Pluck Out Your Eyes?

"27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell." (Matt. 5: 27-30 nkjv)

“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire." (Matt. 18: 8-9 nkjv)

Many years ago my beloved father, God rest his soul, called me and asked me my interpretation about what Jesus was teaching when he said the above words. I responded by basically saying: 

"Jesus was showing us that our problem is not in our eyes, hands, feet, or any other physical member of our bodies. The problem is in our hearts. That is the source of our sins. Cutting off the hand or plucking out the eye will not cure us of our propensity to sin." 

Father was a minister and theologian and he replied: "that's okay, good," or something to that effect. Jesus in Matthew chapter five spoke of sinning "in heart" before uttering the above words. People without eyes still lust. People without hands can still steal or do what is wrong. What people need is a new heart and I don't mean a physical heart. By heart I mean what the scriptures mean. The heart is the core of a person's psychological being, the place of his thoughts, where his choices originate. Jesus said:

"16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” (Matt. 15: 16-20 nkjv)

Here Jesus corrects an error or excuse that many people put forth about why they sin. A drunkard will sometimes blame the liquor he drinks for his bad behavior, when the fault is in his choice to become intoxicated. An adulterer will sometimes play the victim, saying that he was enticed or seduced. Etc. No, the problem with your sin and your evil ways is a result of your depraved and unbelieving and impenitent heart. You need a new heart and spirit and the only way you will ever obtain it is by going to Dr. Jesus and sincerely asking him to save you from your sins.

Problems in Divorcing Conversion From Regeneration (4)

Those Calvinists who diverged from Calvin and the older Calvinists and began to restrict what is involved in being regenerated or born again have done much harm, although they thought that they were improving or refining Calvinism. I also showed in the previous chapters that the first ablest apologists for Calvinism (also known as "the doctrines of grace") believed that regeneration was by faith, resulting from a faith union with Christ. Before I begin to address the several problems that arose from Calvinists who divorced evangelical conversion via faith from regeneration I want to take a look at what a couple of the leading apologists for the born again before faith view (men such as the late Dr. R.C. Sproul and Dr. James White, a man who is well known for his hundreds of debates), said about the views of the first Calvinists of the Reformation as well as Augustine and Aquinas. 

In an article titled "Regeneration Precedes Faith" by the late Dr. R.C. Sproul, a champion of the view that regeneration precedes faith (available to read here), Sproul wrote the following (emphasis mine):

"One of the most dramatic moments in my life for the shaping of my theology took place in a seminary classroom. One of my professors went to the blackboard and wrote these words in bold letters: "Regeneration Precedes Faith." 

"When I began to wrestle with the Professor's argument, I was surprised to learn that his strange-sounding teaching was not novel. Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield - even the great medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas taught this doctrine...Aquinas insisted that regenerating grace is operative grace, not cooperative grace. Aquinas spoke of prevenient grace, but he spoke of a grace that comes before faith, which is regeneration."

This is a common, yet baseless, claim by Calvinists who espouse the born again before faith view. The Calvinists Sproul mentions, with the exceptions of Thomas Aquinas the Catholic, and Luther the Lutheran, did not believe that a person was born again before faith, and neither did Aquinas or Luther. I have already cited from Luther who said that sinners are born again by faith, which is also what John Calvin said. Neither did Augustine teach it. I cited from Augustine in the previous chapter and showed that he did not believe sinners were born again before faith. Augustine even believed that believers were born again in water baptism. Neither did Jonathan Edwards or George Whitefield teach the born again before faith view. Sproul makes such statements and gives no evidence to support his claim. He is deceiving people about the history of this view among Reformation Calvinists or Predestinarians. Sproul then wrote:

"These giants of Christian history derived their view from Holy Scripture. The key phrase in Paul's Letter to the Ephesians is this: "...even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have you been saved)" (Eph. 2:5). Here Paul locates the time when regeneration occurs. It takes place 'when we were dead.' With one thunderbolt of apostolic revelation all attempts to give the initiative in regeneration to man are smashed. Again, dead men do not cooperate with grace. Unless regeneration takes place first, there is no possibility of faith."

Why did Sproul not cite from the above "giants" where they said what Sproul said? Further, Ephesians 2: 5 that speaks of being made alive spiritually does not exclude faith preceding salvation from spiritual death. In verse eight Paul says - "for by grace are you saved through faith." That salvation is the salvation of verse one and five which is salvation from spiritual death. Sproul is not getting his argumentation from scripture when he says "dead men do not cooperate with grace." He is reading his ideas about what it means to be spiritually dead into the text and not deriving them from the text. It is this view of things that led the born again before faith Calvinists to deny that the word of God is a means in regeneration, the view which is stated in the oldest Calvinist confessions. Because of their erroneous ideas about spiritual death they say that God must first give spiritual life apart from his word or gospel in order for anyone to hear and believe the word or gospel. That is what the Hardshell Hyper Calvinists teach.

Further, as a Calvinist who believes as Calvin, Beza, Luther, et al., that sinners are born again by a God given and created faith, and union with Christ thereby, I dislike Sproul's choice of the word "cooperate" when he says "dead men to not cooperate with grace." I rather prefer other words, such as "actively respond to grace." The dry dead bones in Ezekiel being used by God to raise them to life shows that the dead bones responded to the prophesying of Ezekiel but I would not call that cooperating. Perhaps it would be better to say that dead sinners are active in their coming to life and not merely passive. It is interesting that this is so in the case of the raising to life of dead Lazarus. 

"And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go."  (John 11: 43, 44)

"Came forth" is from the Greek word "exēlthen" (from ek and erchomai) and is third person second aorist indicative active. Why is this in the active voice? Is not being resurrected supposed to be all passive? The "coming forth" was 1) a command addressed to Lazarus's spirit, which was conscious in the realm of the dead, to leave that realm and to enter his body, and 2) for his reunited spirit and body to exit the tomb. In my series on sinners being both passive and active in being raised to spiritual life I address this issue. The Calvinists of the born again before faith view went to extremes when they said that in the whole of regeneration a sinner is completely passive but becomes active in conversion after his regeneration. 

I also reject Sproul's idea that dead sinners receive no grace prior to salvation (or regeneration). I know he believes in "common grace" which is enjoyed by unregenerate sinners. I also know that he rejects "prevenient grace," although common grace is a case of prevenient grace. See my ongoing series "Prevenient Grace." Many Calvinists believe that some grace is given prior to being saved.

