Faith — the Condition for Regeneration not the result of Regeneration

Jinu Ninan

 

The Bible repeatedly shows that faith in Christ is the condition or means through which regeneration (new birth) happens, not the result of it.
Let’s look carefully at verses that clearly place faith before or as the condition for receiving new life:

🕊️ 1. John 1:12–13

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood… but of God.”

Order:
1️⃣ Receive / believe in Christ →
2️⃣ Then given the right to become children of God (born of God).
Meaning: Becoming God’s child (regeneration) is granted to those who first believe.

🕊️ 2. John 3:15–16

“That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Faith is the condition for receiving eternal life (which is regeneration in essence).
Eternal life is not given so that we may believe, but because we believe.

🕊️ 3. John 20:31

“These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

Believing → Life in His name.
The purpose of the Gospel is to lead to faith, and through faith, life.

🕊️ 4. Galatians 3:26

“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

We become sons (new birth, regeneration) through faith, not before it.

🕊️ 5. Ephesians 1:13

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”

The sealing of the Spirit (which is regeneration and indwelling) happens after hearing and believing the gospel.
Sequence:
1️⃣ Hear the Word →
2️⃣ Believe →
3️⃣ Receive the Spirit.

🕊️ 6. Romans 5:1

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Justification (a result of new birth) comes by faith, not prior to it.
Faith is the means by which we enter into new life and peace with God.

🕊️ 7. Acts 11:17–18

“God gave them the same gift [the Holy Spirit] as He gave us after they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ... Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

The gift of the Spirit (the new life) was given after they believed.
“Repentance unto life” indicates faith precedes life.

🕊️ 8. Colossians 2:12

“Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”

This verse is decisive:
We are raised (made alive) with Christ through faith — not before it.
Faith is the instrument through which the power of God brings new life.

🕊️ 9. 1 John 5:1

“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God…”

The participle “believes” (present) and “is born” (perfect) shows that faith identifies the one who has been born of God — and in harmony with John’s Gospel, it is through faith that new birth occurs.

🕊️ 10. James 1:18

“Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”

The new birth happens through the word of truth, and the Word produces faith (Romans 10:17).
Therefore, faith through the Word is the means of regeneration.

🕊️ 11. Romans 10:9–10, 17

“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved...
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness...
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Salvation and righteousness come by believing.
Faith precedes salvation and regeneration.

🔶 Biblical Order of Salvation

Step	Action	Key Verses
1️⃣	Hearing the Word	Romans 10:17; James 1:18
2️⃣	Faith in Christ	John 3:16; John 1:12
3️⃣	Regeneration / New Birth	Colossians 2:12; Ephesians 1:13
4️⃣	Justification and Adoption	Romans 5:1; Galatians 3:26
5️⃣	Indwelling and Sealing of the Spirit	Ephesians 1:

🔍 Theological Summary

Regeneration is not the cause of faith;
rather, faith is the condition and instrument by which God regenerates and grants new life.
The Holy Spirit works through the Word to bring conviction, leading the sinner to faith — and then imparts life.

Conclusion

From Genesis to Revelation, the consistent pattern of Scripture is that God grants new life through faith in His Son. The sinner hears the Word, believes the Gospel, and through that faith is united with Christ in His death and resurrection (Colossians 2:12). Faith is not a human work that earns regeneration; it is the God-appointed means through which the Holy Spirit imparts life. The order is unmistakable: the Word → faith → life.
Thus, regeneration is not what enables us to believe, but what God graciously does when we believe, making us new creations in Christ and children of God.