Redemptive Works of Grace:
Instantaneous and Progressive
Dr. W. Noble King
All Rights Reserved
1.
Regeneration. As a result of the free gift of original righteousness
man finds himself in confrontation with the Triune Godhead, and must obey
or disobey, yield to or reject the overtures of redemption. His freedom,
to the extent of determining his own spiritual status in time and in eternity
has been restored.
Repentance does not refer
to a change and a confession because one has been caught. Repentance
follows conviction, and is a sorrowful change away from sin. Things
are confessed and turned away from that never would have been known.
There is also a desire to undo the wrong. This is Bible repentance
(II Cor. 7:9--11). The three Bible classics on repentance are Adam
and Eve in Gen. 3:7--16; the Ninevites in Jonah 3:4--10; the prodigal son
in Luke 15:11--24.
Conversion generally refers
to the turning of the heart from sin to God. However, when one turns
in repentance then God turns him in heart: "...turn thou me and I shall
be turned" (Jer. 31:18c). This turning of the heart by God, and the
turned life are conversion (Ps. 51:10b; Ezek. 18:21a, 23b, 30--32; Acts
11:21; 26:20; Luke 1:16; James 5:20; and Jer. 31:18).
The new birth refers to that
aspect of regeneration by which we cease to be children of wrath or of
the devil, and become children of God by grace. It is a resurrection
from death, and a birth into the kingdom of grace (palingenesia: Matt.
19:28, and Titus 3:5). A new beginning in a new family. A different
word is used in John 3:7ff., but it means about the same.
Regeneration comes from the
same root word as the new birth. Indeed the word may be translated
either way. It therefore means a re-birth, a re-beginning, and re-generation.
See John 3:3; II Cor. 5:17; I John 3:14; Romans 8:29; Col. 1:13; Eph. 4:24.
It is marked by victory over the world (I John 5:4), dominion over sin
(I John 3:8, 9), love of the saints (I John 3:14; and 5:7, 8), and the
practice of ethical righteousness (I John 2:29; 3:7).
Faith is believing God from
the heart and acting like it. We surrender to God, confess to God
and man as the cases may be, turn from known wrong in practice and in attitude.
We then believe God for salvation. That is, we appropriate by faith
the merits of the death of Jesus the Christ for our spirit needs on the
grounds laid down by the Christ. Anything short of this and we have
merely presumption. Faith embraces three things:
The assent of the understanding
to the truths of the gospel especially as it relates to the death of Jesus
as a sacrifice for sin.
The consent of the will and
of the affections to the plan of salvation and the renunciation of every
other spiritual refuge.
The soul’s complete trust
in the Savior, and the personal appropriation of the redemptive merits
of his death.
Justification is "an act
of God’s free grace, where in he pardons all of our sins, and accepts us
as righteous in his sight", but only for the sake of, and because of the
sacrifice of the Christ. It is the judicial act of a judge, by which
he absolves one from the spiritual results of all of his sins. As
Wesley said, "It is that act of God the Father, whereby, for the sake of
the propitiation made by the blood of his Son, he showeth forth his mercy
by the remission of sins that are past." As quoted by Field, p. 197.
Adoption "is the act of God,
by which, as our heavenly Father, he graciously receives believers in Christ
into his family and vests them with all the privileges of sons; so that
they, who were alienated and disinherited by sin, are restored to his favor,
and to the title of their eternal inheritance. They thus become heirs
of God and joint heirs with Christ" (Locke, p. 273). See Romans 8:15;
Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5.
The witness of the Spirit.
By prevenient provision the Spirit measurably returned in providential
care, and convicts, and points to the Christ, and witnesses to the impartation
of spiritual life to the soul from above. By him we know that we
have met conditions laid down by God for salvation, and that our acts of
saving faith have been honored. Wesley expressed the matter very
ably in the following quote:
By the testimony of the Spirit,
I mean an inward impression on the soul, whereby the Spirit of God immediately
and directly witnesses to my spirit that I am a child of God, that Jesus
Christ hath loved me and given himself for me, that all my sins are blotted
out, and I, even I, am reconciled to God (As quoted by Field, 210).
