What Comes First – Faith or New Birth?

These words of the Lord Jesus (verse 8) indicate the greatness of the mysteryIt is something hidden in Scripture that is not (yet) generally revealed (e.g., Prov 20:19). It can be negative (e.g., 2 Thess. 2:7) or positive (e.g., Ps. 25:14). Secrets are... More of new birthThe new birth is a unique experience at conversion. God gives new (eternal) life to people who were dead in their sins. This makes them children of God (John 1:12,... More. They also show that new birthThe new birth is a unique experience at conversion. God gives new (eternal) life to people who were dead in their sins. This makes them children of God (John 1:12,... More is a sovereign act of God.

Nevertheless, it would be misleading to teach – and sadly, this has happened repeatedly – that new birth precedes faith. The fifth verse (John 3:5) shows – as well as 1 Peter 1:23 and James 1:18 and other passages – that new birth occurs by means of the word of God through the Holy Spirit. New birth cannot be separated from the word of God and faith: "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17).

The two statements in John 3, "Except anyone be born anew he cannot see the kingdom of GodEssentially, it refers to the same thing as the kingdom of heaven, whereby it is less about a period and more about the moral characteristics of the kingdom. God is... More" (verse 3) and "that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal" (verse 16), must always go together.

Such an anomaly is not possible: that somebody is already born again but has not yet believed the gospel. The divine order given in Ephesians 1:13 is: "heard – believed – sealed." God gives the right to be called children of God to those who have believed in His name (John 1:12).