W. L. TOTTY (Deceased)
Concerning regeneration, the apostle Paul wrote, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” (Titus 3:5.)
When God created Adam and Eve, he said that they were made in his own image; that is, they were sinless, as innocent as newborn babies. They remained in that condition until Satan came into the garden of Eden and beguiled Eve and they ate of the fruit of the tree which God had specifically told them that the day they ate thereof they would surely die; that is, be separated from God. Paul, discussing that question, said, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin.” (Rom. 5:12.) But God gave his plan by which we could be put back to the position of Adam and Eve before they sinned. This plan is called regeneration.
Children are born in what we would call a generated condition. But when they reach the years of accountability and sin, they must then be regenerated to be children of God. When they were born, they were God’s children; but when they sinned, they became children of Satan; so, they must be put back into the same condition in which they were born; and that necessitates their being regenerated. The prefix re means to return to the original condition. “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:3.)
When a person is regenerated, all his past sins are forgiven. He is a child of God and has an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (I John 2:1.) He can pray to the Father in the name of Christ, his advocate with the Father; and the Father will forgive any sin that he may have committed if he is penitent. The Catholic Church teaches that children are born depraved; that is, they inheirit the sin of Adam; but this idea is a mistake. We do not inherit the sin of Adam; but we inherit the consequence of that sin, which is death. But if we are faithful, we have that blessed assurance that we will be raised from the dead to everlasting life.
— The Informer, April 13, 1969
Vol. 22, No. 30