Calvinist Flyswatter

Carroll on repentance and faith

DR. LEMKE AND B. H. CARROLL
ON REPENTANCE & FAITH

In certain reports about the "John 3:16" Conference in early November at First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Georgia, Dr. Steve Lemke has been cited as teaching that "repentance and faith precede regeneration" [via Flounder Timmy Brister's blog].

The critics who have made this citation are obviously of the Hybrid Calvinist camp, teaching that one is "born again" before, apart from, and without repentance and faith -- which allegedly take place later on after the alleged "new birth."

Dr. Lemke attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, founded by the late B. H. Carroll, and Dr. Carroll was very clear on these subjects, and Dr. Lemke apparently follows in the theological tradition of Carroll on repentance and faith.

With Dr. Carroll, repentance and faith are constituent elements of regeneration, and regeneration is not complete without them. Here are a few of Dr. Carroll's comments:

"If regeneration is completed without the use of means and before the subject is penitent or believing, then we have a child of God who is yet in his sins, impenitent, without faith, and hence without Christ, which is philosophically impossible. Morever, it is contrary to Scripture, as witness" [James 1:18, 1 Peter 1:23, Gal. 3:26, Romans 10:17, John 3:9-18, John 1:12, 13, all quoted by Carroll in the text of his book] (page 286 of Volume 10, Part I on The Gospels, An Interpretation of the English Bible).

Look at those verses cited by Dr. Carroll, and consider --

If regeneration is merely the giving of "ability" or "life" (as some allege) to the unbelieving sinner, then the regenerated but unbelieving sinner has not been begotten by the Word of Truth (James 1:18).

If regeneration is merely the giving of "ability" or "life" to the unbelieving sinner, then the regenerated but unbelieving sinner is not born again by Word of God (1 Peter 1:23).

If regeneration is merely the giving of "ability" or "life" to the unbelieving sinner, then the regenerated but unbelieving sinner is not a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26).

If regeneration is merely the giving of "ability" or "life" to the unbelieving sinner, then the regenerated but unbelieving sinner has not experienced faith which comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

If regeneration is merely the giving of "ability" or "life" to the unbelieving sinner, then the regenerated but unbelieving sinner has not received eternal or everlasting life (John 3:9-18).

If regeneration is merely the giving of "ability" or "life" to the unbelieving sinner, then the regenerated but unbelieving sinner has not received Christ, has not believed on His name, has not become a son of God, and has not been born of God (John 1:12, 13).

In the light of these passages which contradict the idea that regeneration is merely the giving of "ability" or "life," we believe Dr. Carroll is absolutely correct when he says:

"Therefore the new birth is NOT COMPLETED WITHOUT FAITH." (Page 287 of Volume 10, Part I on The Gospels, An Interpretation of the English Bible).

Whatever work in the unbelieving sinner which the Holy Spirit does, or whatever He gives, prior to His own efficient production of repentance and faith in Christ by the instrumentality of the Word of God, it does not constitute regeneration or the New Birth, according to Dr. Carroll.

We have often noted Dr. Carroll's "syllogism" on this subject, and we once again call attention to it for the benefit of those who have not seen it:

DR. B. H. CARROLL'S
IMPECCABLE SYLLOGISM:

"(1) Every one born of God has the right be called a child of God.

(2) But no one has the right until he believes in Jesus.

(3) Therefore the new birth is NOT COMPLETED WITHOUT FAITH."

(Page 287 of Volume 10, Part I on The Gospels, An Interpretation of the English Bible).


Dr. Carroll said:

"Thus considered, conviction, repentance, and faith are the CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS OF REGENERATION. . . .

"Sinner, it tells you what to do: Hear the word, repent, accept Christ."

Yes, that is simple and easy. The Word of God is preached to men and they hear that Word and they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and whosever believeth in Him is born of God" (Sermons, The Human Side of Regeneration, pages 177, 187).

It seems to me that Dr. Lemke -- contrary to Tom Ascol of the Flounders, who also attended Southwestern -- reflects the same view on repentance, faith, and the new birth as was taught by the Founder of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Carroll.

It would be difficult to find a "born again" sinner who has not repented and believed, if repentance and faith are the necessary "constitutent elements" of regeneration.

Relation of Regeneration to Justification

While recalling what Dr. Carroll taught, it might be of interest to note again what he said about the relation of regeneration and justification:

"When we accept Jesus by faith as he is offered in the gospel, we at once and forever enter into justification, redemption of soul, and adoption into God's family, and are regenerated.

"We are no longer aliens and enemies, but children and friends of God. . . . The ground of the justification is the expiation of Christ. The means by which we receive the justification is the Holy Spirit's part of regeneration which is called cleansing. Regeneration consists of two elements, at least – cleansing and renewing. But the very moment that one believes in Christ the Holy Spirit applies the blood of Christ to his heart and he is cleansed from the defilement of sin. At the same time the Holy Spirit does another thing. He renews the mind. He changes that carnal mind which is enmity toward God."[An Interpretation of the English Bible, Volume 14, pages 126, 127].

"Justification comes in touch with regeneration at that point where the Spirit of God by the application of the blood of Christ, cleanses the soul. When the man accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as his Teacher, Sacrifice, Priest, and King, and trusts in him for salvation, then God in heaven justifies the man, or declares an acquittal of him, through his faith in the blood, but the blood is applied in the cleansing part of regeneration, so that we see again from this relation between regeneration and justification how it is that regeneration cannot be complete without faith.[An Interpretation of the English Bible, Volume 10, pages 293, 294].

It is obvious that the Flounders, headed by Tom Ascol, are in conflict with the Founder of Southwestern.

posted by Bob L. Ross @ 11:17 PM