Sproul and others of his ilk will not allow that sinners experience any grace leading to salvation prior to obtaining regenerating grace. That is not the view of the older Reformation Calvinists, or of the Puritan Calvinists. They taught that there were common operations of the Spirit which preceded salvation (and in the case of the elect these operations were effectual graces), such as being "awakened" to see one's lost condition and need of salvation, of being convicted of sin by the law or by the gospel, etc. They also rightly saw how hearing the gospel of salvation was a being given divine grace. See my series "Awakened Sinners." 

Stephen Charnock (1628-1680) wrote the following in "Efficient of Regeneration" (read here):

"The soul must be beaten down by conviction before it be raised up by regeneration; There must be some apprehensions of the necessity of it. Yet sometimes the work of regeneration follows so close upon the heels of these precious preparations, that both must be acknowledged to be the work of one and the same hand. Paul on the sudden was struck down. and in a moment there is both an acknowledgement of the authority of Christ, and a submission to his will, when he said, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' Acts ix. 6. The preparation of the subject is necessary, but this preparation may be at the same time with the conveyance of the divine nature: as a warm seal may both prepare the hard wax, and convey the image to it, by one and the same touch."

Conviction of sin and recognition of one's need of salvation through Christ is certainly a grace that precedes regeneration. The error of Sproul and his ilk is that they have regeneration occurring "too soon" in the things leading to regeneration. Some of them, like the Hardshell "Primitive Baptists," push it so far back that they say that anyone who is convicted of sin is already regenerated even before he ever believes in Christ. Charnock speaks of "preparations" for regeneration as did the Puritan Calvinists and as did Jonathan Edwards. See my series "Prevenient Grace." 

Said George Whitefield in agreement:

"Conviction will always precede spiritual conversion. You may be convicted without being converted, but you cannot be converted without being convicted." ("Repentance and Conversion" - SEE HERE)

Wrote Thomas Boston  in agreement (emphasis mine): 

"Some have sharp convictions for a while: but these go off, and they become as careless about their salvation, and as profane as ever, and usually worse than ever; "their last state is worse than their first," Matt. 12:45. They get awakening grace—but not converting grace; and that goes off by degrees, as the light of the declining day, until it issues in midnight darkness."  (here)

John Owen (1616-1683) addresses the subject in the third volume of his Works in a section entitled, "Works of the Holy Spirit Preparatory Unto Regeneration." Owen writes:

"Ordinarily there are certain previous and preparatory works, or workings in and upon the souls of men, that are antecedent and dispositive unto it [i.e. regeneration]. But yet regeneration doth not consist in them, nor can it be educed out of them."

What grace is given to sinners before their regeneration? First, as stated, those who hear the gospel and the gracious invitations of Christ to sinners to come to him for salvation are receiving grace, and some will not be saved by having that grace, while others, the elect, will see that the grace of the gospel will bring them to the grace of salvation. Paul often called the gospel a grace of God, even saying "the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." (Titus 2: 11) All men enjoy some degree of "the goodness of God" and this is an instance of grace that God desires that it leads them to repentance. (Rom. 2: 4) All who were blessed to hear the Son of God preach "marveled at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth." (Luke 4: 22) To experience "godly sorrow" is a result of grace, especially when it "brings that repentance that leads to salvation." (II Cor. 7: 10)

Jesus taught that spiritual life and salvation are the result of coming to him. He also taught that prior to this coming God the Father taught the dead sinner and drew him to Christ. (John 6: 44-45) So, we cannot say that the first receiving of grace is regeneration as Sproul and the born again before faith Calvinists want us to believe.

In an Internet article titled "Union with Christ Is at the Heart of Reformation Theology" by Matthew Bingham (See here at Crossway.org), Bingham rightly shows, as have others, such as Richard Muller, how Calvin and the first Calvinists put union with Christ by faith first in their ordo salutis. He wrote (emphasis mine):

"And Bunyan was not alone in this thinking. Whether we examine pioneering sixteenth-century Reformed theologians such as John Calvin and Peter Martyr Vermigli (1499–1562), post-Reformation thinkers such as Jerome Zanchi (1516–1590) and Theodore Beza (1519–1605), or English divines such as William Perkins (1558–1602) and William Ames, the conclusion is the same: union with Christ is the controlling idea from which flows the entirety of our redemption.2 Union played a central role in the theology of the English Puritans, for whom it has been described by one historian as “the existential nerve” of their piety.3 Likewise, among twentieth-century and contemporary Reformed theologians, union with Christ continues to function as the key to rightly aligning justification, sanctification, and the very idea of an authentically Christian spiritual life: “Union with Christ is really the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation not only in its application but also in its once-for-all accomplishment in the finished work of Christ.”4"

I have been an ardent defender of the views of these "giants" of Calvinism because they rightly stuck with the scriptures and saw that 1) union with Christ must take precedence to all aspects of salvation, and 2) that union with Christ is by faith. The Calvinism of Sproul and those Calvinists who say regeneration precedes faith does not follow this order. They rather say that union with Christ precedes faith, that it is effected in regeneration apart from faith. Thus, they deny that union is by faith. I used to believe that regeneration precedes faith when I was a Hardshell Baptist Hyper Calvinist. However, I am happy that I came to see the truth about union with Christ by faith. I therefore have come to agree with Calvin and the older Calvinists in believing in this logical order:

1. God given and created faith in Christ

2. Justification, reconciliation, imputation, forgiveness

3. Regeneration, renewal, rebirth, new creation, transformation, sanctification

Bingham wrote further:

"Why has this doctrine been so important for Reformed theologians? Surely in large part it emerged organically, for as the Reformers pursued a theology driven by the principle of sola Scriptura, they couldn’t have helped but notice the centrality of union in the biblical texts themselves: “Once you have had your eyes opened to this concept of union with Christ, you will find it almost everywhere in the New Testament.”5"

Sproul, in the citation above, says that he believes that regeneration precedes faith because this is what is taught in scripture. However, Calvin and the older Calvinists did not agree with this, nor do I. Rather, the scriptures clearly teach that union with Christ by faith is first in order.

Bingham wrote further:

"But perhaps above all, union takes a central place in Reformed theology because of the way it effectively solves the puzzle of precisely how justification and sanctification relate to each other. Both blessings are necessarily present in the life of every believer because both blessings flow from the same source: Christ himself and our Spirit-wrought union with him. In a classic passage from his Institutes, John Calvin explains this as the believer’s “double grace” (duplex gratia): Christ was given to us by God’s generosity, to be grasped and possessed by us in faith. By partaking of him, we principally receive a double grace: namely, that being reconciled to God through Christ’s blamelessness, we may have in heaven instead of a Judge a gracious Father; and secondly, that sanctified by Christ’s spirit we may cultivate blamelessness and purity of life.8"

I have repeatedly shown how the later Calvinism of Sproul and his ilk created a huge theological problem when they said things happen in this logical/chronological order: 1) regeneration, 2) faith, 3) justification, 4) sanctification. You see by this order that they deny that regeneration is a sanctifying experience and since it is such, they then put sanctification before justification, a thing the first Calvinists rightly opposed, but which was the teaching of the Catholic church.

