Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1894-03-01
Renovation.

| In our last week s study OF Church
membership We were led 0 the conclu--
sion that rs baptism is the beginning OF
+ all Christian life, and al in the gospel
teaching the first holy duty enjoined is
baptsm-therelore it is rightly termed
by the Episcopal church. the means of
regeneration and new birth into the
covenant kingdom of God The ohjec-
ton that is often made to the term
regeneration, is founded upon An erro-
neous usage oil that word 1t is very
commonly used to designate the moral
and internal efec' of converting grace.
If man who lived careless and god-
less life should experience throughGod 5
grace an alteration in his feelings and
desires, and repenting Of his heelless
life, sincerely seek the forgiveness Of
God and help Of His Spirit really be
comiI converted man, he would b.
called. scco' ding to their Common but
erroneous usage, a reHenerated man, al
though be may never have learned nor
sought the VIII Of Christ, enj nned upon
HIS disciples. $50 We into all the world
and preach the gospel, be that brlieve,h
ard Is baptised shall be saved He nay
not nave known his hrs' duty "arlse. be
b.p' l-e,, and wash away thy sins calling
upon the lame Of the Lord Jesus. So
be does not receive the rite which ST
Paul calls the washing oflesrnerA ion,
but he Is n converted peIs, as II Paul
MAS before he wAs bap,,sed changed in
hear, ard mind Yet hr has not vet
be-, n generated, b.cau~ be has rot
been u.ket. CA, Of hi, na',u al pus,lou
as child Of sin an death and pu' into
the coy enanted re.atou a. one promised
4alv atom f'om sn. THAT IL renovation
And The blessed ,romr-r Of our dear
Lold is that If by baptism We enter the
coyenahted Kingdom His Holy Spirit
+ will be gwen 10 us to help us DO wha,
We cannot do ourselves accuie salvation
from our sins So St Paul declares IF
any man be in Chris jesus he is a new
creature. Oia thing. are passed away
all things have bee me new Being
''in Christ is IA form Of speech OF, en-
used for the regeneration Of baptism
and signifies the change and alteration
/ that ought to show itself in eyary mem.
b,r Of Christ. So ST. Paul SAYS else
where 'such were some of YOU evil,
careless. wicked heather. but We axe
washed, W are -ancti6ed by the spirit
Of our God and His Chri-t.' The re.
newi1g of your mind" it Is elsewhere
called and again putting OH the new
man which after God Ia created in right
-ousness and true holiness"
The Divine order L. IN the spiritual
world exactly ~ ltiein be natural world;
birth, growth. development, reRrnera-
ton. heng born into The company and
kingdom of Christ spiritual world:
then bel & renewed by the operation Of
the sane spirit, and then as the result
developing sanctiticAt on which il the
fuilne,s of the pc, frcted man in Christ.
But it may be o. jectrd. what is the
condition of one who IL a converted man
and repentant and chaneel in his feel
ings and desires. willie not vet b4ptilrd;
is be not renewed? Surely not for be is
not regenerat-d. He has not entered
the .p ritual world through the one
Door the Lord appointed Himself IL
is indeed under the inan,n nee OF the
Spiri, ard quickened by it unto repen
lance ana change OF heart. But quick
enlng, is not birth. A child must be
alive before j, is born or it's birth into
the world means nothing But the
birth IA true al. the same. So for an
adult to enter into Gods Kingdom. the
Church of Christ he must first be'qn,ck
! ened' in heart ard soul. or else his bar
tism and regenerat on means nothing
Like he unhappy Simon MAgus whom
Peter hartised he may stll he in the
gail of bitterness and bond Of lnlquitv
1t ia we'll for rs to learn the true
ScrlpturaI use and order of these terms
-conversion, regeneration. renovation
and sanctlfcat;on. FIR they parallel
all God's working in this world.
| r WHiYTINrHAM.