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.

Other Examples On I John 5:1

This is a follow up to two previous articles. First, to my article "I John 5:1 Again" (here). Second, to my article "Rebutting Hardshell Arguments (2)" (here). In the former article I gave another text where we have a case where a present participle is used with a perfect verb in order to show that those who argue that the perfect verb shows that the action of the participle is a result of the verb. I showed where Romans 13: 8 shows that such is not the case. In the latter article I cited from some "Primitive" (Hardshell) elders who wrote a lengthy defense of Hardshell doctrine and examined several texts that they used to try to say that they taught that regeneration preceded faith because of the structure of having a present tense participle and a perfect tense verb. However, these elders stated what was not true about the texts they used. One such example is in these words of their polemic:

"B. John 3:36, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life..." Again, "believeth" is present tense and "hath" is past tense. Thus everlasting life (new birth) precedes belief."

I responded by saying:

No, "believeth" is a present tense participle (the one who is believing) in the active voice and "hath" (has) is not a past tense verb in the Greek but is also a present tense indicative active. 

They did the same thing in a couple other passages, which I corrected. Shortly, I will give examples from another Hardshell Baptist who has done the same distortion of scripture on the same point. First, however, I want to give a couple other examples where a present participle and a perfect tense verb are used and structured like I John 5:1 and yet do not teach that the action of the verb preceded and caused the action of the participle. 

Example Number One

The first new example comes from the same chapter, where John writes:

"He who does not believe (present participle) God has made (perfect tense) Him a liar; because he believes not the record that God gave of his Son." (I John 5: 10)

The action of disbelieving results in the state of treating God as a liar. Surely it does not mean that the unbelievers made God a liar and this is what caused them to not believe. Rather, it means that by their unbelieving that they made God a liar.

Example Number Two

"he who is believing (present participle) in Him is not judged (present tense verb), but he who is not believing (present participle) has been judged (perfect tense) already, because he has not believed (perfect tense verb) in the Name of the only begotten Son of God." (Literal Standard Version)

Here we see where the "not believing" is a present participle and is the cause of having been judged (condemned) and "has been judged" is a perfect tense. So, which came first? Some of those who teach regeneration before faith will say that the condemnation preceded the not believing and caused it and say that the word "already" shows that. But, that cannot be because Christ says that the unbelievers are condemned "BECAUSE he has not believed." So, clearly, the condemnation was the result of not believing. That being the case, the perfect tense in this case does not mean that the condemnation preceded the not believing. The word "already" is also translated as "now." So, Christ is saying that the ones who are unbelieving are now under condemnation because of their unbelief. So, the perfect tense does not, in this text, affirm that the condemnation preceded the non-believing.

In an Internet article titled "Grammar of Regeneration" (See here) we see this same kind of ignorance and misrepresentation of the biblical text by one who, like the Hardshells, insist that regeneration precedes faith. The author of that article, who appears to be Elder Jonathan Crosby of the Greenville Baptist Church of South Carolina, a church that used to be a "Primitive Baptist Church" and which I was invited to preach for back in the late 1970s. Sometime afterward they seem to have dropped the adjective "primitive" from the name of their church. I assume this is because their pastor, Elder Crosby, taught that Jesus being the Son of God had to do strictly with his being a created being, denying the eternal sonship of Christ. Back around 2008 when I first began to write in blogs I had one of Crosby's followers write to me and tell me that Crosby far exceeded me in biblical knowledge and that I could never measure up to him, and would lose in a debate with him. I told that brother to "bring it on," that I would debate him any time on the eternal sonship of Christ or other important issues. 

The article appears on the church's web page titled "Let God Be True." The author of the article does not give his name, which is the case with all the articles I have seen on the web page. But, I assume it was written by Elder Crosby. As the reader will see, Crosby falsifies information on the tenses of participles and verbs just as did the three elders who wrote the polemic for the web page of the Denton Primitive Baptist Church. I find it highly ironic that Crosby would title his polemic "Grammar of Regeneration" and then butcher the grammar of the texts he focuses upon. Crosby wrote (emphasis mine):

"1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 

A. Only those who “are saved” (perfect tense, passive voice) perceive the gospel as glorious. 

B. Those perishing do not profit by hearing the gospel; it is foolishness to them (II Cor 4:3). 

C. The language is clear – a perfect tense “are saved” and a present tense “is” perceived – indicates that salvation occurred prior to the gospel being perceived as the power of God. 

