THEOLOGY: REGENERATION PRECEDES FAITH

 
"What's that?  You mean to say that the new birth from the Holy Spirit comes before my faith in Christ as the Savior?  You mean to say that I don't believe in Christ and am then born again...but that God grants me a new birth first and then I believe in Jesus Christ?"

Yes, that is what I'm saying but only because it's what Scripture teaches. (Insert smiley emoji here)

I remember when the Lord first opened my eyes to this truth about twelve years ago.  I was in my home office in Los Angeles reading through 1 John and I noticed that John was highlighting evidence of the new birth--proof of God regenerating us.  He actually mentions several fruits of the new birth.

DISCLAIMER: I will use the words new birth, regeneration and born again interchangeably.

I.  EVIDENCE FOR THE NEW BIRTH - RIGHTEOUS DEEDS

I think most of us would agree that our good deeds do not result in the new birth. Our righteous deeds are not the cause of our regeneration. Rather, they are the proof/fruit of regeneration. In other words, righteous living is the effect of regeneration.  One precedes the other--one comes first, namely, regeneration.  1 John 2:29 states that whoever has been born of God (perfect tense/passive voice) practices righteousness (present tense/active voice). 

1 John 2:29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
 
So what do the tenses and the voices have to do with anything?  Well, everything, actually.  Our being born of God is in the perfect tense--meaning that is was a completed action in the past.  The passive voice means that this new birth was something that we do not do to ourselves, but is something that God did to us...in the past.  Now the practicing righteousness is in the present tense--meaning that it is something that is currently happening.  The active voice means that we are the ones who are doing the practicing of righteousness.  Put it all together and you have this truth:  God caused our new birth and the present result in our righteous living. But the key is that our being "born of God" takes place first, then the righteous deeds follow. Only the unorthodox student of God's word would say that our righteous deeds cause us to be born again. It's important that you get this truth clear as we move on to the next effect of regeneration. 

II.  EVIDENCE FOR THE NEW BIRTH - REFRAINING FROM HABITUAL SIN

Now that you've seen the first effect of regeneration, let's take a look at the second effect that John mentions.  It's is our refraining from habitual sin. 

We must understanding that refraining from habitual sin does not lead to our regeneration. Rather it is evidence that we have been born of God. No true Christian would say that a lack of habitual sin is what leads to new life! 1 John 3:9 makes it clear that regeneration results in a person who does not make sin the habit of their life. 

1 John 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 

For the sake of not repeating the previous explanation in point 1, let me only say that the exact same tenses and voices are used in regards to being born again and the refraining of habitual sin.  One happened in the past (being born again) and the other is currently the result (refraining from a lifestyle of unrepentant sin).  One caused the other. 

Let's move on to the third evidence for the new birth...and if you're tracking me so far you'll probably suspect that the new birth is responsible for something.  And...you'd be right.

III.  EVIDENCE FOR THE NEW BIRTH - CHRISTIAN LOVE
 
And what about Christian love? Does loving children of God result in our being born again. Or does our being born again result in a new love for God's family? Of course Scripture makes it clear that our regeneration precedes our love for other Christians. 

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

Once again we have the same tenses and voices allocated in the same way in order to show what the new birth brings forth.

Now for second I want to jump ahead to 1 John 5:4 to make one final case concerning this truth before we take a look at the new birth in regards to faith.

V.  EVIDENCE FOR THE NEW BIRTH - OVERCOMING THE WORLD

"Hey, slow down, Bubba! You skipped point IV."

Yes, yes, I did.  On purpose.  We're coming back to it in a second. I know that's not an orthodox way to write an article.  But I got you hooked now so bear with me.

Now when it comes to overcoming the world, is that something we have to do in order to be regenerated--or to be born again? Certainly not! The ability to overcome the world and it's temptations are a result of our new life in God.

1 John 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

I am 100% certain that you are ahead of me by now.  You're probably thinking what I'm about to briefly repeat: tenses and voices.  Man, you're good!  Bravo.  I tip my hat to you.

Now, let's get to whole point of the article and then some final application. Drum roll please...pa rum pum pum pum!  That's me on my drum. 

IV.  EVIDENCE FOR THE NEW BIRTH - FAITH IN CHRIST

So what about faith? Do we have faith in God and then are born again? Or does God cause us to live again and the result of this new life is a God-enabled faith in Christ as Savior? Well, if our hermeneutics (principles for interpreting Scripture) are consistent, then you'll have to agree what the Apostle John makes it clear--regeneration precedes faith. Whoever has been born of God believes that Jesus is the Christ.
 

1 John 5:1 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.

What's the point of all this? Is it a useless bit of theology? Of course not. There is no such thing as useless theology. It's all intended to magnify the Sovereign God--our Savior. If this were useless or unprofitable, then God would not have kept it in His inspired Word--the Holy Spirit would have not carried the Apostle along in order to write the words of 1 John 5:1. But they are in Scripture. Therefore, this truth is to be understood and put to use (2 Timothy 3:16).

When I first understood that regeneration preceded faith, I was floored. I was immediately humbled and the Lord became more grand in my mind. Not that my understanding of God made Him more grand. Rather, the Lord granted me a clearer picture of how He saved me and the result was praise and honor towards my Savior. He enlarged my vision of Himself and I was in awe. That God would grant me spiritual life in order that I might believe in the Lord Jesus Christ was simply amazing. I could have never used the spiritual gift of faith unless the Lord first caused me to live spiritually.
 

It is true that the natural man does not understand the things of God. Indeed they are foolishness to Him. How then does the natural man ever understand the scripture beyond a mental understanding--an academic understanding? Can he ever grasp them in a way that will result in salvation? No. Not unless he first be born again. Once He is regenerated the natural man is no longer natural, but spiritual. He has been brought to life and is given spiritual strength to grab hold of the gospel and believe in His heart that God raised Christ from the dead. Then He shall be saved by grace through faith.

The problem in understanding this comes when we confuse regeneration and salvation. The two are intimately linked, but very different. That is not to say that regeneration takes place and some months later this person will eventually have faith. Rather, a person is brought to life by God and then they cry out immediately for salvation. With that in mind, let me help you live in light of this truth.

1.  The kindness of God is simply astounding. Worship Him for the new birth.  What a merciful and gracious Lord we serve.  That He would bring us to spiritual life so that we'd no longer be dead to him is marvelous!

2.  Share the gospel with confidence knowing that the Holy Spirit will use the Word to bring about the new birth (John 3, 1 Peter 2:23).  The new birth is not in your hands!  You didn't cause your own spiritual birth and you can't cause someone else's.  But you can share the Word of Christ knowing that this is what the Holy Spirit uses to grant new life and this gospel is what they must believe in at the moment of regeneration so they can be saved.

3.  Pray for sinners.  If they don't believe the gospel, it's because they are self-deceived, enslaved to Satan and dead to God.  Pray for them to receive the truth. Pray for God to free them from their bondage. And pray for God to grant people new life unto salvation through faith in Christ.

What an amazing doctrine: regeneration precedes faith!

May God grant you a deeper love and appreciation for the life and salvation He has given us!