The Calvinism Debate - Way of Life Literature

Arthur Pink uses this verse as proof for the Calvinistdoctrine that the new birth precedes faith.In light of the following passages, it is obvious that 2 ess.2:13 is not stating the exact order of things.e chief passage on the New Birth is John 3. In verse 1-8Jesus instructs Nicodemus that he must be born again or hecannot see the kingdom of God. In verse 9, Nicodemus asksJesus how this can be. In verse 10-21, Jesus answers thisquestion and explains how a man is born again, and theanswer is that he is born again by believing (Jn. 3:14-16)! isis exactly what the Calvinist says the sinner cannot do. Howcan a dead man believe, he reasons? Well, if we are going totake the “dead man” analogy literally, a dead man can’t sineither. A dead man, if taken literally, cannot reject the gospelany more than he can accept the gospel, but the Calvinistclaims that while the dead sinner CAN reject the gospel buthe cannot accept it. When the Bible says the sinner is dead intrespasses and sins it means that he is separated from God’sdivine life because of sin. To take this analogy beyond theactual teaching of the Bible and to give it other meanings,such as to reason that since the sinner is dead in trespassesand sins he must not be able to believe, is to move from truthto heresy.Ephesians 1:13 also gives the order of salvation. “In whomye also trusted, aer that ye heard the word of truth, thegospel of your salvation: in whom also aer that ye believed,ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.” First thesinner believes and then he receives the Holy Spirit.e order of salvation is also made clear in Acts 16:30-31 inthe case of the Philippian jailer. “And brought them out, andsaid, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believeon the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thyhouse.” Note that the jailer was not born again when he askedwhat he must do to be saved, and Paul replied that he mustbelieve on the Lord Jesus Christ. Obviously Paul knew that90