D. Paul used verb tenses here to show the gospel only benefits those already saved (called). 

E. God must call a man in order for the gospel to make sense to that man (I Cor 1:22-24). 

F. It is a travesty men use this verse as if the gospel were the conditional means of salvation." 

Wrong! "are saved" is a present tense participle and is often translated as those who "are being saved." The Greek word for "is" (estin) is likewise present tense, though a verb and not a participle. 

"Indicates that salvation occurred prior to the gospel" being preached? Are you kidding me? Would that not contradict what the new testament says in many texts? Such as when Paul said that the "gospel is the power of God UNTO salvation"? (Rom. 1:16)

Crosby wrote:

"Acts 10:35 “But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” 

A. This text has to do with justification, not regeneration; but is it conditional at all? 

B. He that feareth (singular, present tense) is accepted with Him (singular, perfect tense). 

C. He that worketh righteousness (singular, present tense) is accepted (singular, perfect)."

However, this is wrong. The word "accepted" is an adjective and means the one who is acceptable. The word "is" (Greek "estin") is present tense, not perfect tense, and so "is acceptable" is present tense. 

Crosby wrote:

"Acts 13:39 “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses.” 

A. This text has to do with justification, not regeneration; but is it conditional at all? 

B. All that “believe” (plural, present tense) “are justified” (plural, perfect tense). Glory!"

Wrong again! "believe" is present tense. However "justified" is likewise present tense, not perfect.

Why do Hyper Calvinists such as the Hardshell Baptists work so hard to make the Bible say that people are saved apart from the gospel and faith in it?

Justification By Works (postscript 2)

"who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed 

and purify for Himself His own special people, 

zealous for good works" 

(Titus 2: 14 nkjv)

"Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.  Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?" (James 2: 21-25 nkjv)

In the last postscript to my article on Justification I gave commentary on what was meant by James saying that faith was "made perfect" by works. In this postscript I will be commenting upon what James meant in saying that Abraham's faith being accounted for righteousness was "fulfilled" in his act of obedience to God's single command to sacrificially kill his only begotten son Isaac and the "Angel of the Lord" (who is the Son of God, the "Malek Yahweh" who was in the burning bush and identified as "I Am That I Am"; See my post on that here) saying to him -- "now I know that you fear God." 

Questions

1. Why is the one obedient act of offering his son the fulfilling of the declaration of Abraham's faith being accounted as righteousness and not some other act of obedience? Or, why was the one act of Rahab in protecting the Israelite messengers singled out as being when she was justified by works?

2. Is every act of obedience the fulfillment of God's declaration of imputation (accounting or reckoning) of righteousness (justification) at the time of the initial act of faith? If yes, how so? If no, answer question number one.

3. Was Abraham forensically declared just when he first believed God and his word in Genesis chapter fifteen?

4. If every good work justifies or fulfills God's declaration of freedom from condemnation and accounts a believer as righteous (which is what justification is), does this support the Catholic idea that justification is not forensic but is a continuous making of a believer more and more just or righteous?

The Greek word for "fulfillment" (kjv 'fulfilling') in the above text is "plērōma" from plēroō ("fulfilled"). This word has been variously translated into English. It is rendered as "perfect," and is also translated as "finished," or "complete," "full," as in when Jesus said "fill ye up" (Matt. 23:32). It means to bring to a conclusion, to reach the end purpose of a thing. It is also used of children who have reached maturity in wisdom and knowledge, as it was said of Christ: "And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with (fulfilled) wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him." (Luke 2: 40 kjv) It may denote "filled full" as when it is said that the fishnet was "full" of fishes or fulfilled. (Matt. 13:48) Jesus spoke of what he was to "fulfill" or "accomplish" by his death on the cross. (Luke 9: 31) It is also translated by the word "ended" as in Luke 7: 1: "Now when he had ended all his sayings." (kjv) It is also translated by the word "supply" as when Paul wrote: "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4: 19 kjv)

What then does James mean when he says the scriptural declaration of Abraham's justification by faith in God and his promise was "fulfilled" when he obeyed God in sacrificing his only begotten son Isaac? Does that mean that he was not declared righteous and was justified in Genesis chapter fifteen where it is said that he was so justified by faith? Answer: No. Abraham was declared to be righteous by means of his faith at least thirty years before he obeyed God in Genesis chapter twenty two in attempting to sacrifice Isaac. Therefore, the justification that came by works cannot be a re-justification. 

