The "Reformed" Paradigm?

There is an old view on "regeneration" that has been regularly held to by a minority of Calvinistic Particular Baptists. I have called it, in my previous chapters in my ongoing book - "The Hardshell Baptist Cult" - the "Three Stage Model of the New Birth" or the "Beebe-Trott Model."

I dealt with this view in chapter 52 and I will cite some from that chapter in this posting. But, I also want to add commentary and information to it, believing it is pertinent now with some commentary going on in a few Calvinistic Baptist blogs.

Let me first begin with citations from chapter 52.

"The First Hardshell Birth Model" (by Stephen Garrett)

1. "Regeneration" was without means, by "direct speaking," while "conversion" was often by use of means.

2. "Regeneration" was the initial "implanting" of the "seed" or "principle of life," and "conviction" represented the state of a newly "begotten" soul in the "womb" of darkness, longing to be freed and delivered from the "womb," to see the light, and finally, the actual "delivery" or "birth" of the soul represented "evangelic conversion."

3. The "new birth" had three distinct stages to it. The first stage is "regeneration," the second stage is "conviction of sin," and the final stage is "conversion."

This was the first position taken by the leaders in the "Hardshell Baptists." It had two legs.

I. It did not totally separate means in the "new birth." It did eliminate means in "regeneration," thus "bending the tree" in a direction that would guarantee future change.

II. It included a belief in the new idea that Jesus speaks words directly to the sinner in "regeneration" and "quickening."

The Beebe-Trott "Birth Process"

Elder Gilbert Beebe said - "Regeneration, as we understand it, like generation, involves the begetting, conception and birth, of that which is generated..."

(Here he gives a "broad definition" to the term "regeneration" and has this formula: begetting+conception+birth = regeneration)

This model is closer to Scripture. Yet, it is still wrong. It is a "compromise position." It still makes conversion and gospel preaching a necessary means in the eternal salvation of the elect, in their "rebirth," though not in their initial "regeneration."

It is also in accord with the first Old Baptist "articles of faith," for it espouses the view that "all the elect will be regenerated (and then convicted) and converted."

In preaching the "three stages view" of the "new birth," the first Hardshells could be said to believe yet this article of the primitive faith. They were also fairly innoculated against the charge that they were entirely against means in the "new birth," though yet affirming that there were no means in "regeneration" and in "quickening."

As I said, it was a "compromise position," and one we would expect to find, as historians, to "fill the gap" in the movement's history, from the first "rise of the Hardshells" to their present day condition. There has been a clear change or evolution in doctrine, respecting the new birth, conversion, perseverance, and on predestination that has "come on the heels" of the first grand division.

This model makes "conception" to equal the "planting" of "seed" (first stage). In this stage, the person is "regenerated" or "quickened" (the first Hardshells generally saw the terms "regenerated" and "quickened" as synonymns). This model also makes the experience of "conviction" as a post-regenerative experience, correlating to the time the "generated" person is in the womb, in that place of darkness and imprisonment.

In chapter 50 I cited various "experiences of grace" as given by many leading Hardshells, many veritable "founding fathers," in which they all spoke of experiencing the law's convicting sentence, coming to the foot, experimentally, of Mount Sinai. Under the experience of Elder R. A. Biggs, the writer says:

"God, never brings one in this condition without also taking him from it, and so his feet were taken from the mire of sin, his goings established, a new song put in his mouth even praises to God. Jesus was revealed to him..."

This writer (mid to late 1800's) apparently was still a believer in the "Beebe-Trott Model" of the "new birth." I have not yet found a source, in the early to mid 1800's, that has demonstrated that any Hardshell founding father disagreed with this model.

Consider also that this view was the one constantly put forth and defended in the only paper (excet perhaps the old "Primitive Baptist" magazine put out from Raleigh, N.C. in the 1830's, possibly 1840's, and not to be confused with the other "Primitive Baptist" magazine later began in the late 1800's by Elder S. F. Cayce; but, more on this later) the first Hardshells had as a "means" of promulgating their many "anti isms." I hope I can later pinpoint the exact time when the "Beebe-Trott" model of the "new birth" was discarded, along with the belief that "conversion" was necessary for eternal salvation and a part of the "new birth."

No "Conditionalist" Hardshell today will accept the view that all the elect will be brought out of conviction of sin to a conversion experience through the gospel, whereby they are, as Trott said, "made spiritual," and "born again," where they first come to have faith in Christ Jesus. It is thus obvious that the first Hardshells were not of the faith and variety of their modern day fifth generation Hardshells.

