Posted on 10/27/2004 8:25:49 AM PDT by ksen
Does regeneration necessarily precede conversion?
By Tom Schreiner
The answer to the question is “yes,” but before explaining why this is so, the terms “regeneration” and “conversion” should be explained briefly.
Regeneration means that one has been born again or born from above (John 3:3, 5, 7, 8). The new birth is the work of God, so that all those who are born again are “born of the Spirit” (John 3:8 ESV here and henceforth). Or, as 1 Pet 1:3 says, it is God who “caused us to be born again to a living hope” (1 Pet 1:3). The means God uses to grant such new life is the gospel, for believers “have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God” (1 Pet 1:23; cf. Jas 1:18). Regeneration or being born again is a supernatural birth. Just as we cannot do anything to be born physically—it just happens to us!—so too we cannot do anything to cause our spiritual rebirth.
Conversion occurs when sinners turn to God in repentance and faith for salvation. Paul describes the conversion of the Thessalonians in 1 Thess 1:9, “For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” Sinners are converted when they repent of their sins and turn in faith to Jesus Christ, trusting in him for the forgiveness of their sins on the Day of Judgment.
Paul argues that unbelievers “are dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph 2:1; cf. 2:5). They are under the dominion of the world, the flesh, and the devil (Eph 2:2-3). Every one is born into the world as a son or daughter of Adam (Rom 5:12-19). Therefore, all people enter into this world as slaves of sin (Rom 6:6, 17, 20). Their wills are in bondage to evil, and hence they have no inclination or desire to do what is right or to turn to Jesus Christ. God, however, because of his amazing grace has “made us alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:5). This is Paul’s way of saying that God has regenerated his people (cf. Tit 3:5). He has breathed life into us where there was none previously, and the result of this new life is faith, for faith too is “the gift of God” (Eph 2:8).
Several texts from 1 John demonstrate that regeneration precedes faith. The texts are as follows: “If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him” (1 John 2:29). “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” (1 John 3:9). “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7). “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whomever has been born of him” (1 John 5:1).
We can make two observations from these texts. First, in every instance the verb “born” (gennaô) is in the perfect tense, denoting an action that precedes the human actions of practicing righteousness, avoiding sin, loving, or believing.
Second, no evangelical would say that before we are born again we must practice righteousness, for such a view would teach works-righteousness. Nor would we say that first we avoid sinning, and then are born of God, for such a view would suggest that human works cause us to be born of God. Nor would we say that first we show great love for God, and then he causes us to be born again. No, it is clear that practicing righteousness, avoiding sin, and loving are all the consequences or results of the new birth. But if this is the case, then we must interpret 1 John 5:1 in the same way, for the structure of the verse is the same as we find in the texts about practicing righteousness (1 John 2:29), avoiding sin (1 John 3:9), and loving God (1 John 4:7). It follows, then, that 1 John 5:1 teaches that first God grants us new life and then we believe Jesus is the Christ.
We see the same truth in Acts 16:14. First God opens Lydia’s heart and the consequence is that she pays heed to and believes in the message proclaimed by Paul. Similarly, no one can come to Jesus in faith unless God has worked in his heart to draw him to faith in Christ (John 6:44). But all those whom the Father has drawn or given to the Son will most certainly put their faith in Jesus (John 6:37).
God regenerates us and then we believe, and hence regeneration precedes our conversion. Therefore, we give all the glory to God for our conversion, for our turning to him is entirely a work of his grace.
Dr. Schreiner is a Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Southern Seminary. Before 1997, he served 11 years on the faculty at Bethel Theological Seminary. He also taught New Testament at Azusa Pacific University. Dr. Schreiner, a Pauline scholar, is the author or editor of the following books: Romans in the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament; Interpreting the Pauline Letters; The Law and Its Fulfillment: A Pauline Theology of Law; The Grace of God, The Bondage of the Will (a two-volume set which he co-edited with Bruce A. Ware); Women in the Church: A Fresh Analysis of 1 Timothy 2:9-15; The Race Set Before Us: A Biblical Theology of Perseverance and Assurance; and Paul Apostle of God's Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology.
Yes! Good stuff. You are also right when you point out that when talking about regeneration preceeding belief, we are not atomically talking about a temporal order, but a logical one. This, I believe, is the true sense of 1 John 5:1.
BTW, what do you think about the efforts on this thread to paint Calvin as a synergist?
In the service of the Lord,
Christian.
I haven't read each posting so I can only comment in general terms. Attempting to paint Calvin as a synergist is not unlike attempting to paint the outside of Gabriel's horn (mathematicians will know what I mean, others will have to look it up). :-)
And if you were not arbitrarily elected for salvation, then you are going to have an off eternal life, eh?