Bingham's sources:

1. John Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (Glasgow: Porteous and Hislop, 1863), 90–92. 

2. Richard A. Muller, Calvin and the Reformed Tradition: On the Work of Christ and the Order of Salvation (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012), 202–43.

3. R. Tudur Jones, “Union with Christ: The Existential Nerve of Puritan Piety,” Tyndale Bulletin 41, no. 2 (1990): 186–208, https://doi.org/10.53751/001c.30522

4. John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1955), 161. See also Michael S. Horton, Covenant and Salvation: Union with Christ (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2007); Richard Gaffin, “The Work of Christ Applied,” in Christian Dogmatics: Reformed Theology for the Church Catholic, ed. Michael Allen and Scott R. Swain (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2016).

5. Anthony A. Hoekema, Saved by Grace (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1989), 64.

6. Elsie Anne McKee, “Reformed Worship in the Sixteenth Century,” in Christian Worship in Reformed Churches Past and Present, ed. Lukas Vischer (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2003), 7.

7. Ulrich Zwingli, Selected Works, ed. Samuel Macauley Jackson (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1972), 2:217. 

Sproul states that Jonathan Edwards of the eighteenth century taught that regeneration preceded faith. Yet this also is not true, at least for adults. In this post (here) I cited Edwards who plainly said that union with Christ is by faith and that all the aspects of salvation followed from that union. Here are some excerpts:

"So remission of sin, and inheritance among them that are sanctified, are mentioned together as what are jointly obtained by faith in Christ, Acts xxvi. 18. “That they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them that are sanctified, through faith that is in me.” Both these are without doubt implied in that passing from death to life, which Christ speaks of as the fruit of faith, and which he opposes to condemnation, John v. 24. “Verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”"

"This relation or union to Christ, whereby Christians are said to be in Christ, (whatever it be,) is the ground of their right to his benefits. This needs no proof; the reason of the thing, at first blush, demonstrates it. It is exceeding evident also by Scripture, 1 John v.12. “He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son, hath not life.” 1 Cor. i.30. “Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us–righteousness.” First we must be in him, and then he will be made righteousness or justification to us. Eph. i.6. “Who hath made us accepted in the beloved.” Our being in him is the ground or our being accepted. So it is in those unions to which the Holy Ghost has thought fit to compare this. The union of the members of the body with the head, is the ground of their partaking of the life of the head; it is the union of the branches to the stock, which is the ground of their partaking of the sap and life of the stock; it is the relation of the wife to the husband, that is the ground of her joint interest in his estate; they are looked upon, in several respects, as one in law."

"And thus it is that faith is the qualification in any person that renders it meet in the sight of God that he should be looked upon as having Christ’s satisfaction and righteousness belonging to him, viz. because it is that in him which, on his part, makes up this union between him and Christ. By what has been just now observed, it is a person’s being, according to scripture phrase, in Christ, that is the ground of having his satisfaction and merits belong to him, and a right to the benefits procured thereby. The reason of it is plain; it is easy to see how our having Christ’s merits and benefits belonging to us, following from our having (if I may so speak) Christ himself belonging to us, or our being united to him. And if so, it must also be easy to see how, or in what manner, that in a person, which on his part makes up the union between his soul and Christ, should be the thing on the account of which God looks on it as meet that he should have Christ’s merits belonging to him."

Professor Richard A. Muller is an American historian of theology and professor emeritus at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He wrote a book titled "Calvin and the Reformed Tradition: On the Work of Christ and the Order of Salvation." He shows that the first Calvinists of the Reformation put union with Christ by faith first in the order of salvation. There is an excellent short video on YouTube titled "Did the Ordo Salutis Replace Union with Christ?" which addressed what Muller said in Chapter 7 "of Calvin and the Reformed Tradition." (Listen to it here)

So, when you hear Calvinists of the "born again before faith" stripe say that "the Reformers" of the 16th century believed that regeneration precedes faith, don't let them get away with saying that without challenging them to prove it. Did Sproul not know better? Was he giving a false narrative?

Problems in Divorcing Conversion From Regeneration (3)

Heinrich Bullinger (1504–1575) 

Bullinger was a leading Swiss Reformer, successor to Huldrych Zwingli as the chief pastor and Antistes in Zürich, and one of the most prolific and influential theological writers of the 16th-century Reformation. We have already seen where John Calvin and Theodore Beza believed that sinners were born again or regenerated by faith and yet were the great leaders of Calvinism at the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. In a separate post (here) I wrote several years ago I showed that Martin Luther, though not a Calvinist, yet a denier of "free will" and a predestinarian, also believed that sinners were born again by faith. In his Preface to the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans, Luther wrote (emphasis mine): 

"Faith is a work of God in us, which changes us and brings us to birth anew from God (cf. John 1). It kills the old Adam, makes us completely different people in heart, mind, senses, and all our powers, and brings the Holy Spirit with it. What a living, creative, active powerful thing is faith!" (As cited here)

And, in his commentary on Galatians Luther wrote: 

"Paul as a true apostle of faith always has the word "faith" on the tip of his tongue. By faith, says he, we are the children of God. The Law cannot beget children of God. It cannot regenerate us. It can only remind us of the old birth by which we were born into the kingdom of the devil. The best the Law can do for us is to prepare us for a new birth through faith in Christ Jesus. Faith in Christ regenerates us into the children of God. St. John bears witness to this in his Gospel: 'As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." (John 1:12.).'" 

Bullinger, as we will see, agrees with Calvin, Luther, and Beza, writing these words (emphasis mine), taken from his sermons, which are available to read (here):

"But we briefly and truly affirm that by true faith, a man lives, is happy, attains to the chief goodness, is conjoined to the chief goodness, and is also justified: so that God dwells in us, and we in him; and by faith we are both happy and blessed. What, I ask you, could have been spoken more excellently, worthily, or divinely, touching true faith? For see that faith quickens us, makes us happy, and joins us to the chief goodness, so that He 1 in us, and we in him, may live; and faith also fully justifies us."

Spiritual life comes to dead sinners by faith. As a result of faith God dwells in a believer and a believer enters "into Christ." This is denied, however, by those later Calvinists who said that regeneration, being "in Christ," having spiritual life, precedes faith.

