The three Verbal-Restrictive theories of the Holy Spirit all promote the unbiblical view that the Holy Spirit can't do anything to sinners and saints immediately, independently of the written or spoken Word of God. These theories limit the Holy Spirit, and ignore the various ways God influenced sinners and saints in the Bible, and blatantly ignore what the Bible says about God: He does not change (Malachi 3:6), does not vary (James 1:17), does not change His mind (Numbers 23:19), is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and always will be the same (Psalms 102:27). He's not like human beings, who change their theology to suite the fashion of the day (1 Samuel 15:29).

There are four traditional views of how the Holy Spirit is involved in regeneration. The ONLY theory that is Biblical is number 4, the Verbal-Transcendent theory.

Here are the four theories:

1) The Verbal-Restrictive Theory
The Holy Spirit only works exclusively through the written or spoken Word of God. The implication of this theory is the Holy Spirit's influence in salvation is entirely connected to the reading and speaking of scriptures, and the Holy Spirit does not act on sinners and saints apart from this. This is the most absurd of the three verbal restrictive theories.

REFUTATION: This theory denies the immediate activity of the Holy Spirit, which is how people are supernaturally saved in the Bible. There is nothing in Scripture that restricts God from acting immediately on sinners and saints, and everything in Scripture that says He does just that, in conjunction, most of the time, with the illumination of Scripture.

The theological fiction that the Holy Spirit doesn’t act immediately on sinners and saints evolved from Francis Bacon’s empirical truth theories being applied to salvation theology. Ministers after the Enlightenment, sought an explanation for salvation that was more acceptable to rational man that didn’t include a supernatural miracle, that is, didn’t include the orthodox view of what it means to be born spiritually and filled with the Holy Spirit.

“God from the beginning chose you for salvation through SANCTIFICATION BY THE SPIRIT and belief in the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:13). Without sanctification (being made holy) by the Holy Spirit, the Word is ineffective for salvation.

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God ... But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God … But we have the mind (understanding) of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:12-18).

Saints are “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT” (1 Peter 1:2). “Our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:5). “According to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).

2) The Verbal-Augmentative Theory
The Holy Spirit works through the written and spoken Word of God, but infuses it with a special, supernatural power to impact the human heart. The implication of this theory is the Holy Spirit's influence in salvation is entirely connected to the reading and speaking of scriptures, and the Holy Spirit does not act on sinners and saints apart from this. Many "bare faith" advocates like Restorationist Alexander Campbell use this theory to disguise the fact they believe regeneration is not a supernatural change of nature, but rather a moral persuasion of the mind. The means of salvation is the acceptance of the Word of God, not a supernatural change wrought by the Holy Spirit. This theory still limits the Holy Spirit, and is not Biblical.

3) The Verbal-Coefficient Theory
The Holy Spirit works in conjunction with the written and spoken Word of God, working side-by-side with scripture to produce faith and sanctification. When John Witherspoon brought Scottish Common Sense Realism to The College of New Jersey in 1768, he introduced this theory, which restricts the Holy Spirit to quickening the Word to the understanding, through what are called "truth impressions". Witherspoon wrote, “There were … great debates whether special and common grace differ essentially in their nature, or if they differ only in degree… I embrace the last of these opinions”. This theory still limits the Holy Spirit, and is not Biblical.

4) The Verbal-Transcendent Theory
All New Light Calvinists in the First Great Awakening believed in the immediate activity of the Holy Spirit on sinners and saints. This theory is also called the Spirit-Intensive Theory, in which the Holy Spirit can sometimes act immediately upon the heart apart from the Word of God. Jonathan Edwards, the Tennents, George Whitefield and every other New Light Calvinist of the First Great Awakening believed and conducted their ministry according to this theory. It was the reason they believed "religious affections" were a valid manifestations of hopeful conversions. This theory does not limit the Holy Spirit, and explains the various ways God influenced sinners and saints in the Bible. To believe a theory that limits the Holy Spirit is serious business, and is not Biblical.