So whatever God does that you don't understand is automatically arbitrary?
Sorry, that's not what Genesis 15 or the books that draw from it (Romans, Galatians, etc.) say. God did call Abraham by sovereign election, but it nowhere says that He regenerated Abraham before Abraham put his faith in God and God's promises. On the contrary, it says that righteousness, which is simultaneous with regeneration (being "born again") comes from faith.
So what you are saying is that it is conditional?
God's will is His own, conditional only on His good pleasure.
Was it "arbitrary" of God that you were born in the 20th century in the most prosperous country in history, while others were born blind and lame in the Dark Ages?
If that were true, regeneration would be man's accomplishment, dependent on his ability to believe, on his worth as a human being.
But that's not what Scripture says.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." -- Ephesians 2:8.
Saved by grace through faith. Faith is the evidence of God's grace, not a requirement for it.
Which is the gift? Is it grace or faith? It cannot be both. It it was both, the words "it is" would be replaced by "they are". A reasonable person could very well construe that the phrase "through faith" means "through your faith in Jesus Christ". Isn't that really the meaning of that phrase? ,p. This verse could also mean simply that Salvation is a gift of God, that is given to those who place there faith in God/Jesus and the gift that must be accepted by the individual.
In any event, this verse does not support the Calvinist position.
I'm simply stating that the Reformers used the term "conversion" in a different way than we do today.
My point being we should keep that in mind when we read their works.
As a practical matter, it doesn't make much of a difference as to the Ordo Salutis. Conversion still occurs ~after~ Regeneration.
Jean
I'm gonna disagree with you, here, Doc.
The passage says: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." -- Ephesians 2:8
Notice the phrase "and that not of yourselves". By definition "grace" is ~never~ of ourselves. "Grace" is the unmerited favor God shows towards us.
So, if "it is a gift of God" is referring to Grace, that would be a bit redundant. I believe that "the gift of God" is a reference to "faith".
Perhaps Calvinist_Dark_Lord can give us the technical/grammatical answer.
Jean
The Lord appeared to Abraham and blessed Abraham many years in advance (Gen 12-14). Yet it says Abraham was justified by faith from Genesis 15. Sounds like Abraham was indeed regenerated in Genesis 12-14 and converted in Genesis 15 to me.
Ah, but doesn't it show that Abraham started putting faith in God as far back as Ur when God first appeared to him and told him to move out? It is your supposition, which is not based on Scripture, that God "regenerated" Abraham first--all that Scripture says is that God called Abraham, just as Jesus called every man, woman, and child in Jerusalem when He offered them His living water on Sukkot (John 11, IIRC). Abraham chose to trust God, and some chose to trust Jesus--but "many are called, but few are elect" (Mt. 20:16, 22:14).
Can you connect the dots and demonstrate that conclusion from the Bible, that regeneration comes from faith? Neither Genesis 15 nor Romans seems to teach it. I curious what texts you're replying on to come to that conclusion.
It is not supposition that Abraham started putting his faith in God before Genesis 15. It says so,
“Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.” Gen 12:8
also
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” He gave him a tenth of all. …Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, “I have made Abram rich.” Gen 14:18-22
Abraham called upon the name of the Lord in Chapter 12 and the Lord’s priest Melchizedek blessed him in Chapter 14. But Paul talks about Abraham being SAVED by faith in Chapter 15 and James says that Abraham’s was justified by works with Issac (James 2:21) which didn’t happen until Genesis 22. (Less there is any doubt about Abraham’s regeneration even with this scriptural evidence (and other things God did for Abraham) you may wish to look at Hebrews 7 about the Abraham/Melchizedek connection.)
So here's a jumbo theological mess. Abraham called upon the name of the Lord in Chapter 12 (after God revealed Himself several times), he was blessed by Melchizedek (type of Christ) in Chapter 14, he was saved by faith when he “believed” in Chapter 15, and his works illustrated his salvation in Chapter 22.
You can ONLY interpret all of this as Abraham was indeed regenerated when he called upon the name of the Lord but he wasn’t converted until later. Like Cornelius who was a “devout man” and one who worshipped God so was Abraham. But both of them were saved later. Cornelius four days later. Abraham almost twenty-five years later.
Actually it is neither. The gift is salvation, e.g. "saved through faith".
Salvation is the the gift. The mechanism is faith. But both are inseparably linked as being the gift from God.
Sure. I'll hopefully have time to put together a longer piece tonight. See you then.
If I may... The term "regeneration" is taken from the Greek phrase "gennethe anothen" (I believe that's the correct transliteration) found in John 3:3. Translations often render it "born from above" or "born again".
Hope that helps.
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