We could possibly also quote
from Dr. Hannah as follows:
The witness of the Holy Spirit
is that which directly ascertains to us the blessing of our acceptance
with God, and which, impressing on our hearts a sense of his paternal love
towards us in Jesus Christ, creates within us that great element and principle
of the new nature--love to him in return (Also quoted by Field, p. 210).
See Romans 8:15, 16; Gal.
4:6; I Cor. 2:12; I John 4:13. Indeed at times we may be so conscious
of this presence that we feel like stepping over to make room for him to
walk by our sides. If such a consciousness were constant there would
be no need for faith. Hence at other times we may be with Job--only
knew that he walked according to his last directions, that the Spirit was
pointing to no specifically wrong thing, and that he had no heart condemnation
(separated from the consciousness that he was an erring being with a fallen
human nature).
The witness is direct and
immediate: there are no symbols used.
This is proved by the meaning
of the word employed: "The Spirit beareth witness". Spirit with spirit.
It is proved by the content
of the testimony: the forgiveness of sins, and adoption into the family
of God.
Nothing but this can make
our consciousness of salvation coeval with the fact of our adoption.
Otherwise we might be saved and not know it; or unsaved and think we are
saved.
It is an accomplished fact
with the witness; thus his Spirit witness first to our spirits. Job
had it right when he refused to believe otherwise until God’s Spirit witnessed
otherwise.
References:
Wiley, II, 357, 322, 364,
367, 382, 403, 428, 431, etc.
Pope, II, 358--414.
Field, 193--223.
Locke, 231--291.
Wakefield, 403--447.
Miley, II, 309--350.
Banks, 163--182.
Binney, 119--128.
Ralston, 325--439.
Watson, II, 243ff.
2.
Entire sanctification. In regeneration one is forgiven back to the
innocency of childhood, born again, and adopted into the spiritual family
of God. The carnal nature, however, with which he was born, remains
in his heart. This heart state is natural to him as a member of a
fallen race (Eph. 3:2). This carnal nature affects the total man--a
fungus generated in the soul of Adam as the result of an act of disobedience.
It is now genetically passed on from generation to generation.
This carnal entity or thing
in itself has attributes and acts in its own right. Paul says, "Now
the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations,
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings,
and such like" (Gal. 5:19--21a). The terms used with regard to its
possible removal declare it a thing in itself or an entity: wash--dirt
is removed; cleanse--something undesired must be removed; prune, circumcise,
remove this body of death--these all call for a form of amputation.
Wakefield points out that the figure of speech cannot be more real or surpass
that which is symbolized or prefigured (Christian Theology, 642).
This carnal disease is referred
to as the flesh (Tape). There is no difference in the word for flesh
as such, and the fleshly carnal nature; but the setting always determines
which is meant:
All flesh of both man or
beast, etc. (Gen. 6:17).
All flesh of animals alone
(Gen. 7:15).
The flesh of human beings
along (Gen. 2:21; I Tim. 3:16).
The living animal organism
(Gen. 9:17).
To blood relatives (Gen.
37:27; Romans 11:14).
To persons (Romans 3:20).
The faculty of comprehension
(Romans 6:19).
Believing human nature (Joel
2:28).
Rational intelligence (Ezekiel
21:5; Gal. 1:16).
Fallen human nature (Gen.
6:12; Gal. 2:16).
Carnal human nature (Romans
7:18; Gal. 5:17, 19, 24; 6:8; Phil. 1:22).
To human descent (Romans
1:3).
To the gripping power of
the carnal nature (Romans 7:5, 17, 25).
To the carnal nature itself
as opposed to the new spiritual nature received in regeneration (Romans
8:4--13). They were in the flesh physically, but not in possession
of the moral disease called flesh.
Things that entire
sanctification does not do for us in this life:
Make us perfect in all attributes
as God is perfect.
Endow us with Adamic perfection.
That is, Paradisiacal perfection--perfection as Adam enjoyed it before
the fall.
