm not talking about throwing away some of your showy articles of dress and wearing simpler clothes; or being a little more temperate, or even a lot more temperate; for self-denial does not belong to our outward selfish appetites.  Self-denial is not a total denial of our appetites and passions, because our appetites and passions should not be our law.  It's O.K. to eat and drink, but we should do it to the glory of God, that we might have renewed physical strength to serve Him.  So concerning our appetites and tendencies, they should be properly employed and used to serve the purposes for which we received them, but we must not make their gratification the business and end of our life.

 

(8.) Finally, regeneration implies that the mind now has a new reason for action, a new plan and new intentions.  We sometimes ask why someone does what he does, what is his purpose or aim. The regenerate man now acts from opposite motives than what he had before.  This is the great radical change that takes place, and he is now pursuing a radically different course and end.  Before, his own personal gratification and interests, and the gratification and interests of those who were considered helpful to him, were the ends for which he lived, moved, and had his being.  Whatever he did, it was with a view to this end.  Because of this, everything he did was radically wrong.  Whether he went to church, read his Bible, or prayed, the end he had in view was the promotion of his own interests. 

 

No matter what he did, it was sin and only sin continually.  But now he has become regenerated; his mind is now set to promote other interests, and to pursue a radically different end: he gives himself to God, and lives, moves, breathes, and has his being for God and godliness.  Now, I appeal to everyone here, who knows what it means to be regenerated, whether I have not shared, in substance, what regeneration is.  Suppose, we should take the opposite view, and say that regeneration consists in a change of nature!  Now, I know that the Bible sometimes speaks of regeneration as if it is a change of nature.  But we believe that such language is figurative. We sometimes say of someone, how natural it is for him or her to do this or that, when we mean that the person is devoted to the same end no matter what is done.  Now when someone pursues a different end, we say he is a new man; that is, his way of life is changed, his purpose in life has changed.  But, suppose, that we claimed that regeneration is a change of nature, of substance; that something new is infused into the man that becomes united with the substance of either his mind or body, what must be the consequence?  Is this a change in his moral character? 

 

If it is something that God has created within that person, something that he has nothing to do with, it cannot imply a change of moral character.  Furthermore, does it imply the power to backslide from God? Can a man in such a condition backslide?  Can he fall from grace?  I am astonished to hear men contend that individuals undergo a change of nature in regeneration, and then say that they can change their course, and fall from grace.  How can it be possible that they can fall from grace?  If God gives them a new nature, then who can change their nature back again?  Can God or Satan change it? 

 

Now I'm sure you will all agree that when sinners commit their hearts to pursue certain ends, their sympathies, feelings, and dispositions become so corrupted that they are naturally led to live sinful and selfish lives.  And so, when a man is regenerated, it becomes almost second nature for him to do right: but still, literally, that man has not received a change of nature.

 

IV. THE NEED FOR THIS CHANGE. 

 

The need for this change is very strongly insisted on in our scripture.  When Christ told Nicodemus that he must be born again, he was greatly surprised, and Jesus said, "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'"  (John 3:7)  In other words "This is not a new doctrine, and as a doctor in Israel, you should know that it is not; no man should marvel at such a plain doctrine, especially you".

 

(1.) In considering the need for this change, please remember that unsaved mankind is selfish.  No one can practically deny this without being accused of being insane; and if anyone should proceed to do business on the assumption that nobody is selfish, you'd think that he ought to have his head examined.  The fact is, our society functions on the factual assumption that men are devoted to their own interests and don't really care about anybody else.  This is the most obvious fact in the world.  Now, how did people become so selfish?  Why, selfishness grows up with us from the time we are born.  As soon as our appetites and passions become sufficiently developed to where we can exercise them, we employ our will to seek to gratify those appetites and passions.  Our will becomes devoted self-gratification.

 

Now God is not selfish!  Do you agree?  God did not create us to be selfish.  Because of this, a selfish mind is not at rest within itself.  No man can be satisfied and happy as long as he is selfish.  No man can be at peace with himself as long as he is only pursuing his own selfish interest.  We have been so created that the mind of a selfish being cannot be happy. 

Now, suppose that the inhabitants of heaven were selfish, all their interests would be conflicting, and laws would be needed to keep them from encroaching on each other's rights, because their sympathies would often conflict.  The same difficulties would exist there as here, only to a much higher degree.  There would be striving, conflicts, and arguments; everyone would be at war with their neighbor. Now, a community like that can never possess heaven.  So in order to be saved, in order to be happy in heaven, men must really experience a radical change in the end for which they live: they must renounce self-interest, and they must recognize God's authority and interests as supreme, and they must love their brother as they do themselves.  They must establish a common interest, and have a common object of love.  Who does not believe that heaven is a place where there is complete unity and harmony, and where there is no selfishness, and where God's will is the universal law, and where the interest of one is the interest of all. 

 

Now it is easy to see that this would perfectly meet the demands of our being when we are regenerated.  Just look at this world of selfish beings.  With all the restraints of law; with ten thousand pulpits preaching against selfishness, with the press groaning with articles against selfishness,  with multitudes of Christians and many non-Christians protesting against selfishness, we still see the immense amount of selfishness that exists in the world in spite of all of this.  And now, when men are told that they must be born again, they laugh at it.  They don't understand it.  They have the same idea of it that Nicodemus had; they do not consider that unless there is a radical change of character, they cannot possess and enjoy heaven.  Put a selfish man into heaven, and what will he do there?  Why, he will ask if there is any way of making money, any way of taking advantage of his new situation! 