The End Design In Justification

Justification is an end (goal or purpose) but it is also a means to an end. Justification, or the divine verdict or declaration of "not guilty," is designed to deliver a guilty person from legal condemnation for crimes and the punishment attached to those crimes. But, it is not designed to encourage the acquitted criminal to go out and repeat the same crimes. Rather, it is designed to prevent such recidivism by making a change of the acquitted criminal's heart possible, what we call sanctification. Did faith only serve as a means of justification, such recidivism would be inevitable. That is why we insist, as do the Bible authors, that justification occurs simultaneously with sanctification, though the former logically precedes the latter. 

God's giving of faith and his declaration of justification (accounting or reckoning) for a believer to be made righteous and free from condemnation is not the only end, there being no other ends, but is also a means to an end, that justification may produce regeneration, sanctification, holiness, godliness, good works. See my series on justification preceding sanctification. (See this Page here which will give you several articles I have written on this) The divine declaration of Genesis 15:6 of being declared legally righteous or justified, though true at the time, was yet also an anticipation of what was afterwards to be realized more fully. What was then reckoned as righteousness was to be continued reckoned as such.

The text at the head of this article says that the purpose of redemption, which would be true of justification and imputation of righteousness and of the forgiveness of sins, is so that those redeemed and justified would thereby become "zealous of good works." We have also drawn attention to Ephesians 2:10 where the apostle Paul said that believers in Christ have been "created in Christ UNTO good works." The word "unto" literally means "upon," "on," "at," or "to," and when joined with the dative case noun "works," as in this text, often denotes a basis, goal, purpose, or direction. That is why some translations say created in Christ Jesus "for" good works. One of the purposes of being created in Christ, or being justified, is in order that good works may follow. So, we may say that being created in Christ is fulfilled in doing good works.

Justification by Faith Fulfilled in Obedience

"And the scripture was fulfilled which says "Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness." 

So, we see that James intends to say that the purpose of salvation, including justification, is so that good works may be possible. We might also say that justification is fulfilled in sanctification. In the Book of Romans Paul first speaks of justification in chapters three through five and then begins speaking of sanctification (which includes regeneration and renewal) in chapter six. So he began that chapter by writing:

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

Justification, if it did not come with sanctification, would lead people to say "if I have been acquitted, and can no longer be condemned, then I can sin with impunity." Justification is what is done for us, apart from us, what is done objectively. Sanctification is what is done in us, what is done subjectively. Believers become "dead" in two ways. They become "dead to the law" (Rom. 7:4; Gal. 2:19) so that being condemned by the law is no longer possible. They also become "dead to sin" by having union with Christ and a new nature that hates sin and loves righteousness as a sure result. So Paul wrote further in verses five through eleven:

"5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

A believer is "dead to sin" and "dead to the law" in two ways. He is dead to sin and the law in justification in a legal or forensic sense, and is dead to sin (but not to the moral law*), in sanctification (including regeneration), in nature and habit. In both cases the purpose, as in all aspects of salvation, is in order to produce holy and godly living children of God. 

*"Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law." (Rom. 3: 31 nkjv)

The Catholics see justification as essentially the same thing as sanctification. The word "just" is virtually synonymous with the word "righteous." So, we see how these two English words are used interchangeably in the scriptures. "The just" are the same people as "the righteous." Also, to be righteous may be viewed in two ways. First, an unrighteous person may instantly become righteous in the eye of God and his law when the perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed or credited to him by faith. Second, a person may be called "righteous" as respects his obedience to the laws of the Lord. Once a person has been justified and made righteous or just by imputation there then follows being made righteous in thought, word, and deed by the indwelling Spirit and the work of sanctification. 