Bullinger wrote further:

"Faith quickens or makes alive. For "the just lives by faith." 3 Paul very often in his writings alleges this out of the prophets. The same Paul also says, "The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Gal 2.20 Faith joins us to the eternal and chief goodness, and so it makes us enjoy the chief goodness, so that God may dwell in us and we in God. For the Lord Jesus himself says in the gospel, "He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, so also I live by the Father, and he that eats me shall live by me." Joh 6.56-57" (pg. 56 FIFTH SERMON: ONLY ONE TRUE FAITH)

Again, very clear denial of the regeneration before faith view. As long as a sinner is detached or unjoined from Christ, who is life, he remains dead. So the apostle John taught, saying "whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son does not have life." (I John 5:12) Christ must be "received" by faith, he must be "partaken" of by faith, as Jesus said, "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of God and drink his blood you have no life in you." (John 6: 53) As the first Reformers of the Calvinist tradition taught, Christ is eaten by faith and is when sinners become "partakers of Christ." (Heb. 3:14) So Christ taught that it is by believing in him that they enter into him, are "in him." (See my post on that here)

Bullinger wrote further:

"The very same God also wills that we obtain and have life in us, and that we have it no other way than by faith. For the apostle Paul taught that Christ dwells in our hearts by faith. Eph 3.17 Moreover, the Lord himself also witnesses, and says, "He that eats me shall live by me." Joh 6.57 But you know, dearly beloved, that to eat Christ is to believe in him. And therefore, we knit up this place with these words of St. Peter: "All the prophets bear witness to this Christ, that whoever believes in him shall receive forgiveness of sins through his name." Act 10.43" (pg. 61 1-6. SIXTH SERMON: JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH)

That is the historic Calvinist position. Later Calvinists altered these views and began to teach that spiritual life and resurrection are first given to sinners to make them believe. They thought that they were improving the views of Calvin, Beza, Luther, etc., "refining" Calvinism, as if it were a science like physics, that is constantly being refined. I rather think that the new testament writers, following Christ, warned of how the original pure doctrine of the church would be corrupted, not refined as time went on.

Bullinger wrote further, confirming what I just showed from scripture:

"Faith alone — by which we believe in Christ, who was lifted up for the remission of our sins, and in whom alone our life and sure salvation assuredly consists — is the only thing that quickens us, who are already dying by the envenomed sting of Satan, which is sin...By faith we are made partakers of Christ."

"For by faith, Christ dwells and lives in us...Only those who believe and trust in him, are made partakers of this redemption. For whoever receives Christ Jesus by true faith, through the preaching of the gospel, are thereby justified; that is, they are acquitted from their sins, sanctified, and made heirs of eternal life." (pg. 511 4-1. THE FIRST SERMON: OF THE GOSPEL.)

When Paul said "whatever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14: 23) he intimates that "all is by faith." Yet, this is denied by Calvinists who say that regeneration and obtaining spiritual life precedes faith. Bullinger, like Calvin, Beza, and others in their time, taught that justification, regeneration, quickening, forgiveness or remission of sins, sanctification, were all "by faith." 

William Perkins (1558–1602) was a towering influence in the English Reformed movement and similar movements in the European Continent and New England. Dr. Joel Beeke, expert on Perkins and the Puritans, wrote the following on his web page (See here) citing Perkins who wrote (emphasis mine):

 

Q. But how mayest thou be made partaker of Christ and his benefits?

A. A man of a contrite and humble spirit, by faith alone apprehending and applying Christ with all his merits unto himself, is justified before God and sanctified….

Q. How doth God bring men truly to believe in Christ?

A. First, he prepareth their hearts, that they might be capable of faith, and then he worketh faith in them. 

 

Q. How doth God prepare men’s hearts?

A. By bruising them, as if one would break a hard stone to powder; and this is done by humbling them (Ezek. 11:19; Hos. 6:1–2).

Q. How doth God humble a man?

A. By working in him a sight of his sins, and a sorrow for them.”4

In "A GOLDEN CHAIN or, The Description of Theology Containing the order of the causes of Salvation and Damnation, according to God’s Word," originally published in 1592 (you can read here), Perkins wrote the following about union with Christ (emphasis mine):

"The bond of this union. This union is made by the Spirit of God applying Christ to us; and on our parts, it is, by faith, receiving Christ Jesus offered to us. And for this cause, it is termed a spiritual union...An actual living member of Christ is every one elected, who being grafted into Christ by faith and the Spirit, feels and displays the power of Christ in him."

"God executes this effectual calling by certain means. The first means is the saving hearing of the word of God, which is when that word is preached outwardly to someone who is both dead in his sins, and does not so much as dream of his salvation. Eze 16.6, When I passed by you, I saw you polluted in your own blood, and I said to you, when you were in your blood, you shall live. Isa 55.1, Ho, every one that thirsts, come to the waters, and you who have no silver, come, buy and eat; come I say, and buy wine and milk without silver, and without money. Joh 1.12, As many as received Him, to them he gave this privilege, that they should become the sons of God; namely, to those who believed in His name."

"It is first of all, the Law showing a man his sin, and the punishment for it, which is eternal death. Afterward, the Gospel, showing salvation by Christ Jesus, to those who believe."

"Christ is received when each individual person particularly applies to himself, Christ with His merits, by an inward persuasion of the heart." 

This was also the teaching of the first Particular Baptists of the early 17th century. John Spilsbury (1593-1668) taught this same thing when he wrote the following in his personal confession of faith (which I wrote about in this post here):

"I believe that God of his grace, in his own time, effectually calls such as shall be saved to the knowledge of the truth, who is said, of his own will to beget us by the word of truth: in which work of grace, nature is as passive, as a child in the parents begetting of it; and so God by His Spirit works faith in the hearts of all such to believe in Christ, and his righteousness, only for justification. And thus they are made righteous before God in Christ, and so conformable to the will of God the Father through the Son; and also made holy through the work of regeneration, and the holy Spirit of grace dwelling in them; yet all such have still, as long as they live here in the flesh, remaining in them, an old man, that original corruption, the flesh that wars against the spirit, which hinders them in their obedience both to God and to man, and many times draws them to that which is evil, and contrary to their intentions; yet all of them shall through Christ overcome, and safely be brought to glory at last."