Endow us with angelic perfection.
Angels are bodiless spirits, and are living in a perfect and spiritual
order.
Vest us with resurrected
and glorified perfection as Moses and Elijah were when they appeared on
the mount of transfiguration.
Bring about the cessation
of spiritual warfare. In many respects spiritual warfare is intensified,
as the best trained and best equipped soldiers are given the hardest battles
to fight.
Does not deliver us from
physical infirmities. Those infirmities are due to the fall racially,
and are neither good nor bad in themselves.
Does not bring about the
cessation of wandering thoughts while praying or reading the Bible, etc.
A perfect heart is one thing, and a perfect mind is quite another thing.
Does not deliver us from
scary, unpleasant, and improper dreams. Such, I think, would be modified
a little. Daniel Steele deals with this matter very ably in Love
Enthroned, pp. 87f.
Does not remove possible
agitation at expected bad news, or the fear of bad news, or sudden fear
in great danger--storms.
It is not a state of constant
ecstacy and joy. This is not possible in a world of sorrow and death
and loss. Neither is it desirable for that matter.
It is not the removal of
the possibility of further sinning. This is neither implied nor stated
in the Bible.
It does not enable us to
serve God perfectly as Adam did before the fall. We serve him with
perfect intention from a pure heart, but not with perfect performance with
a perfect mind.
It does not deliver us from
physical death, nor yet from the pains and ills relative to the life-long
approach of death.
Certain differences
between the two works of grace:
In regeneration the rebel
against God surrenders unconditionally, ceases from his sins, makes his
past right to the best of his knowledge and ability. In entire sanctification
the regenerated child of God consecrates his all--past, present, and future;
the known and the unknown to the will of God.
In regeneration one is made
spiritually alive, or born of the Spirit. He is saved back to the
innocency of childhood. All the graces of the Spirit that he necessarily
ever will have, are received in the act of regeneration. The carnal
opposites of those spiritual graces remain in his heart however.
In the act of entire sanctification those carnal opposites are all cleansed
away. This cleansing is accompanied by a corresponding Spirit anointing.
This cleansing and anointing are the two aspects of the baptism with the
Spirit.
Regeneration is a perfect
half: it is a total work in its own field. Entire sanctification
is also a perfect half, and is a total work in its own field. Two
perfect halves make a perfect whole with regard to sin--committed and inherited.
The first we call partial or initial sanctification, and the second we
call entire sanctification. The time element between the two works
of grace is determined largely by the person himself, his environment,
and light. Both are finally by an act of faith in appropriating the
merits of the cross of the Christ.
There are but two works
of grace dealing with sin:
Peter, in his first sermon
after the Pentecost presented two works of grace: "Then said Peter unto
them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost"
(Acts 2:38). Here we have repentance for forgiveness, and the baptism
with the Spirit.
Then, with regard to the
home of Cornelius, Peter restated his position and explained it.
The baptism with the Spirit there cleansed their hearts, as Peter said
that it also did theirs at Pentecost. Hence we have repentance and
forgiveness; cleansing of the heart and the baptism with the Spirit: "And
God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy
Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them,
purifying their hearts by faith" (Acts 15:8, 9). The needs were the
same, the works were the same, the results were the same (Acts 11:15, 17,
18; 10:44).
Then in Paul’s great God-given
commission to the gentile world we have the two works of grace set forth:
"...that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them
which are sanctified by faith that is in me" (Acts 26:18bc). This
is in harmony with all of his epistles except Philemon.
Those two works of
grace are both attainable in this life:
We find no statement in the
Bible stating that we cannot be cleansed from all sin while in life and
health. Not one passage even hints that entire sanctification must
be postponed to the end of life. A present experience is always inferred.
Nowhere are we taught that
the soul’s connection with the body is a necessary obstacle to its entire
sanctification. Indeed, the body, with all of its powers, is to be
sanctified to God (Rom. 6:13; I Cor. 6:19, 20; II Cor. 4:10, 11; I Thess.
5:23; Heb. 10:22).