 

Therefore, heaven is no place for selfish beings.  But how can people get to heaven?  You tell them about this change of heart, and they don't deny that they may need some little changes, but they don't see the need for a radical change of their disposition and character.  But it is nevertheless a great truth, that unless people stop being selfish and become benevolent in their dispositions, there is no place for them in heaven; and, if the selfish man could get there, the holiness and benevolence of heaven would be intolerable for him.  His selfish nature would cry out against it, because God is not selfish, angels are not selfish, and the saints in glory are not selfish.  Now, let me ask you, dear listeners, are you selfish?  Have you always lived to please yourselves?  And if so, isn't it the most obvious thing in the universe that unless a change takes place in the end for which you live, you can never sympathize with the inhabitants of heaven? 

 

Suppose that it were possible for you, with a selfish heart, to join in the worship of heaven, to live among those that were not selfish, but perfectly benevolent; what fellowship would you have there? Would it be the delight of your heart to mingle your song with theirs?  Could you mingle in their joys, and find pleasure in their pursuits?  Never!  Your feelings don't lie in that direction; your minds are not there!  Your hearts are not there!  I suspect you'd have to be confined there, or you would jump over the walls around heaven, and run as fast as you can down to hell in order to get away from such holy and benevolent company.

 

I will now make a few remarks in closing.

 

(1.) First, you can see the infinite error those people have made who make religion harsh and difficult.  It is not difficult for someone to pursue something his heart is set on.  Yet, many professing Christians find it very hard to perform religious duties.  "I have no desire", they say, "to go to church, but I must not stay away.  I must not omit this duty."  And so, they do it.  But they find no relish, no satisfaction in it.  Why, friends, you have made a mistake!  You've tried to serve God without giving Him your heart!  You've tried to serve the Lord without consecrating yourselves to the great end for which you ought to live!  Just let your heart go first, and your life will follow without all this great trouble.  If your heart is right, you won't need to put a strong rein on yourselves to keep you from cheating your neighbor.  If your goal is to do him good, you will love him as you love yourself.

 

(2.) Individuals need to turn their minds to God, and begin a new life.  They need to retrace their steps and reverse their minds completely concerning the reason why they live.

 

(3.) Those people who call into question the need for the change that the Bible says is essential, are entirely unreasonable, for I believe that regeneration is as truly a doctrine of natural, as of revealed religion.  Men, by rejecting the Bible, shouldn't think that they can reject the doctrine of regeneration.  They must either deny the natural state of man, or they must deny that the inhabitants of heaven are holy, before they can reject the doctrine of regeneration.  Natural religion itself teaches that some great and radical change is needed; that is why man is so restless.  Don't we know that all the pains that men take to engross themselves with worldly objects indicates that they are uncomfortable with their moral character and conduct.  They even admit that they need a radical change in their character.  They can never rest where they are; and so the Bible represents them as like "the troubled sea, whose waters cast up mire and dirt".  (Isaiah 57:20)

 

(4.) Concerning regeneration, many people think that when God calls on them to become new creatures, they will wait for God to change their hearts.  They expect to have something done to them that acts like an electric shock, and so they wait, instead of immediately breaking away from their selfishness, and coming to Christ. 

 

(5.) How God's influence is communicated to us, this passage tells us, is very mysterious, but the influence is felt, even though it is not seen.  Every Christian knows that he has been born again.  The Christian knows that he was thinking of certain truths and yielded to their influence when the Spirit of God began to operate on his mind and reveal the truth to him.  He was so influenced, that his desires and disposition were changed, and he gave himself up completely to God.

 

(6.) Where the truth is understood, we have no reason to wait for anything.  God requires us to act now: "Turn!  Turn!  Why will you die?"  Now as long as we are waiting for something else, we overlook the fact that God is doing the very thing that we need.

 

(7.) It is important to remember that our mind is highly active in regeneration.  Our mind must be active in regeneration or it cannot act virtuously.  After regeneration, our mind acts more intelligently than it ever did before; and indeed, this may be true because the act of regeneration was the first truly rational of all its acts.  The soul now comes to act in view of God's truth, and in harmony with God's will, interests, and authority.  Should this regeneration, then, be called fanaticism, mysticism; and branded as something unintelligible?  I trust that you will say, No!  I will not keep you here longer than to ask you if there are those in this house tonight, who have never been born again, but who see the need for it?  I ask you, do you see that what you need to do is stop living for the end that you are living for, and to live from now on for God's glory and to recognize His authority, and set your heart on Him?  You must not hope for salvation through any works of your own, but when God draws you, as He is doing now, say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant hears".  (I Sam 3:10)  Please answer the invitations of God as Paul answered, "Lord, what will You have me to do?"  (Acts 9:6)  Recognize Christ's authority, and whatever Christ tells you to do, you will do.  Now, why not decide to come to God right now?  There may never be a better time!  Why not renounce self now, and make a new heart and a new spirit?  Do you ask, "Can I do that"?  Yes, you certainly can!  Suppose Adam and Eve had asked, "Can we make ourselves new hearts"?  Why, God might have said, "Didn't you just make yourself a new heart?  Just a few minutes ago, you had holy hearts that were consecrated to me, and you have willfully withdrawn your allegiance from me; and have you not, by that act, just created wicked hearts for yourselves?  You did this all by yourself, and all I require you to do is undo what you have just done. 

 

Please, if you will consecrate yourselves to God right now, God will not condemn you for not being regenerated.  If you make up your minds to renounce all your self-interests as your purpose in life, and freely devote your powers to God, you are safe, you are in a state of regeneration, or call it by what name you will.  Remember I am not denying that God has something to do with your regeneration and salvation.  God draws you, and your duty is, when He draws, to say, "Yes, Lord, I will take Your precious, easy yoke, and I will do Your will.  I will do it, Lord, and I will do it now; I do it once for all and forever.  Your will shall be my everlasting and universal law.  Amen."