The word "thus" shows that he believed, as John Calvin, that both justification and regeneration follow union with Christ by faith. The views of Calvin, Beza, Bullinger, Perkins, and Spilsbury were also the views of Augustine (354-430) who wrote (emphasis mine):

"'But,' saith He, 'there are some among you that believe not.' He said not There are some among you that understand not; but He told the cause why they understand not 'There are some among you that believe not,' and therefore they understand not, because they believe not. For the prophet has said, 'If ye believe not, ye shall not understand.'(2) We are united by faith, quickened by understanding. Let us first adhere to Him through faith, that there may be that which may be quickened by understanding. For he who adheres not resists; he that resists believes not. And how can he that resists be quickened?" (Philip Schaff, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Series 1, Volume 7, St. Augustine, Harmony of the Gospels, Homilies on the Gospel of John, "Tractate XXVI, Chapter VI. 60-72," 288; as cited here)

Notice that quickening follows faith. Spiritual life is received by faith. This is denied, however, by the Hyper Calvinists and those who say that regeneration or spiritual life precedes faith. 

Problems in Divorcing Conversion From Regeneration (2)

Theodore Beza (1519-1605)

When I asked Google AI if Beza believed that regeneration preceded faith, I got this answer:

"Theodore Beza did not believe that faith preceded regeneration; rather, as a central architect of Reformed scholasticism, he held that regeneration (or effectual calling) logically precedes saving faith."

After I gave evidence to the contrary to AI, AI then said I was right and gave me the evidence from other sources that say I was right. I asked AI why it keeps making these errors. So, folks, do not trust AI to give you the correct answer. It is still learning. lol

In the previous chapter I showed that John Calvin, for whose namesake we get the word "Calvinism," did not believe that regeneration or rebirth of the Spirit preceded faith but believed faith preceded. Now I wish to cite from Theodore Beza, Calvin's close friend and one who co-founded with him the Geneva Academy and who succeeded him in leadership of the Reformed churches. He was also, even more than Calvin, a Greek scholar, having published critical and influential editions of the Greek New Testament (with his own Latin translations and detailed annotations) in 1565 and 1582. I say this because he believed like Calvin that regeneration was by faith and obviously therefore did not believe that I John 5:1 taught that regeneration or rebirth occurred before faith from the Greek grammar as later Calvinists would argue.

In "Propositions and Principles of Divinity" (You can read it here), Chapters 22-26, "concerning Faith, Justification, and Sanctification," and the sub-heading "PRINCIPLES CONCERNING FAITH. XXII," Beza wrote (emphasis mine):

"1. CHRISTIAN faith is that only hand, whereby we take hold, or apply unto ourselves, Christ being offered unto us, with all his benefits, that are necessary unto our salvation." 

"5. We affirm this Faith to be the mere gift of God, peculiar only to the elect: and such a gift as in no wise can be repented of, or called back, or being the most sure & immovable remedy unto the salvation of all the elect." 

This is what Calvin taught. He said that union with Christ is what must first occur before any of Christ's saving benefits can be obtained and since union with Christ is by faith, faith must precede not only justification, but regeneration, sanctification, etc. Since penitent faith is the substance of evangelical conversion, it precedes or is identical with regeneration. Calvin and Beza saw regeneration as sanctifying and believed, contrary to the Catholics, that justification precedes sanctification. The idea that union with Christ by faith is first in the order of salvation was also the teaching of the oldest Calvinist confessions, such as the Belgic (1561), the French Calvinist (1559), Westminster (1646) London Baptist (1644 & 1689).

The Belgic Confession says:

Article 22: Our Justification Through Faith in Jesus Christ We believe that to attain the true knowledge of this great mystery the Holy Ghost kindleth in our hearts an upright faith, which embraces Jesus Christ with all His merits, appropriates Him,1 and seeks nothing more besides Him.2 For it must needs follow, either that all things which are requisite to our salvation are not in Jesus Christ, or if all things are in Him, that then those who possess Jesus Christ through faith have complete salvation in Him.3 

Article 24: Man's Sanctification and Good Works We believe that this true faith, being wrought in man by the hearing of the Word of God and the operation of the Holy Ghost,1 doth regenerate and make him a new man, causing him to live a new life2 and freeing him from the bondage of sin.3 Therefore it is so far from being true that this justifying faith makes men remiss in a pious and holy life,4 that on the contrary without it they would never do anything out of love to God, but only out of self-love or fear of damnation.

Notice that the confession says that "true faith...doth regenerate and make him a new man" and causes him to have a new life.

The French Confession Of Faith A.D. 1559 (drawn up under the supervision of Calvin) said: "XXII. We believe that by this faith we are regenerated in newness of life, being by nature subject to sin." 

Westminster catechism says:

Q. 30. How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ? A. The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling. 

Q. 31. What is effectual calling? A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel. 

 Q. 32. What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life? A. They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, sanctification, and the several benefits which, in this life, do either accompany or flow from them. 

Notice that all the benefits of redemption, which would include regeneration or quickening, come from union with Christ and union is by faith. The Baptist Catechism attached to the 1689 London confession says the same.

Next, under "PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF FAITH" (XXIII) Beza wrote:

"1. THE efficient cause of faith indeed, and to speak properly, is one; to wit, the mercy of God. 

2. The ordinary means whereby the same is wrought, (that is, whereby both the understanding of man is framed unto a saving knowledge of God in Christ, and a particular receiving thereof; and also the will powerfully disposed unto a right order of the affections) is the preaching of God’s word, delivered unto us by the Prophets and Apostles, and for that cause (so far as it concerneth the elect) appointed to be in the Church."

It was when later Calvinists began to deny that regeneration or rebirth was by faith that they also began to deny that the word of God was a means in regeneration. In this post (here) I gave citations from W.G.T. Shedd's Systematic Theology where he said:

"The Lutheran doctrine, stated in the apology for the Augsburg Confession and in the Formula of Concord, employs regeneration in the wide meaning, but distinguishes carefully between justification and sanctification. In the Reformed church, the term regeneration was also employed in the wide signification...Regeneration thus included not only the new birth, but all that issues from it. It comprised the converting acts of faith and repentance...The divines of the seventeenth century very generally do not distinguish between regeneration and conversion, but employ the two as synonyms. Owen does this continually (On the Spirit 3.5), and Charnock likewise (Attributes, Practical Atheism)...Consequently, there arose gradually a stricter use of the term regeneration and its discrimination from conversion. Turretin (15.4.13) defines two kinds of conversion, as the term was employed in his day. The first is habitual or passive conversion. It is the production of a habit or disposition in the soul: Habitual or passive conversion occurs through the infusion of supernatural habits by the Holy Spirit. The second kind is actual or active conversion...Regeneration is the origination of life; conversion is the evolution and manifestation of life...Regeneration is wholly an act of God; conversion is wholly an activity of man...regeneration is not effected by the use of means, in the strict signification of the term means. The Holy Spirit employs means in conviction, in conversion, and in sanctification, but not in regeneration...the word and truth of God, the most important of all the means of grace, is not a means of regeneration..." 

