A Sermon on Regeneration

Whitefield explores the doctrine of genuine regeneration and how little it is understood. He warns that "nothing short of a thorough sound conversion will fit thee for the kingdom of heaven." What does it mean to be in Christ and to be a new creature? He explains the reasoning why this must be the case. He explains what practical effects this has in life. "Let each of us therefore seriously put this question to our hearts: Have we received the Holy Ghost since we believed? Are we new creatures in Christ, or no?"

GEORGE WHITEFIELD (1714-1779) was born in Gloucester, England. He attended Pembroke College at Oxford, where he was a member of the Holy Club with Charles and John Wesley. The group was highly disciplined and ＂methodical＂ in their performance of religion. In 1735, he read Henry Scougal’s ＂The Life of God and the Soul of Man＂ and had a spiritual new birth. Ordained in 1736, he started preaching and became very popular immediately. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean many times and preached in churches and open fields. Gifted with a prodigious voice and untiring energy he preached to huge crowds with great consequence.