So, we may say that our justification by faith is "fulfilled" in sanctification, in good works, because the end goal has been attained. Notice how the word "fulfilled" is used in this text:

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." (Rom. 13: 8 kjv) 

This fulfilling of the law by those who have a heart of love via sanctification and regeneration is continuous. It is also true that justification is being continuously fulfilled in sanctified lives and is what James means when he speaks of justification by faith being fulfilled in good works. Notice how the word "fulfilled" is used in other verses, such as in this:

"Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect (peplērōmena) before God." (Rev. 3: 2 kjv)

The words "works perfect" is the same Greek word for "fulfilled" and so it may be read "have not found your works fulfilled" as in the English Revised Version, Literal Standard Version, and in Young's Literal Translation. The Greek word is translated in other English translations as "finished" "complete" "full" and "perfect" as in the KJV. We also read of the same Greek word for fulfilled used in these verses about joy:

"And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves." (John 17: 13 kjv)

"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." (John 15: 11 kjv; See also vs. 24)

"Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance." (Acts 2: 28 kjv)

Surely Christian joy is continuously being fulfilled. So too is justification by faith continuously being fulfilled in the life of a Christian.

"And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another." (Rom. 15: 14 kjv)

"And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Eph. 3: 19 kjv)

"...desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." (Col. 1: 9 kjv)

"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power" (Col. 2: 10 kjv)

"...that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." (Col. 4: 12 kjv)

In all these verses we see where fulfillment in goodness, knowledge, and joy, etc. is continuous. In fact we should especially focus on how Christians are being constantly "fulfilled with all the fulness of God," and "fulfilled in Christ," and "fulfilled in all the will of God." Now let us notice another interesting verse in this same vein.

"14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. 17 “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not!  For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.  For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and 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. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” (Gal. 2: 14-21 nkjv)

Why does Paul speak of justified believers as still seeking "to be justified by Christ"? And, what does he mean when he says that "if while seeking to be justified we are found sinners"? And, how would such a case make Christ "a minister of sin"? Bible commentators are not uniform in their explanations of this statement and line of argument from the apostle and some confess that Paul is hard to understand. Before I comment on this further, let me cite from a couple commentaries on these words of the apostle.

"Before he goes any further, he meets with the objection which abhorred this doctrine of free justification by faith, because, they say, men are by this means withdrawn from the performing of good works. And in this sort is the objection: if sinners should be justified through Christ by faith without the Law, Christ would approve sinners, and should as it were exhort them to sin by his ministry. Paul answers that this conclusion is false, because Christ destroys sin in the believers: for so, he says, do men flee to Christ through the terror and fear of the Law, that being acquitted from the curse of the Law and justified they may be saved by him." (Geneva Study Bible)

"To me it seems probable that Paul here has reference to an objection which has in all ages been brought against the doctrine of justification by faith, and which seems to have existed in his time, that the doctrine leads to licentiousness. The objections are that it does not teach the necessity of the observance of the Law in order to acceptance with God. That it pronounces a man justified and accepted who is a violator of the Law. That his acceptance does not depend on moral character. That it releases him from the obligation of law, and that it teaches that a man may be saved though he does not conform to law. These objections existed early, and have been found everywhere where the doctrine of justification by faith has been preached...If now it shall turn out that you are sinners; that your lives are not holy; that you are free from the wholesome restraint of the Law, and are given up to lives of sin, will it not follow that Christ is the cause of it; that he taught it; and that the system which he introduced is responsible for it? And is not the gospel therefore responsible for introducing a system that frees from the restraint of the Law, and introduces universal licentiousness?" (Barnes)

Justification by simple penitent faith alone is not a blank check for the justified to sin with impunity. That is what Paul is essentially saying. It is what he has said in both his Roman and Galatian epistles. So, the above commentaries are correct in their interpretation. Notice these words from his Roman letter:

"For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Rom. 8: 3-4 nkjv) 

Notice once again the word "fulfilled." How is the requirement of the law fulfilled in believers? Earlier we saw where the apostle said that "love is the fulfilling of the law." Though the believer is "dead to the law," the moral law, so that it cannot condemn him, nevertheless he observes the moral law as a rule of life and because Christ, the lawgiver of the new covenant, commands us to keep his commands which are in essence the same as the ten commandments, and which Christ narrowed down to two commands, 1) love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and 2) love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:34–40; Mark 12:28–34; Luke 10:25–28) Christians, though justified and free from being condemned by the law, nevertheless do not become lawless. 