  

(You can read the larger citations in the post I mentioned; these are excerpts)

Next Beza wrote:

"3. But here two extremities are to be taken heed unto: the one of the ENTHUSIASTS, who do not only distinguish but also separate the internal word as they call it: that is, the work of the Spirit of God in our souls, from the preaching of the written word: whence followeth not any faith, but rather a mere dotage." 

These old "Enthusiasts" remind me of the Hardshell Baptists who likewise distinguish between the internal word and the preaching of the written word. When they are confronted with I Peter 1: 23 and James 1: 18 where it is said that sinners are "born again" or "begotten" by the "word of God" or "word of truth" they will often say that this is a word that Jesus speaks directly to a sinner apart from the written word of God. It also reminds me of the rhema versus logos doctrine (or "word of faith" doctrine) of Pentecostals such as Kenneth Hagin who say that the rhema word is the word that Jesus speaks to you apart from the written word of God, as he does to prophets, and to them this rhema word has more weight than the written word of God. I wrote a short post on this (here).

Next Beza wrote:

"4. Now that which we have spoken of the Ecclesiastical ministry, is so to be taken, as in the mean time we are to know, that God as often as it pleaseth him, is able in a moment by the inward operation of his Spirit, extraordinarily to regenerate his elect."  

That is the essence of Calvinism. I recently wrote about his (here), stating that it is this truth that makes me a Calvinist and how even many Arminians pray this way.

Next Beza wrote:

"9. Now that true and lively faith, whereof we speak, is no less made known, by the perpetual and necessary effects thereof, than is the life of the body, by motion and sense. 

 

10. But these effects do not give being unto faith, or inform the same, as the Sophisters do most absurdly dream, but they are the undoubted and sure signs of it." 

 

This surely condemns those Calvinists today who say that regeneration precedes faith for they surely teach that regeneration and its effects are what gives being unto faith.

Beza continued:

11. These effects are partly carried out of us unto Christ, with whom we are united by faith, and partly they do beget some things within us.

12. The outward effects, inasmuch as they do peculiarly apply Christ and his benefits, unto those that believe, and therefore the most excellent, and of greatest account. And they are, both the full remission of all sins, as well original as actual, by the blood of Christ, and also the bestowing upon us of all righteousness fulfilled by him, together with the most full restoring and repairing of our nature in the flesh of Christ: All which, are freely by faith in Christ, imputed unto us, who take hold both of him and his gifts. 

 

13. Another effect of our spiritual joining together with him by faith is, that he governeth by his Holy Spirit, both our understanding & will, being sanctified and brought out of darkness unto that marvelous light; so as we begin to think, to will, and to do, the things that are of God."

Notice again the important basic proposition that says that faith is the means of a person becoming united to Christ and how all the benefits of redemption (of which regeneration or spiritual life is one) follows that union. The "repairing of our nature" is a result of union with Christ by faith.

Next he wrote:

"PRINCIPLES CONCERNING MAN’S JUSTIFICATION IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. XXIIII"

"11. The effect inherent in us, as in a subject, is that new quality, which is called inherent righteousness, or regeneration, which in no wise doth absolve us in the presence of God, but is only a most sure witness of our engrafting into Christ, and therefore, of our free absolution in him."

Beza says that regeneration is an effect of justification by faith. That is the biblical teaching. It was what Calvin, Beza, and others of the first Calvinists of the Reformation taught. They taught that faith preceded both justification and regeneration. Today's Calvinists who put regeneration before faith have also taken the Catholic view that says justification follows regeneration and sanctification. Those Calvinists who do so have not improved Calvinism but have adulterated it.

Next Beze writes the following under "PRINCIPLES CONCERNING SANCTIFICATION" [XXV.]:

"SEEING THE EFFECT OF FAITH IS twofold, Justification and Sanctification: it followeth that having spoken of the former, we adjoin the latter unto it."

Notice that he puts justification before sanctification and also know that he rightly saw how regeneration is sanctifying. Louis Berkhof even acknowledges this when he wrote:

"At the same time regeneration is the beginning of sanctification. The work of renewal, begun in the former, is continued in the latter, Phil. 1:6." (Systematic Theology Chapter X "Sanctification" - here)

So, not only do Calvinists of the "born again before faith" camp put regeneration before justification but also put sanctification before justification.

Next Beza wrote:

"1. HERE first of all, we do especially distinguish, Sanctification, whereof we are now to speak, from that most perfect integrity which in Christ is imputed unto us, as the effect is to be severed from the cause, and the fruit from the tree.

2. To express this whereof we now speak, there do occur many & diverse names in the holy Scriptures, as are these especially in the new testament: Sanctification, regeneration, newness of life, Baptism taken passively, Spirit, mortification of the old man, and the quickening of the new, with other the like phrases, which would be too long to be here recited."

Notice how Beza sees regeneration as the beginning of sanctification as well as the fruit of justification by faith. 

Beza continued:

"11. This faith is in no wise of ourselves, but from the mere grace of God, the Holy Ghost mercifully creating the same in the understanding, and the heart of the elect, that is, being the cause that after they have heard, and understood the word of the Gospel, they do truly believe although not perfectly..."

Those Calvinists who teach the "born again before faith" error tell us that if we do not put regeneration before faith that we then deny total depravity, accept Arminian 'prevenient grace,' deny that regeneration is the work of God wherein the sinner is totally passive, and the whole Calvinistic system. However, that is simply not true. Why? Because, as Beza says, faith is God's creation. That is what he said in the above citation and in others I could cite.

Beza continued:

"13. That new quality then, called inherent righteousness, and regeneration testified by good works, is a necessary effect of true faith: whence it is to be gathered, that good works are by no means the causes, but only the witnesses of that imputed justification, whereby alone troubled consciences are at rest. for they are no otherwise to be considered, than as things that necessarily follow the believer’s being already justified in Christ."

Why did Calvin and Beza not see that their teaching of regeneration by faith caused all the problems that those Calvinists of the "regenerated before faith" view create? Why did they not see how the grammar of I John 5:1 taught the born again before faith view? In the above citation Beza again says that regeneration is by faith. He also spoke of "Doctrines therefore are to be detested." Such doctrines included the view "That no man can be assured of his salvation" and "That our Justification in the sight of God, is an effect of our Regeneration." Today's Calvinists of the "born again before faith" view who in their ordo salutis put regeneration before justification would be denounced by Calvin and Beza and other Calvinists, such as I, being a view that they "detested." 

