Special Grace
Regeneration Precedes Faith
Grace · 5 verses
Regeneration necessarily precedes and produces saving faith, for the spiritually dead possess no ability to believe until made alive by the Spirit. God imparts new life to His elect prior to their exercise of faith, thereby enabling what nature rendered impossible—the believing reception of Christ and His gospel.
Scripture References
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
“And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.”
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;”