Follow the link to view distinguished NT scholar Ben Witherington, “The Reformed View of Regeneration vs. the Wesleyan Theology of Prevenient Grace” (http://www.patheos.com/blogs/bibleandculture/2011/11/18/the-reformed-view-of-regeneration-vs-the-wesleyan-theology-of-prevenient-grace/).
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Calvin Refutes Calvinist Regeneration
Over the past several years, I cannot begin to number the times I have responded or interacted with the Calvinist argument that the new creation in Christ was made through a secret regeneration that preceded…
Some Basic Thoughts on “Decisional Regeneration” From an Arminian Perspective
Someone asked a while back in the comments thread to one of my blog posts what I thought of “Decisional Regeneration”. Since this is a rather new label being thrown around mostly by Calvinists in a seeming attempt to mock a view of salvation conditioned by faith, it is important to address. Rather than write a new post I will just quote my initial response to the question below:
- I think “decisional regeneration” is a hard phrase to pin down and is just thrown around as a slander by Calvinists towards those who do not believe that regeneration precedes faith or that regeneration is irresistibly and unconditionally given to the “elect” alone. But there can be much more to it and so I wanted to be clear as to what your specific concern was.
Is the “New Heart” of Ezekiel 36:26-27 a Reference to Regeneration Preceding Faith?
Calvinists will often quote Ezekiel 36:26-27 as a proof text for regeneration preceding faith. The Calvinist doctrine insists that one must be given a new heart before that person can believe the gospel. For that…
The Equivocation of Regeneration
In the order of salvation, which comes first, faith or regeneration? Before we can answer that, don’t we first need to understand what regeneration is? In this post I plan on contrasting Charles Hodge’s view…
Which Comes First, Faith or Regeneration?
Although I argued that “what” regeneration is is more important than “when” regeneration happens, we do still need to touch on the question of the timing of regeneration. These passages show that regeneration comes after…
Does Jesus Teach That Regeneration Precedes Faith In John 3:3, 6?
The content of this post was authored by Ben Henshaw and is posted on his behalf. Probably the favorite Calvinist proof text for their doctrine of irresistible regeneration is John 3:3, 6. Here Jesus directly…
Does Regeneration Precede Faith?
Which comes first, faith or regeneration? That is indeed the question. I cannot think of a more important theological issue with respect to the controversy between Calvinism and Arminianism. It is the defining feature concerning…
Examining A Rather Strange “Proof Text” For Irresistible Regeneration
I believe that I have sufficiently demonstrated that the Biblical ordo salutis (order of salvation) is not that regeneration precedes faith. I gave both a positive argument, and negative arguments (ed.s note referring to the author’s blog). Before moving on to examine the other petals of our favorite little flower, I wanted to give some brief attention to what I believe to be a rather odd proof text often urged by the proponents of irresistible grace.
This argument focuses on the grammar of two related passages in 1 John. James White makes use of these passages in The Potter’s Freedom. He sets up his argument by first quoting 1 John 5:1,
“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.”
Should Grace be Referred to as Regeneration?
In his book The Potter’s Freedom, James White equates the saving grace of God with regeneration. He writes, “The doctrine of irresistible grace is easily understood. Once we understand the condition of man in sin,…
Rising In A Newness Of Life – Regeneration
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of…
Regeneration Precedes Faith, and Faith is the Gift of God?
In his book How to Be Born Again, Billy Graham states, “Jesus said that God can change men and women from the inside out. It was a challenge -a command. He didn’t say, ‘It would…
Eric Landstrom, On Regeneration
Is regeneration a work of God and are the results of regeneration (e.g. repentence, confession) the works of God?
By way of survey regeneration is the inward quickening of the repentant and believing sinner. It is also referred to as the point of transition from being dead to God to being a child of God.
The Greek New Testament uses the Greek equivalent of regeneration (palingensia), meaning “new birth,” or “born again”) only once in regards to conversion (Titus 3:5) but the same idea is expressed using different terms elsewhere (cf., Eph. 2:1; James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23). The term is also used by Jesus when he spoke to Nicodemus and the listening crowd when he said, “Marvel not that I said unto thee [Nicodemus], ye [all those listening in the crowd] must be born again.” This idea of being reborn was not a new teaching to the Jews as the prophets of old had foretold of it (Ezek. 36:26, for example).
Must Regeneration Precede Faith?
Romans 1.16-17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it…
Andrew Sullivan, “Harmony of the Arminian Faith: A Proposal to the Global Methodist Church” (Full Thesis)
Please click on the attachment to view Andrew Sullivan, “Harmony of the Arminian Faith: A Proposal to the Global Methodist Church.” John Wesley left the people called Methodist a trio of doctrinal…
Ben Henshaw, “Q & A on The Calvinist Claim That Salvation Conditioned on Faith Necessarily Implies Some Sort of Merited Contribution to Salvation”
Here is the question as originally posed along with a break down interaction below: Full Question: “So, let me reason this way, If prevenient grace is given to everyone, and my neighbors resist it, so they…
Mark K. Olson, “The Stillness Controversy of 1740: Tradition Shaping Scripture Reading”
Abstract: The influence of our Christian traditions upon our reading of scripture is deep and profound, even working at a subconscious level. This article demonstrates this truth by examining the role that tradition played in…
Richard Coords, “Lazarus”
The essence of the Calvinist gospel is this: I was dead and in need of a resurrection. (This combines the Calvinist doctrines of Total Inability and Irresistible Grace.) Naturally, then, Calvinists feel that Jesus’ raising…
Wilbur F. Tillett, “Methodism Is Arminianism Put into Practice for the Salvation of Souls & the Evangelization of the World” (1906)
[This post first appeared at GospelEncounter.wordpress.com] Here is Wilbur F. Tillett, Vanderbilt University, in A Statement of the Faith of World-wide Methodism (1906): The Arminianism of Holland, even in its earliest and purest form, was but a…
Richard Coords, “Irresistible Grace”
[This post has been excerpted with permission from Richard Coords, Calvinism Answered Verse by Verse and Subject by Subject, © 2020.] In Calvinism, everyone who will ever become saved is already predetermined from eternity past,…