The following is taken from this web page (here) of "puritans mind" and the article titled "Faith and Justification - by Theodore Beza (1519-1605)." The author writes:

"The following article by Theodore Beza was taken from chapter four (sections 1-13) of his book The Christian Faith, translated into English by James Clark (Focus Christian Ministries Trust, East Essex England, 1992)." Then follow these citations from Beza (emphasis mine):

The Holy Spirit makes us partakers of Jesus Christ by Faith Alone

The Holy Spirit is therefore the One through whom the Father places and maintains His elect in possession of Jesus Christ, His Son; and, consequently, of all the graces which are necessary to their salvation.

But it is necessary, in the first place, that the Holy Spirit makes us suitable and ready to receive Jesus Christ. This is what He does in creating in us, by His pure goodness and Divine mercy, that which we call ‘faith’ (Eph. 1: 17; Phil 1: 29; 2 ‘Mess 3:2), the sole instrument by which we take hold of Jesus Christ when He is offered to us, the sole vessel to receive Him (John 3:1-13, 33-36).

Further on, we will return to this; in the first place we shall define what this so precious faith is, and what are its effects and powers."

"How faith is necessary, and what faith is. We are at this point such enemies of our own salvation, because of our natural corruption (Rom 8:7; 1 Cor. 2:14), that if God had merely contented Himself to tell us that we shall find our salvation in Jesus Christ, we would only mock it; thus has the world always done and will do until the end (1 Cor. 1:23-25; John 10:20; Acts 2:13; Luke 23:35). Even more, if He added nothing more than to tell us also that the means whereby we experience the efficacy of this remedy against eternal death is to believe in Jesus Christ, that would profit us nothing (John 3:5-6). For, in all this, we are more than dumb (Ps. 51:15; Is 6:5; Jer. 1:6), deaf (Ps. 40:6; John 8:47; Matt 13:13), and blind through the corruption of our nature (John 1:5; 3:3; 9:41). It would be no more possible for us even to wish to believe than it would be for a dead man to fly (John 12:38,39; 6:44)...In declaring to us that He has given His own only Son so that whosoever takes hold of Him by faith should not perish (John 3:16), He creates also in us this instrument of faith which He requires from us."

"On the other side, faith embraces and appropriates Jesus Christ and all that is in Him, since He has been given to us on the condition of believing in Him (John 17:20,21; Rom 8:9). There follows one of two things: either all that is necessary for our salvation is not in Jesus Christ, or if all is indeed there, he who has Jesus Christ by faith has everything. Now, to say that all which is necessary for our salvation is not in Jesus Christ is a very horrible blasphemy, for this would only make Him a Saviour in part (Matt 1:21). There remains therefore the other part: in having Jesus Christ, by faith, we have in Him all that is required for our salvation (Rom 5:1)."

"Here is the explanation of our justification by faith alone: faith is the instrument which receives Jesus Christ and, consequently, which receives His righteousness, that is to say, all perfection. When therefore, after St. Paul (Rom 1: 17; 3:21-27; 4:3; 5:1; 9:30-33; 11:6; Gal 2:16-21; 3:9,10,18; Phil 3:9; 2 Tim 1:9; Titus 3:5; Heb. 11:7) we say that we are justified by faith alone, or freely, or by faith without works (for all these ways of speaking give the same sense), we do not say that faith is a virtue which makes us righteous, in ourselves, before God. For this would be to put faith in the place of Jesus Christ who is, alone, our perfect and entire righteousness."

"But we speak thus with the Apostle, and we say that by faith alone we are justified, insomuch as it embraces Him who justifies us, Jesus Christ, to whom it unites and joins us. We are then made partakers of Him and the benefits which He possesses. These, being imputed and gifted to us, are more than sufficient to make us acquitted and accounted righteous before God."

"It is established that to be assured of one’s salvation, through faith, is not only neither presumption nor arrogance, but, on the contrary, is the sole means of stripping oneself of all pride, to give all glory to God (Rom 8:16,38; Eph 3:12; Heb. 10:22,23; 1 John 4:13; 5:19; Rom 3:27; 4:20; 1 Cor. 4:4; 9:26,27). Because faith alone teaches us to go out of ourselves, and compels us, to earnestly acknowledge that in ourselves there is nothing but cause for complete damnation. Thus it sends us away to Jesus Christ, and it teaches us and assures us that we shall find salvation before God through His righteousness alone. Truly, all that is in Jesus Christ, that is to say, all the righteousness and perfection (in Him there was no sin and moreover He has fulfilled all the righteousness of the Law), is placed to our account and gifted to us as if it were our own, provided that we embrace Him by faith."

"That is why the Church, that is to say, the assembly of believers, is called the Spouse of Jesus Christ, her Husband (Rom 7:2-6; 8:35; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph 5:31,32); it is to more clearly show the greatness of the union and communion which exists between Jesus Christ and those who, through faith, have entrusted themselves to him. For, by virtue of this union and this spiritual marriage through faith, He takes all our miseries upon Himself, and we receive from Him all His treasures, by His pure goodness and mercy. This is what we are going to see."

"In the same way as the soul produces its effects when it is naturally united to the body, so, when, by faith, Jesus Christ dwells in us in a spiritual manner, His power produces there and reveals there His graces. These are described in Scripture by the words ‘regeneration’ and ‘sanctification’, and they make us new creatures with regard to the qualities that we can have (John 3:3; Eph 4:21-24)."

Are We Seeing The Four Horsemen?

My series on the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse can be read in its own blog here, which is not quite finished as I still have to write on the pale green horse. However, my focus on this short article is on the red horse and his rider. In today's "featured post" I have one of the articles on the red horse. During the time of that rider's presence and work we will see global unrest, civil war. Is this what we are seeing happening in Europe now? Or, is it a mere prelude to it? The second article in the several chapters on the red horse I titled "Reign of Terror" which is an allusion to what took place in France during the French Revolution in 1793-1794. Whether or not the riots in twelve countries in Europe that are now raging (and growing too) are the beginning of the events of the red horse is yet to be fully determined. However, it very well may be the "beginning of sorrows" (Matt. 24:8) and the time when peace is taken from the earth.

Some of the scriptures I wrote about in conjunction with the red horse rider and his associates are these:

"And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword." (Rev. 6: 3-4)

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." (Luke 21: 25-26)

"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually ...The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." (6: 5, 11-12)

"the sword of the LORD shall devour from one end of the land to the other end of the land; no flesh shall have peace." (Jeremiah 12:12) 

"For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace." (Jer. 30: 5) 

"For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour." (Zech. 8: 10)

“there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city; for God did vex them with all adversity.” (2 Chronicles 15:3, 5.)