I tend to agree with the first Hardshell forefathers, in this regard: anyone who truly experiences conviction with deep repentance, will be brought to a view of the Savior and made to embrace him as such. But, I have all through this work contended, and personally to my dad also, that it is I who am more "Primitive" and "Original" in my views than are today's professing "Primitives"! I suppose that is why none want to come forth today, as Potter and Daily, and debate the old question, "Who Are The Primitive Baptists"?

Notice God's interrogative by Isaiah:

"Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God." (Isaiah 66: 9)

On this verse, wrote John Gill:

"Ver. 9. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth, saith the Lord?.... Or, "to the place of breaking" forth of children, as in Ho 13:13, the womb, and the mouth of it: or, "shall I break or open" that, so some {s} render it; lest too much should or seem to be attributed to the Church, she being said to travail in birth, and bring forth children, this is said by the Lord. The church may pray, and her ministers preach, and both be said to travail in birth, but it is the Lord that brings to it; regeneration is not the work of man, but of God; it is he that beget, again, quickens, renews, and sanctifies; it is he that begins the work of grace in regeneration, in real and thorough convictions of sin; which are right when men are convinced of the impurity of their nature, the exceeding sinfulness of sin, have a godly sorrow for it, and forsake it: the work is begun when souls feel the burden of sin; the inward struggling, of grace and corruption; a want of spiritual food, and hunger after it; desires after spiritual things, and a glowing love and affection for them; and when light is infused, faith, fear, and love produced, and every other grace implanted; and he that has begun the good work will perform it; as Jarchi rightly gives the sense of the clause,"shall I begin a thing, and not be able to finish it?'' no, he is a rock, and his work is perfect, as in creation and redemption, so in regeneration and conversion; as may be concluded, from his power to effect it, and his promise to do it; the grace of Christ, and the indwelling of the Spirit; the impotency of everything to hinder it, and the glory of the three divine Persons concerned in it. As in the natural birth it is he that gives strength to conceive, forms the embryo in the womb, ripens it for the birth, and takes the child out of its mother's womb; so he does all that answers hereunto in the spiritual birth. Shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb, saith thy God? no, I will not. As God has regenerated many souls in the first times of the Gospel, and many more since, in various nations, in each of the ages and periods of time; so he has not ceased, nor will he cease from this work, until all his elect are born again; for everyone that is chosen of the Father, given to the Son, taken into covenant, and redeemed by his blood, shall be begotten again to a lively hope of a glorious inheritance; God will not shut the womb of conversion until they are all brought to faith in Christ, and repentance towards God. He will beget many more sons and daughters; and he will cause the fulness of the Gentiles to be brought forth and brought in, and convert his ancient people the Jews; all his promises shall be performed, and all prophecies relating to these things shall be accomplished." (Commentary)

It seems to me that Beebe and Trott, and the first Hardshells, held this view. If the Hardshells want to go back to this "model," they will be a whole lot closer to the truth of the Bible on this topic and more "Primitive."

Since I wrote that chapter many months ago, I have also discovered other leading first generation Hardshells who espoused this view. Elder William Conrad, of Kentucky, held this view. He was widely fellowshipped by all the leading first generation Hardshells and we can therefore conclude that this "three stage model" of the "new birth" was prevalent and the common view. It seems to be the only one that could hold the various "anti-mission" factions together.

It seems that John Gill did not have any trouble accepting this view, although he does not seem to promote anywhere other than in this citation (at least that I am aware of).

I have since discovered that Samuel Richardson, a signer of the First London Confession of 1644 also believed this. Notice these citations from him.

"Also consider if thou canst, whether if thou be a babe in the womb, or borne, Heb. 5. 13. He is a babe, as a child is begotten and (Page 71) alive while it is in the womb, before it is borne; so thou may be begotten from above, and alive, before thou canst be borne. Christ must first be formed in us, before we can be new borne babes, Gal. 4. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 2. And when thou art delivered out of the state of bondage, which is a place of darkness, of fears concerning thy soul, thou art not borne and brought forth; and as the womb is a place of bondage, so here; and therefore canst not do that service others do: if thou be but new borne, there cannot that be expected from thee, as there is from a man in Christ; as there is a difference between a child and a man in nature, so there is here; learn to distinguish between the grace it self, and the exercise of it; it's not the having of grace, but the exercise of it, which attains to a holy conversation, by the operation of the Spirit; and when a soul is delivered from its enemies, as Satan, terrors, wrath, curse, it's borne, being delivered we serve, Luk. 1. 47. Deliverance is before working: the time of doubting is a barren time; men cannot fight and work at the same time." (Page 72)

