Luther & Calvin - Born Again by Faith

Wrote one writer on Martin Luther's views on the ordo salutis: 

"Sproul also states that Luther supports the Calvinist ordo salutis. Here, as with Augustine, this is simply not the case. For example, in his Preface to the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans, Luther wrote, 

"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.).'" 

Concerning John Calvin's ordo, the author says: 

 

"While Calvinists bear his name, most do not follow Calvin's ordo salutis. It may be accurate to say that Calvinistic ordo salutis endorses regeneration preceding faith, but it is not accurate to suggest that Calvin himself supports the Calvinistic ordo salutis. While Calvin states in his commentary on 1 John 5:1 that "no one can have faith, except he is born of God," he also begins his commentary on the passage saying that "God regenerates us by faith." 

Calvin details his ordo salutis in his commentary on John 1:13. He writes: 

"The Evangelist says that those who believe are already born of God. Hence it follows, first, that faith does not proceed from ourselves, but is the fruit of spiritual regeneration; for the Evangelist affirms that no man can believe, unless he be begotten of God; and therefore faith is a heavenly gift. It follows, secondly, that faith is not bare or cold knowledge, since no man can believe who has not been renewed by the Spirit of God." 

One might conclude here that Calvin believes that regeneration precedes faith. Calvin makes the same observation, but his conclusion differs. He continues, "It may be thought that the Evangelist reverses the natural order by making regeneration to precede faith, whereas, on the contrary, it is an effect of faith, and therefore ought to be placed later." 

The removal of original sin and its condemnation requires justification, which is by faith (Rom. 5:1); faith precedes justification. Adam fell and died because he was condemned; he was not condemned because he died. Reversing Adam's sin required first removing the condemnation - which is justification - before restoring life. Justification was accomplished for us at the Cross, and His work must not be compromised by an unbiblical ordo salutis. 

As I have shown before, Calvin did not believe in regeneration before faith. In "Calvin on Faith & Regeneration" (here) I cited 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."

If one reads the writings of the authors of the 1689 London Baptist confession, he will see how they nearly all affirmed that sinners are born again by faith. 

Further, understand that when writers say that "Calvinists" put regeneration before faith, they are wrong. Some Calvinists do this, especially the Hyper Calvinists, but not all Calvinists. I have cited many leading Calvinists who, like Luther and Calvin, did not believe this. So, writers need to stop saying this and rather say "some Calvinists put regeneration before faith."