CONVERSION--HUMAN AGENCY IN
What part and responsibility pertain to the human will in
this matter?
Before we leave the subject of conversion, it is important that
we consider and understand this question also. For on this point also
grievous and dangerous views and practices prevail. Human nature tends
to extremes. Here too, there is a tendency to go too far, either in
the one direction or the other. There are those, on the one hand, who
virtually and practically make this change of heart and of nature a
_human_ work. They practically deny the agency of the Holy
Spirit, or His means of Grace. On the other hand, there are those
whose ideas and teachings would rid man of all responsibility in the
matter, and make of him a mere machine, that is _irresistibly_
moved and controlled from above.
Is either of the above views the correct and scriptural one? If
not, what is the Bible doctrine on this subject? What has the human
will--_i.e._, the choosing and determining faculty of the mind--to do
with conversion? What, if any part of the work, is to be ascribed to
it? Is it a factor in the process? If so, in what respect, and to what
extent? Where does its activity begin or end? In how far is the human
will responsible for the accomplishment or non-accomplishment of this
change? These questions we shall endeavor briefly and plainly to
answer.
We must necessarily return to man as he is before his conversion,
while still in his natural, sinful, unrenewed state. In this state of
sin, the will shares, in common with all the other parts of his being,
the ruin and corruption resulting from the fall. The natural man has
the "_understanding darkened;_" "_is alienated from the life of
God, through the ignorance that is in him, because of the blindness of
his heart_." He "_receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God
... neither can he know them_." He is "_in darkness_," "_dead in
trespasses and sins_."
Thus is the _whole man_ in darkness, blindness, ignorance,
slavery to Satan, and at enmity with God. He is in a state of
spiritual death. The will is equally affected by this total depravity.
If the natural man cannot even _see_, _discern_, or _know_ the things
of the Spirit, how much less can he _will to do_ them!
Before his conversion, man is utterly impotent "_to will or to
do_" anything towards his renewal. The strong words of Luther, as
quoted in the Form of Concord, are strictly scriptural: "In spiritual
and divine things which pertain to the salvation of the soul, man is
like a pillar of salt, like Lot's wife, yea, like a log and a stone,
like a lifeless statue, which uses neither eyes nor mouth, neither
senses nor heart." (Matt. iii. 9.) But that same God who could, out of
the very stones, raise up spiritual children to Abraham, can also
change the stony heart of man, and put life into those who were dead
in trespasses and sins.
The first movement, however, must always be from God to the
sinner, and not from the sinner to God. God does, indeed, in His great
mercy, come first to us. This He does through His own means of Grace.
In holy baptism He meets us even on the threshold of existence,
takes us into His loving arms, places His hands in blessing upon our
heads, breathes into us a new life, and adopts us into His own family.
If the sinner afterwards fall from this baptismal Grace, goes back
into the ways of sin, and breaks his side of the covenant, God is
still faithful and comes to him again by His Holy Spirit through His
Word; strives with him and endeavors to turn or convert him again
_from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God_.
We should notice here a distinction between those, who have at
some time been under divine influence, as by virtue of the sacramental
Word in baptism, or the written or preached Word, and those who have
never been touched by a breath from above. When the Spirit of God
comes to the former, He finds something still to appeal to. There is
more or less _receptivity_ to receive the Grace of God, as there is
more or less life still in the germ formerly implanted. When He comes
to the latter class there is nothing to work on. The foundations must
be laid. A receptivity must be brought about, a new life must be
inbreathed. In other words, in the conversion of the latter the Holy
Spirit must do what He has already done in the former. The one is the
conversion of a once regenerate but now lapsed one. The other is the
regeneration and conversion of one heretofore always dead in sin.
But in every case, God comes first to the sinner; whether it be
in the sacramental, or the written and preached Word. It is always
through that Word, as we have already shown, that the Spirit of God
operates on the sinful heart, enkindling penitence and begetting faith
in Christ.
Now, what part does the will perform in this great work? Is it
entirely passive, merely wrought upon, as the stone by the sculptor?
At first, the will is doubtless entirely passive. The first movements,
the first desires, the first serious thoughts, are beyond question
produced by the Spirit, through the Word. These are the advance
signals and heralds of Grace. They are the preparatory steps, and
hence these first approaches of divine influence are called by
theologians _Prevenient Grace_, that is the divine influence of Grace
which precedes or goes before all other movements in the return of the
soul to God.