Future Justification

In the above text Paul speaks of believers, including himself, "seeking to be justified by Christ." I think by this he shows us that there is a future justification yet to be realized at the judgment seat of Christ. Notice these other verses that affirm this fact:

“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt. 12: 36-37 nkjv)

"For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." (Rom. 2: 13 kjv)

Jesus says, “For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done” (Matt. 16:27). Paul writes, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Cor. 5:10; See also Romans 14: 10-12). The resurrected and ascended Christ says: “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.” (Rev. 20:12 22:12)

As we have seen, those who are justified by faith are the same people who are said to be people that love God and their neighbors, and thus they have "fulfilled the law." (Rom. 13:8) We have seen that believers, as a result of Christ justifying believers through his condemnation of sin, have the "law fulfilled" in them since they absolutely walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. (Rom. 8: 3-4) Those who are free from condemnation are they who are "in Christ" and "who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." (vs. 1)

Just as salvation is both a past and present reality, so too is salvation a future happening. Notice what Paul said in confirmation of this statement:

"8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Phil. 3:8-11 nkjv)

Why does Paul speak of suffering the loss of all things so that he may "gain Christ"? Does he not already possess Christ? Why does he likewise speak of being "found in Christ" in the future? Is he not already found in Christ? Why does he likewise suffer loss so that he might be found in the future to "have the righteousness that is from God by faith in Christ"? Does he not already have the righteousness of Christ imputed to him by faith? Why does he labor in trials for the purpose of coming to "know him and the power of his resurrection"? Does he not already know him and that power? Etc.? 

Surely he means that he desires, prays, and labors in order that what is true now in regard to these things will be found to be true in the day of judgment and resurrection, and that he will know superbly and more intimately Christ and the power of his resurrection, and possess him in a far greater degree, and be fully transformed into the likeness of Christ and completely conformed to his death. Likewise, we who have already been justified may also say that we count all things as worthless rubbish so that we might be found justified in the end.

A declaration or verdict may be uttered more than once per the setting or circumstance. God declares the believer justified and freed from condemnation when he penitently believes in Christ and he will declare it again in the day of judgment. 

I declared my love for my wife when I fell in love with her, then when we were married, and many times since. A spouse has often said to his/her beloved when shown love in some way -- "he/she loves me!" That declaration does not imply that the spouse was not loved before that exclamation. 

Justification at the judgment for the believer will simply be a proclamation before the assembled universe of the justification of everyone who has put his or her faith in the one true God and in his Messiah. That justification will also be a vindication. The works of the believer who had been justified when he/she believed in Christ will be proofs, evidences, of the justified condition of them. They will be justified in the same way that God is said to be justified (as we stated in our first article in this series). 

I John 5: 1 Again

"Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law." (Rom. 13:8 nkjv)

"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him." (I John 5: 1 esv)

This will be a follow up to my previous post on I John 5:1 wherein I answered the argument of those who say the text teaches that people are born again before they believe in Christ. That view is promoted by many such as Dr. James White and Dr. R.C. Sproul. It is expressed by Dr. Matthew Barrett in his Internet article titled "DOES REGENERATION PRECEDE FAITH IN 1 JOHN?" (See here) In the Introduction he wrote (emphasis mine):

"In 1 John 5:1, the action in the perfect passive indicative (regeneration) precedes and causes the action in the present active participle (faith). The result is clear: God‘s act of regeneration precedes belief. As John Stott explains,

"The combination of the present tense (believes) and perfect tense [has been born] is important. It shows clearly that believing is the consequence, not the cause, of the new birth. Our present, continuing activity of believing is the result, and therefore, the evidence, of our past experience of new birth by which we became and remain God‘s children."

He then gives citations from other theologians who argue the same way. In this post (here) I give what James White said in support of this argument. 

In reply to this line of argument I call attention to the above text in the heading of this article. In that text the words "the one loving has fulfilled the law" (Rom. 13:8) is a case where "the one loving" is a present tense participle and "has fulfilled" is a perfect tense. So, in structure it is the same as "the ones believing that Jesus is the Christ" (I John 5:1), which is a present tense participle, and "has been born of God," which is a perfect tense.

We are told by those who promote the born again before faith view that "has been born" must precede the believing of the participle. However, if that is so, then in the text of Romans 13:8 the fulfilling of the law occurred before the loving of the participle. But, clearly that is not what the apostle intended to say. Rather, he was saying that the fulfilling of the law was the result of loving others with the love of God.

What think ye? 

