Since some of us hold the doctrine of regeneration preceding faith, let's go and examine the case of Abraham.
Romans 4:2-3, " 2For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.3For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness."
Romans 4:9-11,"Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.10How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.11And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: ..."
If one holds the idea that a unregenerated heart can not believe and repent, then they must explain how it was possible for Abraham to believe in God so that his faith was reckoned for righteousness. Was Abraham already regenerated when he believed to God or not?
Firstly regeneration did not exist before Christ.
Second, verse 10 says that he believed in God when he was uncircumcised and so he received the sign of circumcition for his faith. If we correspond corcumcision in the OT with new birth in the NT, then we conclude that faith precedes new birth.
Romans 4:23-24, "23Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;"
Since some of us hold the doctrine of regeneration preceding faith, let's go and examine the case of Abraham.
Romans 4:2-3, " 2For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.3For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness."
Romans 4:9-11,"Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.10How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.11And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: ..."
If one holds the idea that a unregenerated heart can not believe and repent, then they must explain how it was possible for Abraham to believe in God so that his faith was reckoned for righteousness. Was Abraham already regenerated when he believed to God or not?
Firstly regeneration did not exist before Christ.
Second, verse 10 says that he believed in God when he was uncircumcised and so he received the sign of circumcition for his faith. If we correspond corcumcision in the OT with new birth in the NT, then we conclude that faith precedes new birth.
Romans 4:23-24, "23Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;"
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