It is the blood of the Christ,
and not physical death (the last enemy) that cleanseth from all sin (I
John 1:7; Rev. 1:5). And that blood cleanseth now--on conditions
laid down by God.
The Bible connects our entire
sanctification, with subsequent holy acts performed in the body of this
life. That is, we are made holy in heart, we then act holy in conduct,
and then we die physically (Rom. 6:6, 19, 22; II Cor. 7:1; I Thess. 5:23).
The Bible also requires us
to bring forth the graces and the virtues of a sanctified or holy life
on this earth (Gal. 5:22--25). Now is the accepted time for salvation,
and now is the accepted time for entire sanctification also (Luke 1:74,
75).
God commands us to be sanctified
wholly. Why should God command the impossible? A flying-goal
that can be approximated would be great discouragement (Deut. 6:5; Luke
10:27; Matt. 5:48; Romans 6:11; II Cor. 7:1; Heb. 6:1; Heb. 12:14; James
1:4; I Peter 1:15, 16).
God promises to sanctify
us wholly in this life. Now if we cannot be, God’s promises must
fail; but God cannot lie (Deut. 30:6; Ezek. 36:25--29; Matt. 5:6; I Thess.
5:23, 24; I John 1:7--9).
Christ himself, and holy
and inspired men prayed for it for the Church. If it is not attainable
then the Holy Ghost deluded those men, or else they claimed inspiration
when they were not so inspired (John 17:20--23; Eph. 3:14--21; Col. 4:12;
I Thess. 5:23; Heb. 13:20, 21; I Peter 5:10).
The Bible points to entire
sanctification as the great object of all of God’s dealings with men.
It is the object of Christ’s mediatorial work (Luke 1:68--75; I John 3:8;
Eph. 5:25--27; Titus 2:14). It is the purpose of the Christian ministry
(Eph. 4:11--13; Col. 1:28). It is the promise of the gospel (II Peter
1:4).
It is proved by the fact
that the Bible gives us examples of those who did realize it in this life
before death. Holiness theologians refer to the Old and New Testaments
without discrimination in this matter. The only difference is in
ethics, as their ethical light was much dimmer in the Old: Enoch (Gen.
5:24). Noah (Gen. 6:9), Job (Job 1:1, 8, 22; 2:3; 42:7, 8), Abraham
(Gen. 17:1), Asa (I Kings 15:14), the disciples (Acts 15:8, 9), Barnabus
(Acts 11:24), St. John (I John 4:17), St. Paul (Phil. 3:15), and inspired
Old Testament writers were said to be holy (II Peter 1:21) (Field, pp.
231, 232).
The variable biblical
causes of our entire sanctification:
The First Cause is the holy
Father: "To them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in
Jesus Christ, and called" (Jude 1).
The Procuring Cause is the
holy Son: "Husbands love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church, and
gave himself for it; that he might sanctify, and cleanse it" (Eph. 5:26).
The Efficient Cause is the
Holy Spirit: "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through
sanctification of the Spirit" (I Peter 1:2).
The Determining Cause is
the divine will: "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering
of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb. 10:10).
The Meritorious Cause is
the sacrifice of Jesus: "Wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the
people with his own blood suffered without the gate" (Heb. 13:12).
The Instrumental Cause is
the truth of God: "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth"
(John 17:17).
The Conditional Cause is
faith in Christ: "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to
light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness
of sin, and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is
in me" (Acts 26:18).
3.
Progressive sanctification. The Greek equivalent of the term sanctification
is __________. The Latin breakdown of the word is sanctus: pure,
holy, righteous; facio: to make, --to make pure, holy or righteous.
Thus our word sanctification, meaning to make one pure, holy, or righteous
in heart. When man does it, it is gradual or progressive; when God
does it, as in regeneration or heart cleansing, it is instantaneous.
Most dictionaries give sanctification a fourfold meaning: (1) to separate;
(2) to dedicate; (3) to consecrate; (4) to make pure in heart. The
first two meanings are related to the work of regeneration; the second
two meanings belong to the entire sanctification of the heart.