Justification By Works (postscript 1)

This will be a follow up to my recent article on justification by works. (here) I will be commenting upon what James meant when he said that it is by works that faith is "made perfect" and in the next follow up I will comment on what he meant when he said that it was by Abraham's obedience to God's command to sacrifice his son Isaac that the divine declaration of justification and imputed righteousness by believing was "fulfilled." What is meant by "fulfilled"? First, let us give the words of the text we are examining.

"Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." (James 2: 21-24 nkjv)

The Greek word for "perfect" is teleios and denotes the end design of something, the completion of something that was designed to be accomplished by some action. James gives some examples of faith being made perfect. He says it is made perfect when someone not only expresses a desire for a hungry brother to be fed but actually feeds him. Faith is perfected when it acts, when it is more than words. Just as the ear is for the purpose of hearing and the eye for seeing, so the ear serves its purpose when it actually hears and the eye serves its end design when it sees. Legs are for the purpose of walking. When people walk the legs are "made perfect," doing what they were designed to do. Likewise, faith is for the purpose of producing good actions. Paul says believers are "created in Christ Jesus UNTO good works." (Eph. 2:10) By "unto" the apostle means "for the purpose of." 

Other gifts and abilities are likewise to have their intended ends. What is said of faith is likewise said about patience. So we read of patience by the same apostle: "But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:4 kjv) What is said of faith and patience is also said of love. So the apostle John wrote about perfecting love:

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (I John 4: 17-18 kjv)

None of these verses are to be interpreted to mean that faith, love, or patience do not save a person until these are perfected. Every act of faith, every act of love, every act of patience, is a further step towards perfection in those graces. So we pray to be perfected in faith, love, patience, etc. So did Paul:

"For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?" (I Thess. 3: 9-10 kjv)

Also, divine power in a believer is also to be perfected. The apostle Paul wrote of the strength of Christ being perfected in him, writing about what Christ said to him in these words:

"And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (II Cor. 12: 9 nkjv)

God is working in believers to perfect their patience, faith, and their love (and believers are to have the same goal). He is also working to perfect their moral and spiritual strength, their endurance. This was what James taught in his opening remarks of his letter.

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1: 22-25 kjv)

A Christian whose faith is only in words is compared to a person who hears the word but does not do what the word says. Being blessed in doing the things the word of God commands includes being perfected in holiness. So wrote the apostle Paul:

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (II Cor. 7:1 kjv)

Notice that holiness is perfected (Grk. epiteleō), reaches its intended end, or fulfills its purpose, through godly living, through regularly "cleansing ourselves from all filthiness," all moral impurity. So, not only is faith, love, patience, and strength being perfected, so too is holiness or being sanctified. 

God Is Working To Perfect

The inspired author of Hebrews wrote:

"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Heb. 13: 20-21 kjv)

God is working in his children to make them perfect, which involves making them perfect in faith, love, patience, strength, and holiness. This making perfect is "in every good work." This harmonizes with what James taught when he said faith is made perfect in good works done by faith. Faith is exercised through good works, just as godliness is said to be. "Exercise yourself toward godliness," wrote the apostle Paul, for, said he, "bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come." (I Tim. 4: 7b-8 nkjv) 

Muscles that are not used by bedridden patients rapidly undergo what is called "disuse atrophy," which is a condition where muscle tissue shrinks, loses mass, and grows weak from lack of physical activity. Likewise, a believer who is not exercising his faith and love in good works will find his spiritual health decline. The apostle Peter also spoke of the work of God in perfecting Christians and their virtues of love, faith, patience, holiness, and strength, writing:

"But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." (I Peter 5: 10 kjv)

God has several tools in his toolbox to use in making his people perfect in their love, faith, holiness, etc. Trials and sufferings are some of his instruments. Jesus prayed in his great intercessory prayer:

“I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me." (John 17: 23 nkjv)

So, a Christian may well say "Lord, you have worked all our works in us." (Isa. 26: 12) So, when we read of the "work of faith" or the "work of love" (I Thess. 1:3), and we have already seen where James spoke of the work of patience, we should say God is behind our doing these works. Though these things are the work of God, yet we see where people are exhorted to do this work themselves. This is not a contradiction. That is because both God and the believer are causes, though God and his grace are the chief causes. Our working is a result of his working and so he gets the credit and the praise and there is no room for us to boast. 

So, when James says faith is made perfect by good works, he does not mean that good works are a requirement for being initially saved or justified. They are means, however, of perfecting faith and other graces in the Christian.