In the thirteenth article in my series on the red horse I cited these words of Christ:

"But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. Then said he unto them, Nation (or race) shall rise against nation (race), and kingdom against kingdom...and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." (Luke 21: 9-11; 25-26)

I pointed out that "nations" denoted ethnicities, not so much political states. Is this ethnic and religious fighting in Europe and America not what Christ spoke about?

Problems in Divorcing Conversion From Regeneration (1)

The Historical Evolution: Broad vs. Narrow

The definition of regeneration underwent a significant shift between early Reformation theology and later Systematized Calvinism. To prevent confusion and to establish that salvation is entirely by sovereign grace (monergism), later Reformed thinkers deliberately narrowed the definition. 

Concept	Broad Regeneration (Early Reformed)	Narrow Regeneration (Later Reformed)
Primary Advocates	John Calvin, early Reformers	Later Scholastic Calvinists, Louis Berkhof, modern Reformed theology
Scope & Definition	The entire lifelong process of a Christian's transformation. It includes the initial heart change, conversion, lifelong sanctification, and ultimate glorification.	Exclusively the instantaneous, monergistic act of God implanting new spiritual life into a dead soul.
Relation to Faith	Occurs alongside and through a lifetime of faith and repentance.	Logically precedes faith (the famous maxim: "regeneration precedes faith").

When doing Google or Yahoo searches about the ordo salutis I often find AI telling me that regeneration precedes faith and that this is the Calvinist view. I have interacted with AI and showed AI the evidence of how this is false. AI then says "you are right" and then gives the evidence, agreeing that John Calvin and other Calvinists do not believe regeneration precedes faith and do not believe that regeneration is distinct from conversion. 

John Calvin and the first Calvinists of the Reformation did not believe that regeneration or the new birth preceded faith. All one has to do is to read the section on "Regeneration" in Calvin's Institutes to see this fact. Chapter Three even has these words in the title "REGENERATION BY FAITH." You can read it for yourself (here). I have cited from this work in these posts (here, here, here). John Calvin, also said the following in his commentary on I John 5:1:

"Whosoever believeth He confirms by another reason, that faith and brotherly love are united; for since God regenerates us by faith he must necessarily be loved by us as a Father; and this love embraces all his children." 

Calvin's comment on 1 Corinthians 13:13, where Calvin says  

"In fine, it is by faith that we are born again, that we become the sons of God -- that we obtain eternal life, and that Christ dwells in us."

Obviously Calvin did not believe that the argument by many Calvinists today that I John 5: 1 proves that spiritual birth preceded and caused faith in Christ due to the Greek grammar of the text, based upon "the one believing" being a present tense participle and "is born" being perfect tense. Further, John Calvin knew Greek well. I have also shown how this argument is invalid for we have texts that have the same structure as I John 5:1 and which disproves this argument, even though it is made by Calvinists who are well versed in Greek. (See these posts of mine on this point here, here, here) I know ministers who are well versed in Greek but who nevertheless grossly misinterpret scripture. Just because you know Greek does not mean you will interpret texts accurately. 

I have also given examples in English where we use a present tense participle with a perfect tense verb where the action of the participle occurred before the action of the perfect verb such as in this sentence:

"Whoever is thinking this way (present participle) has realized (perfect) this truth." 

That certainly doesn't mean that the coming to realization precedes the thinking of the participle. 

Many Calvinists who believe that regeneration should be defined narrowly to the exclusion of conversion (faith and repentance) and contend that it precedes conversion want others to believe that this is THE Calvinist or Reformed view as if no Calvinist has ever believed otherwise. When they are confronted, however, with the views of John Calvin, and others who followed him in the 16th and 17th centuries, and even many today such as I, who taught or teach that faith precedes regeneration or being reborn, they then begin to show frustration with this fact, cognitive dissonance, and have difficulty explaining this embarrassing fact to others. They use several tactics to try to get people to believe that Calvin really agreed with them and did not really believe regeneration was by faith, even though he clearly stated that this was his belief.

Tactic #1 - Calvin defined regeneration broadly to include conversion and saw it as being like renewing which is progressive throughout the life of a believer.

Tactic #2 - Though Calvin believed that regeneration was by faith he did not believe that people are born again by faith.

Tactic #3 - Later Calvinists improved upon Calvin's view, which view they say was confusing, and therefore redefined regeneration in a very narrow sense, which restricted definition excluded conversion. They also affirm that regeneration is synonymous with being reborn. 

Tactic number one clouds the fact that even though Calvin interpreted "regeneration" broadly, yet he still included initial regeneration as being by faith. 

Tactic number two is to be rejected because Calvin not only said that regeneration was by faith but so too was being born of God. 

Tactic number three is an opinion without any objective proof. More evidence for the contrary view exists, which says that later Calvinists who rejected the broad view of regeneration and gave it a very narrow and restricted definition are the ones who created confusion and imposed their view on scripture, for the scripture clearly identifies regeneration with conversion. These later Calvinists indicted the intelligence of Calvin and the great Calvinists of the Reformation.

Many of the Calvinists who restricted the definition of regeneration to exclude conversion, to exclude faith and repentance, acknowledge that this was a later development in post reformation Calvinism and say that it is an improvement to Calvin and the older Calvinists who defined regeneration broadly so as to include conversion. See these posts for citations from these Calvinist historians where they affirm this to be true (here, here, here) The question is this: do the scriptures see conversion as regeneration? And, do the scriptures teach that faith precedes salvation in all its aspects or stages? Or, do the scriptures clearly say that faith is the result of being born again? And, what are the theological consequences for saying faith follows regeneration? 

The Problems

Those Calvinists who diverged from Calvin and the older Calvinists and began to restrict what is involved in being regenerated or born again have done much harm. 

1, One error is their divorcing regeneration from conversion or from salvation. 

2. Another error is their defining regeneration as an experience wherein the sinner is only passive and in no wise active. 

3. Another error defines regeneration to the divine action or cause to the exclusion of the effects or actions of the regenerated.

3. Another error is in their denying that regeneration occurs apart from the instrumentality of the word or gospel of God. 

4. Another error says that being regenerated or born again is an experience on the sub-conscious level. 

5. Another error says that there are no prior preparatory acts nor any prevenient or common graces that precede regeneration. 

6. Another error says conviction of sin is evidence of regeneration. 

7. Another error says that regeneration and sanctification logically precedes justification.

In upcoming chapters we will look at each of these problems. I firmly believe that the born again before faith error arose out of Hyper Calvinism, although I am sure that those who hold to it will not want to admit that such is true.