The answer to the last is that "regeneration" was used as a term in Calvin's day in a sense that incorporated the idea of new birth and sanctification together. That is, both the genesis of new life and its unfolding. Regarding the context, only the elect are ever given new life. This is Reformed theology 101. It is not necessary to repeat that truth every time such words are stated.

To the first, this is not teaching Romanism. The reason it isn't is because the Reformed taught a genuine sacramental doctrine, and not the sacramentalism of Rome. Rome identified the sign and thing signified; the Reformed distinguished them, sharply. Rome taught that water baptism was a instrument of actual grace transference. Calvin teaches above that the Spirit's baptism is that which removes guilt. But because there is a sacramental union between sign and thing signified, it is proper to speak of "baptism" as a single thought.

This is yet another topic where it might be good to recover the terms "compound" and "divided" senses. But as I said in another thread recently, as when we deal with the apostles' writing on baptism, we of the Reformed side seldom feel compelled to ask this following question which is not especially relevant to our exegetical understanding: "is this "baptism" water or Spirit?" Since it is a sacramental matter, there are ordinarily different senses in which the one thought is being expressed simultaneously.

And, it may as well be said, coming at our view from the baptist perspective--this is bound to sound crypto-roman to you, regardless. But you owe it to yourself to try and understand how our view operates, and how profoundly it differs from Rome's.

__________________
Rev. Bruce G. Buchanan
ChainOLakes Presbyterian Church, CentralLake, MI


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