Partial and entire sanctification.
In common Wesleyan usage progressive sanctification merely means that sanctification
should progress from the partial cleansing in regeneration, to the entire
experience in heart purity. Those two stages are both instantaneous
and complete in their respective fields. Thus entire sanctification
is achieved in two steps with regard to the sin problem. The word
sanctification, however, is used in a broader sense than this, and is so
interpreted by Methodist holiness theologians.
All great Bible truths are
foreshadowed or illustrated by types or symbols or figures. For example
we have the "Sun of righteousness", "the day Star", "the Lily of the valley",
"the Lion of the tribe of Judah", "the Lamb of God". Those symbols
would not exist as symbols at all if they did not point to something far
greater than themselves, and concretely stated elsewhere. Thus the
term sanctification is also used in a lower or symbolic field to illustrate
a higher and more important field concretely stated elsewhere. Symbols
are not ends in themselves.
(1) Certain days, and times,
and seasons or occasions were said to be sanctified: "And God blessed the
seventh day and sanctified it" (Gen. 2:3); the day of deliverance from
Egypt became the Hebrew Sabbath, and was to be sanctified and observed
as an holy day (Deut. 5:12; Exod. 12:17). Their seven special feasts--especially
the three important ones--were said to be sanctified, as well as their
new year (Exod. 12:2--14).
(2) The outer and inner curtains,
the enclosures, the tabernacle itself, the altars, and the instruments
connected therewith were also said to be sanctified in that they were separated
from common usage and dedicated to sacred usage (II Chr. 29:19; Exod. 29:44;
40:10, 11; II Chr. 7:16).
(3) Human beings were also
sanctified with regard to office. This type of sanctification is
generally stated, but always inferred. It did not carry with it personal
salvation, nor yet did it guarantee the continuation of personal salvation:
Adam was sanctified to found the human race; Noah was sanctified to continue
the human race; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve patriarchs were sanctified
to found a new Nation. Cyrus was also sanctified to deliver Israel
from Babylonian and Assyrian captivity. Aaron and his sons were sanctified
to the office of the priesthood, and the levites to the levitical office.
The Hebrew prophets and the Hebrew kings were also sanctified to those
offices. It was in this sense that Jeremiah and John the Baptist
were said to have been sanctified at or before birth (Jer. 1:5; Luke 1:15).
This type of sanctification did not necessarily carry with it personal
salvation, nor yet did it guarantee continuance in a state of salvation,
nor guarantee against final apostasy. They were separated from a
something, and dedicated to a something (Exod. 19:14; 28:14; II Chr. 7:16,
20; Lev. 8:10, 15, 30).
(4) Human beings also sanctified
themselves, and sanctified others, or were sanctified by the influence
of others whether intentionally or unintentionally. The people are
said to have sanctified themselves in Lev. 11:44. We read: "For I
am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, ..." (Lev.
11:44--45). The people were sanctified by their leaders: "And the
Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow,
..." (Exod. 19:10). Members of a family were sanctified by members
of the same family: "For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife,
and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children
unclean; but now they are holy" (I Cor. 7:14).
(5) This ceremonial, official,
national, and political sanctification also carried with it the idea of
cleansing whether in or out of the human field: At one time the temple
had fallen into disuse, and had to be cleansed. All the dirt and
rubble were taken out, and dumped at the brook Kendron and destroyed.
It took eight days to thus cleanse or sanctify it (II Chr. 29:15, 16).
In their self-sanctification, or in their sanctification by other people,
they washed at least their faces, hands, feet, and clothes. This
washing was for the purpose of the removal of dirt. But dirt is a
type of the carnal nature, and water is a type of the Holy Spirit.
Thus when sanctification refers to the ethical or moral area, moral or
spiritual cleansing is taught as the necessary heart state to meet God
(Exod. 19:10, 11).
