Regeneration Precedes Faith

In this brief clip, R.C. Sproul gives the one phrase that captures the essence of Reformed theology.

[urawesome]

It can be proven biblically, regeneration occurs before belief, however it can not be proven it occurs before faith. Conviction from God precedes faith then immediately after regeneration. The conviction and regeneration are the parts of faith that is the gift.

[solascriptura]

The phrase that captures the essence of reformed theology isn't even biblical.

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 1:13 KJV

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1 Corinthians 1:21

Not "to cause belief in them that he saved"

Also Romans 10:10 doesn't say that the heart believes after it has been made righteous. It says it believes unto righteousness.

[maryd]

Respectfully, I would disagree. Where in the Bible does it mention or suggests that regeneration precedes faith? If this is true, and if God wishes for all to be saved, then why aren't all saved or regenerated? Why am I responsible if God chose not to regenerate me?

[Solaservant]

By how many seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months, years? How much time before faith happens is a person regenerated and is this different timing for all people yet always before?

[undergroundpublishing]

Regeneration preceding faith is simple to disprove:

Paul teaches that you must believe in the resurrection of Christ to be saved. (Rom 10:9)
No one beleived in the resurrection prior to the ressurection (Jn 16:31-32)
Everyone in the OT that beleived was not regenerated. (Heb 11)
Fatith is not equal to Regeneration, nor preceed by it. It is prerequistite to it. To have faith is to be known by God. To have faith in the resurrection leads to salvation.

[huntsman]

John Calvin disagrees with you...
""as by believing we receive the Spirit, who regenerates us in order to justification, by that very regeneration we obtain salvation." For my own part, though I acknowledge it to be true, that we are renewed by faith, so that the Spirit of Christ governs us, yet I say that we ought first to take into consideration the free forgiveness of sins, through which we are accepted by God."

[theearstohear]

SPROUL'S DILEMMA:

1. The exercise of faith is synergistic. (TRUE) "When God regenerates a human soul, when he makes us spiritually alive, we make choices. We believe. We have faith. We cling to Christ. God does not believe for us. Faith is not monergistic." (Chosen by God, Sproul, p.118)

2. The exercise of faith is required for justification (FALSE). "Justification is by faith. Faith is a necessary requirement." (Chosen by God, Sproul, p.155)

3. There is no eternal salvation without justification (TRUE). Affirmed by ALL reformed Christians.

These affirmations deny monergistic eternal salvation because they place the synergistic exercise of faith in the critical path to justification which is required for eternal salvation. Thus Sproul's "monergistic" salvation is dependent upon the admittedly synergistic actions of God and man. It follows that this is a synergistic system of salvation.

This is not only Sproul's dilemma, but the dilemma faced by many, many Christians in the domain of reformed theology. I submit that for your sincere consideration.

God bless,
TETH

[MariusVanWoerden]

Justification is a work of God the Father and the Holy Spirit in us and without us. Justification and faith do not have a sequence in time but in order Faith- Justification but are simultaneously in time. Sanctification is a work of The Holy Spirit in us but not without us. Justification and SANCTIFICATION cannot be separated. There is no sanctification without justification or justification without sanctification, this even when sanctification is just a begin of regeneration through all our life. Faith is by Grace and the free gift of God. The Bible teaches us the Justification of the UNGODLY. [Made/ declared Righteous] Not a believer is justified but the UNGODLY BY FAITH.
James 2: 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works [read FRUITS] is dead? Faith First then Fruits of Faith. You can see here that even turning it around since it happened simultaneously is not really a heresy but a misunderstanding. It can be that a person feels that his/her sins are forgiven and being Justified in the site of God and later understand to have put their trust in Christ by faith. However Calvin did not put regeneration before faith. This is the important part: "but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." it is too bad people teaching others are willing to send them in the wrong direction out of ignorance and unwilling to study.