This preparatory Grace comes to the sinner unsought, and is so
far unavoidable. It is purely and entirely the work of the Holy Spirit
_upon_ the sinner. The human will has nothing whatever to do with
the first beginnings of conversion. Of this our Confessions testify:
"God must first come to us." "Man's will hath no power to work the
righteousness of God, or a spiritual righteousness, without the spirit
of God." Of this the Prophet speaks when he says, Zech. iv. 6, "_Not
by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord_." Also, 1
Cor. xii. 3, "_No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the
Holy Ghost_."
After prevenient Grace, however, begins to make itself felt, then
the will begins to take part. It must now assume an attitude, and meet
the question: Shall I yield to these holy influences or not? One or
the other of two courses must be pursued. There must be a yielding to
the heavenly strivings, or a resistance. To resist at this point
requires a positive act of the will. This act man can put forth by his
own strength. On the other hand, with the help of that Grace, already
at work in his heart, he can refuse to put forth that act, of his
will, and thus remain non-resistant.
If man, thus influenced from above, now deliberately uses his
will power, and _resists_ the gracious influences of prevenient
Grace, he quenches the Holy Spirit of God, whereby he is sealed to the
day of redemption. He has hardened his heart. His last state is worse
than the first. He remains unconverted, and on himself alone is the
responsibility.
If, on the other hand, he even _with_ the assistance of
prevenient Grace, permits it to do its work, the process goes on. His
will is being renewed. It experiences the pulsations of a new life. It
realizes the possession of new powers. There is an infusion from God's
will into his will, and now prevenient Grace is changed into operating
Grace. The Word has _free course_. _It runs and is glorified._ He
"_works out his own salvation with fear and trembling_," while it
is all the time "_God that worketh in him both to will and to do of
His good pleasure_."
Such a person is a new creature in Christ Jesus. Operative Grace
goes out into coöperating Grace. He becomes a worker with God, and as
he grows in Grace and in knowledge, his will becomes more and more
free as it comes more and more into harmony with God's will.
Again we ask, What has the human will to do with this great
change? We answer, Two things.
First, man can and will to go to church where the means of Grace
are, or he can will to remain away. If he deliberately wills to absent
himself from where their influence is exerted, he remains unconverted,
and _on himself is the responsibility_. If, on the other hand, he
wills to go where God speaks to man in His ordinary way, he does so
much towards permitting God to convert him.
Secondly, when the means of Grace do carry renewing power, and he
is made to realize their efficacy--though it be at first only in an
uneasiness, dissatisfaction with self, and an undefined longing after
something better--he can, as we have seen, permit the work to go on.
Thus he may be said, negatively, to help towards his conversion. On
the other hand, he can shake off the good impressions, tear away from
the holy influences, resist the Spirit, and remain unconverted.
Clearly, _on himself is all the responsibility_ if he perish. God
desired to convert him. He "_rejected the counsel of God against
himself_." Luke vii. 30.
And thus our Lutheran doctrine of _Grace through the means of
Grace_, clears away all difficulties and avoids all contradictions. It
gives God all the glory, and throws on man all the responsibility.
Sailing thus under the colors of scriptural doctrine, we steer
clear of the Scylla of Calvinism on the one hand, and also escape the
Charybdis of Arminianism on the other.
We give to Sovereign Grace all the glory of our salvation just as
much as the Calvinists do. And yet we make salvation as free as the
boldest Arminian does. Whatever is excellent in both systems we
retain. Whatever is false in both we reject. We refuse to make of man
a machine, who is _irresistibly_ brought into the kingdom of God,
and forced indeed to accept of Sovereign Grace. On the other hand, we
utterly repudiate the idea that man is _himself_ able to "get
religion," to "get through," to "grasp the blessing," or to "save
himself." To such self-exaltation we give no place--no, not for a
moment!
With Luther we confess, "I believe that I cannot, by my own
reason or strength, believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him.
But that the Holy Spirit hath called me by His Gospel, enlightened me
by His gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith; in
like manner as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole
Christian Church on earth, and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ
in the true faith. In which Christian Church He daily forgives me
abundantly all my sins and the sins of all believers, and will raise
up me and all the dead at the last day, and will grant everlasting
life to me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most certainly
true."
"Grace first contrived the way
To save rebellious man;
And all the steps that Grace display
Which drew the wondrous plan.
"Grace taught my roving feet
To tread the heavenly road;
And new supplies each hour I meet,
While pressing on to God.
"Grace all the work shall crown
Through everlasting days;
It lays in heaven the topmost stone,
And well deserves the praise."