(6) There was, however, a
double cleansing, and sprinkling, and anointing for people, priests, and
kings. The first cleansing was partial, and the first sprinkling
with blood and anointing with oil were limited. The second cleansing
and anointing were complete. The whole body was washed with water;
the physical organs representing the whole body--right ear, right thumb,
right toe--were sprinkled and anointed (Lev. 14:7, 8, 14, 9--18; Lev. 13:6,
34, 58; also Num. 19:7; Lev. 15:8, 11; 17:16. For single cleansing
only see Exod. 30:19, 20, 21; 40:31; Lev. 14:7--9; Exod. 29:4).
Kings were also anointed
on being selected, and then on being crowned (I Sam. 15:1, 17). Priests
were specially anointed on taking office also (Exod. 28:41; 40:13--15;
Heb. 10:22). We should probably observe the following scriptures
on this whole matter: Exod. 28:41; 30:30; Lev. 8:12; Exod. 29:35; 30:26;
Lev. 8:10, 11; Exod. 40:8--12; Num. 7:1; 19:4; Exod. 40:13; Lev. 7:35,
36).
Thus we have a double washing
with water, a double sprinkling with blood, and a double anointing
with oil. The second washing and sprinkling and anointing was always
more profuse than the first. The time between the two differed according
to circumstances. Hence we have two works of grace taught side by
side throughout the redemptive economy in both symbol and fact. With
regard to this matter, at this point we would also refer to David’s prayer
for a double washing or cleansing (Psalm 51:2, 7, 10, 12); and to Naaman’s
perfect number of dips (II Kings 5:13ff.); and to Jeremiah’s reference
to the second washing (Jer. 4:14).
Now, the part that the convicted
sinner plays in meeting God’s requirements for him in repentance, and confession,
etc. is a self-sanctification, and is progressive. Then the gradual
consecration and death to self between the two works of grace, on the part
of the regenerate who are walking in the light, are progressive; then growth
in grace, and conformity to the character of the Christ, after the cleansing
of the heart, are also progressive. The two works of grace themselves--regeneration,
and entire sanctification--are instantaneous: thus sanctification is both
progressive and instantaneous.
References:
Wiley, II, pp. 479--517.
Pope, III, pp. 35--44.
Banks, pp. 185--187.
Miley, II, pp. 354--383.
Field, pp. 224--241.
Ralston, pp. 457--472.
1.
Granting a free rational omnipotent God, revealed as Father, Son, and Spirit
who created all, including the rational creature man, it then becomes reasonable
to think that both Creator and creature would wish to meet and communicate.
This they did by means of revelation. Illumination refers to the
operations of the Holy Spirit, directly and indirectly, on our minds so
that we shall be able to understand, in part at least, the given.
Inspiration refers to the giving of the message to men, and then the enablement
of those men to impart that message, so given, to their fellows.
Revelation would refer to all truths given by God to man, other than, possibly,
those truths which man is capable of discovering for himself at the time.
2. The sources of revelation:
general, and special or written. General would include every manifestation
of God by means of physical nature, providential government, or the constitution
of the human mind. Special would refer to the written, and would
also embrace the works, and words, and Person of the Christ. Man
belongs to two orders by constitution: with regard to his physical nature,
and physical animation or soul he belongs to nature; with regard to his
immortal spirit he belongs to the spiritual order--both could be sources
of reception of revelation of God.
(1) Physical nature would
have been the first revelation of God of which man would have been conscious.
It would call for a certain kind of Creator. Nature objects are used
to typify the Persons in the Godhead, etc.--the sun, moon, morning star,
rose, lily, rock (Psalm 19:1, 2; Romans 1:19, 20; Gen. 1:1--2:18).
Until nature was cursed by the fall, and until the understanding of man
was darkened by sin Nature was a good general revelation of God.
Apparently sin veiled the presence of God in nature from man, as disobedience
veiled the glory of the law, and the glory of the face of Moses from the
Hebrews (Gen. 3:17, 18; Exod. 34:33; II Cor. 3:13--16).
