Thank you. My issue with being born again before believing is that then means people are saved apart from faith in the shed righteous blood of Jesus Christ. What of heart circumcision? Some say we are regenerated then also, but, could not circumcision of the heart precede both coming to believe and regeneration? Making possible our ability to repent, choose rightly, and submit to God by believing the gospel, at which time we are born again and then (simultaneously) sealed with the Holy Spirit.
Unless, of course, born again does not equal salvation. But how can that be?
Unless, of course, born again does not equal salvation. But how can that be?
In Scripture, there are two aspects of faith. One, is a person's faith in what God has said. A believing in His promises, that are in His Son. The second, is the System of Faith. This includes God's whole Plan for Salvation. If one truly believes, that God will keep all of His promises, for His namesake; then they should believe that nothing can stop their full and complete Salvation. Therefore, they are in the System of Faith. For as Paul wrote: "If God be for us, then who can be against us." In other words, who can stop us from making it to the end. Those that are in Christ, which the System of Faith is all about and expressly for.
One could argue because God is Sovereign, that once the Father Chose and gave them to the Son - eternity past - the whole of their Salvation was a done deal. After all, who was going to prevent God's purpose. So being Born Anew, Regenerated, could certainly take place before they believed because their believing was guaranteed. However, if one believes that one of God's chosen could be lost, then this will throw a huge darkness over the truth of God's Salvation Plan.
By the way, the new birth, is the same as the circumcision of the heart. A change of nature, that keeps on growing throughout the Christians life. Better known as Conversion and Progressive Sanctification.
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