"Regeneration consists in being begotten to the Lord, to have union with him, Joh. 17. 22. 23. 19. And for God to convey his power into the soul, by which it is made conformable to the will of Christ, and lives by faith in the Son of God, Gal. 2. 20. is another thing in some of the Lords: the first is, where the latter is not, at least in the degrees of it; believers are of several growths and states; as, first, babes, children; secondly, young men; thirdly, fathers, 1 Joh. 2. 12, 13. Can babes work? and yet if they die in that estate, they shall not miss of glory. 1 Job. 2. 12. It is one thing to be justified, and another to be sanctified, so it is one thing to live, another to be borne, and to work is distinct from both: there is as much difference between some of the Lords, as there is betwixt willing and doing; some are termed carnal, 1 Cor. 3. 1. others spiritual. Thou may be begotten, but not borne, (if in bondage) and then it is not the season of growing, as another season is. If thou be ignorant, or in temptation, thy understanding is clouded, and thy heart being distempered (Page 73) with fear, so as Job 23. 8, 9. and thou art not fit to judge of thy growth; is a new borne babe, 1 Pet. 2. 2. fit to judge of its growth? Also consider, it may be, thou art in Gods way, and so thou dost not use his means, or not rightly; consider Psal. 1. 3. with Song 4. 12. there thou shall grow."

"If thou desires to believe, thy will is in part regenerated, and thou dost in some measure believe, though weakly, as he did that said, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief, Mark. 9. 24."

"If thou hast a will that only Christ should save thee, God hath begun his work in thee, and he will finish it, Heb. 12. 2. and one day thou shall know thy self to be pardoned, and all thy sins shall be subdued."

"The Spirit shall convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, Joh. 16. 7, 8, 9, 10. God hath begun his work in thee, if he hath convinced thee of sin, and of righteousness."

http://www.mountzionpbc.org/Pdf/THE_SAINTS_DESIRE_Samuel_Richardson.pdf
http://www.puritanboard.com/f18/samuel-richardson-15463/

Clearly Samuel Richardson held the three stage model of the "new birth," making "regeneration" the first stage. The difference between Richardson and today's Hardshells is seen in the fact that Richardson believed the gospel was a means in all three stages, while they do not (unlike most of their "founding fathers").

The following is from a modern "Reformed" writer.

"The answer lies in the simple fact that regeneration is viewed in Scripture from two different perspectives. Many passages discuss what Reformed theologians call the first stage of regeneration. During this stage "There is no co-operation of the sinner in this work whatsoever. It is the work of the Holy Spirit exclusively, Ezek. 11:19; John 1:13; Acts 16:14; Rom. 9:16; Phil. 2:13." The Holy Spirit comes to a man who is dead, blind and deaf to spiritual truth and quickens him, implanting new life into the dead heart. The inner disposition of the soul is renewed and made holy. "In this act of God the ear is implanted that enables man to hear the call of God to the salvation of his soul. This is regeneration in the most restricted sense of the word. In it man is entirely passive." During the first stage of regeneration the Holy Spirit works without means; that is, He works directly upon the soul apart from the preaching of the Word.

The second stage of regeneration, spoken about by Peter (1 Pet. 1:23), describes the point in time when regeneration issues forth into conversion. "Having received the spiritual ear, the call of God in the gospel is now heard by the sinner, and is brought home effectively to the heart. The desire to resist has been changed to a desire to obey, and the sinner yields to the persuasive influence of the Word through the operation of the Holy Spirit. This is the effectual calling through the instrumentality of the word of preaching, effectively applied by the Spirit of God. This effectual calling finally secures, through the truth as a means, the first holy exercises of the new disposition that is born in the soul. The new life begins to manifest itself; the implanted life issues in the new birth. This is the completion of the work of regeneration in the broader sense of the word, and the point at which it turns into conversion."

"Thus, the first stage of regeneration can be compared to the implantation of a seed, and the second stage could be compared to giving birth. During the second stage God employs means: the preaching of the gospel."

"The idea that regeneration occurs in two stages is both scriptural and logical.

(http://www.reformedonline.com/view/reformedonline/newbirth.htm)
In closing let me make this observation. It seems to me that those who call themselves "reformed Baptist" and who promote the model of "regeneration first and then faith and conversion," are really promoting this model and don't even know it!

It is also interesting that some modern Hardshells, those associated with Elder Lasserre Bradley Jr., seem to be embracing the view that "all the elect will hear the gospel and be converted" although some still believe that "regeneration" or "the initial move of the Spirit" is apart from the gospel.

Will the "reformed Baptists" unite with the modern Hardshells under this "model" or "paradigm" structure of what is the "new birth"? It would seem to be a perfect match with this model as the glue!