(2) Experientially, at least,
man is a three-fold being--body, soul, and spirit. Body and bodily
animation or soul with their attributes and intuitions are of nature ,
and God speaks to man through them as he speaks to man through physical
nature. But man is also a rational spirit, and as such, belongs to
the spiritual order. Thus God spoke directly either orally or innately
to the spirit of man in Eden before the fall, and before nature was veiled
(Gen. 2:16, 17). However, man as a rational self is one; but the
approach to that self-hood may be either physically or spiritually.
(3) Even before the fall
of man nature was not capable of getting through to man on all levels.
For instance the prohibition against eating of the fruit of a certain tree
was not revealed by nature, but by word of mouth to man. At least
God spoke directly to his spiritual self-hood, and he innately knew (Gen.
2:17, 18). Also after the fall he spoke to them most minutely (Gen.
3:9--19). Then later he spoke to chosen representatives, and Noah,
and the Patriarchs before the law was given.
(4) He then gave mankind
the written word, probably starting with Moses, and coming on down to Malachi
in the Old Testament. Then finally the New Testament. During
this time people had both sources--the written as it was being written,
and the spoken during the time of the writing of it.
(5) Then that written revelation
prophesied of and finally told us of the Logos. The Logos of course
is revealed in nature, and in and to the intuitional consciousness of man;
but more particularly is he revealed in what we call the written word.
He is our highest source; but we have to go to the Bible to learn of him.
There are various theories of revelation with which we shall now deal:
Natural inspiration.
Inspiration is identified with genius of a high order. Shakespeare
and all such would be inspired in this view.
Universal Christian Inspiration.
Wherever there are Christians there is inspiration--great Christians great
inspiration, lesser Christians lesser inspiration. Inspiration is
not confined to any day or age.
Conceptual or thought inspiration.
Only the thoughts or the concepts were given by inspiration. The
writers supplied the rest themselves.
Partial inspiration.
This theory holds that the Bible contains the word of God. The problem
then is what is the word of God, and what is the word of man? Man
must himself decide; so man is our highest authority. Modernism likes
this view.
Organic inspiration.
The Holy Spirit acted on the writers in harmony with the laws of their
own inner beings. He used them just as they were, and recognized
their characters, temperaments, gifts, education, vocabulary and style.
They were also guided in the expression of their thoughts.
Dynamic inspiration.
Only the writers themselves are affected, and not their writings directly.
Their mental and spiritual grasps were raised to a high level. Their
writings were only indirectly affected. This theory differs but little
from the illumination theory or all Christians.
Mechanical inspiration.
In a sense God gave the very words and guided the hand of the writer, as
though the writer were as passive as a pen. The minds of the writers
contributed to nothing. This theory gives too much and ignores too
much.
Verbal inspiration.
The very words of Scriptures were given, but possibly given from the writer’s
apperceptive mass. Thus their minds and personalities were not set
aside. This theory differs somewhat from the mechanical theory.
Plenary inspiration.
Every part of the Bible, and the Bible itself is inspired in its totality.
The writers could use dreams, visions, events, pages from history, conversations,
essays and sermons, and work them into his message. In its finality
God approved his material and his language--for that matter to the very
words. In its finality it is as accurate as though it were verbally
given; indeed that can be one of the methods by which the writer obtained
his message and terminology. The whole is inspired, and the writer
has the witness of the Spirit that it is.
We do not like natural inspiration;
universal Christian inspiration; partial inspiration; mechanical inspiration;
and dynamic inspiration.
We like in part only, conceptual
inspiration; organic inspiration; and verbal inspiration.
We like best of all plenary
inspiration, as it seems to fit the total picture better, and makes a place
for the human equation in the divine impartation.
We cannot go with the theory
of the Neo-Orthodox group which holds that events in history coming in
contact with the intuitional nature of man produces a result and that result
is revelation. When it is written down, it is ruined. Inspiration
becomes a humanistic mysticism, and the results on the individual is revelation.
References:
Wiley and Culbertson, pp.
51, 52.
Evans, pp. 193--209.
Berkhof, pp. 18--23.
Binney and Steele, pp. 21,
22.
Field, pp. 53--81.
Sell, pp. 120--127. |