White on Owen

James White recently wrote:

"Sometimes I wonder at the level of theological dialogue and discourse today, especially when I have those precious few moments to rummage through the words of the giants of the past. One of those men was John Owen. I have been greatly blessed by his writings, and greatly challenged as well. He calls us to think far beyond the level that passes for "normal" in our day."

http://www.aomin.org/aoblog/index.php?itemid=2853

This made me "chuckle." Does he then agree with Owen on "regeneration" and on "conversion"? Does he agree with Owen on what constitutes the experience of the new birth? If one will note the parts of the following quotations from Owen that I have highlighted, he will see that it contradicts much of what brother White and other neo "Reformed" professors say about this experience. Certainly Owen equates, as did nearly all the "Puritans," and older Calvinists, the first "Reformers," the terms "regeneration" and "conversion," something that the neo Reformed do not do, as they themselves admit.

He also affirms as I have (and for which I have been criticized and called an "Arminian" because of it) that the act of believing is an act of the will, a choice. This, however, does not support Arminianism nor contradict historic Calvinism.

Notice also the use of the preposition "in" when he describes regeneration. Notice how he does not use words like "after" as do the neo Reformed, men like brother White. According to Owen, faith is inwrought in the very act of regeneration, the very thing brother Bob Ross and I, and others like us, have constantly asserted.

Anyway, for those of you familiar with the writings of brother White and the neo Reformed, you also might wonder how brother White can speak so highly of Owen, as if he agreed with him on this.

John Owen wrote:

"And where any work of grace is not effectual, God never intended it should be so, nor did put forth that power of grace which was necessary to make it so. Wherefore, in or towards whomsoever the Holy Spirit puts forth his power, or acts his grace for their regeneration, he removes all obstacles, overcomes all oppositions, and infallibly produceth the effect intended. This proposition being of great importance to the glory of God’s grace, and most signally opposed by the patrons of corrupted nature and man’s free-will in the state thereof, must be both explained and confirmed."

It is probably for statements like this that brother White and others love Owen. I certainly do believe, as they do, with such statements of Owen. But, can White also accept these statements by Owen on Regeneration? Will he accept Owen's view that regeneration and conversion are the same?

Owen says:

"The work of the Spirit of God in the regeneration of sinners, or the quickening of them who are dead in trespasses and sins, or in their first saving conversion to God, doth not consist in a moral suasion only. By suasion we intend such a persuasion as may or may not be effectual; so absolutely we call that only persuasion whereby a man is actually persuaded."

"As to the nature of this moral suasion, two things may be considered:— (1.) The means, instrument, and matter of it, and this is the word of God; the word of God, or the Scripture, in the doctrinal instructions, precepts, promises, and threatenings of it. This is that, and this is that alone, whereby we are commanded, pressed, persuaded, to turn ourselves and live to God."

"That the effect of regeneration or conversion unto God is assigned unto the preaching of the word, because of its efficacy there-unto in its own kind and way, as the outward means thereof, 1 Cor. iv. 15; James i. 18; 1 Pet. i. 23."

"We may consider what is the nature and wherein the efficacy of this moral work doth consist. To which purpose we may observe,— (1.) That in the use of this means for the conversion of men, there is, preparatory unto that wherein this moral persuasion doth consist, an instruction of the mind in the knowledge of the will of God and its duty towards him."

"Now, concerning this whole work I affirm these two things :—

1. That the Holy Spirit doth make use of it in the regeneration or conversion of all that are adult, and that either immediately in and by the preaching of it, or by some other application of light and truth unto the mind derived from the word; for by the reasons, motives, and persuasive arguments which the word affords are our minds affected, and our souls wrought upon in our conversion unto God, whence it becomes our reasonable obedience. And there are none ordinarily converted, but they are able to give some account by what considerations they were prevailed on thereunto.

“God worketh in us both to will and to do,” Phil. ii. 13. The act, therefore, itself of willing in our conversion is of God’s operation; and although we will ourselves, yet it is he who causeth us to will, by working in us to will and to do. And if the act of our will, in believing and obedience, in our conversion to God, be not the effect of his grace in us, he doth not “work in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

And the work itself is expressed by persuading,—“God shall persuade Japheth;” and alluring,— “I will allure her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her:” for as it is certainly effectual, so it carries no more repugnancy unto our faculties than a prevalent persuasion doth.

Indeed, there is nothing mentioned in the Scriptures concerning the communicating of power, remote or next unto the mind of man, to enable him to believe antecedently unto actual believing.

"Wherefore, with respect to believing, the first act of God is to work in us “to will:” Phil. ii. 13, “He worketh in us to will.” Now, to will to believe is to believe. This God works in us by that grace which Austin and the schoolmen call gratia operans, because it worketh in us without us, the will being merely moved and passive therein."

"This is the whole of what we plead: God in our conversion, by the exceeding greatness of his power, as he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, actually worketh faith and repentance in us, gives them unto us, bestows them on us; so that they are mere effects of his grace in us. And his working in us infallibly produceth the effect intended, because it is actual faith that he works, and not only a power to believe, which we may either put forth and make use of or suffer to be fruitless, according to the pleasure of our own wills."

This article is taken from volume 3 of his complete works, The Holy Spirit, published by the Banner of Truth, pp. 297-336.

http://www.the-highway.com/regeneration_Owen.html