Faith precedes regeneration Ephesians 1:3
How can it be any other way. All heavenly blessings are in Christ
Ephesians 1:3 (ESV) — 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
In fact, every stage of the application of our redemption is given to us because we are “in Christ.” It is “in Christ” that we are called to salvation (1 Cor. 7:22), regenerated (Eph. 2:1, 5), and justified (Rom. 8:1; 2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:7; Phil. 3:9; Col. 1:14). and “in him” our bodies will be raised up again (1 Cor. 15:22
remission of sin? It’s a heavenly blessing and in Christ
Justification? It’s a heavenly blessing and in Christ
Regeneration? It’s a heavenly blessing and in Christ
Salvation? It’s a heavenly blessing and in Christ
So how does one get in Christ?
According to scripture
Ephesians 1:13 (ESV) — 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
Ephesians 1:13 (NA27) — 13 ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀκούσαντες τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς σωτηρίας ὑμῶν, ἐν ᾧ καὶ πιστεύσαντες ἐσφραγίσθητε τῷ πνεύματι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῷ ἁγίῳ,
One is sealed in Christ when one believes in him (ἐν ᾧ)
Both the first ἐν ᾧ and the second are to relate to the ἐσφραγίσηθητε = “in whom, on hearing and believing, ye were sealed”; it being in Christ, in virtue of our union with Him, that we receive the gift of the Spirit.
The πιστεύσαντες here expresses something prior to the fact conveyed by the definite verb, not contemporaneous with it (Harl.). The sealing was in Christ (ἐν ᾧ), and it followed on their πίστις.—ἐσφραγίσθητε: ye were sealed. Expositors Greek Testament
In whom also, &c.] Better, In Whom moreover, on believing, ye were sealed, &c. The Gr. does not forbid the rendering, “on believing in Whom;” but this demands an unusual construction. —The Christian is here viewed as “sealed in Christ;” that is, as receiving a Divine attestation of his union with his Lord. Cambridge Bible
In whom also. In the Lord Jesus. A little different translation of this verse will convey more clearly its meaning. "In whom also ye, having heard the word of truth, (the gospel of your salvation,) in whom having also believed, ye were sealed," etc. The sealing was the result of believing, and that was the result of hearing the gospel. Comp. Romans 10:14,15.
Barnes' Notes on the New Testament.
But notice carefully the term “IN HIM” which is used throughout the entire chapter. Verse 13 tells us how one comes to be IN HIM. Notice the order:
1. “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.”
They heard the truth…the gospel.
2. “When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit”
They were mark IN HIM after they believed.
Clearly, Paul is saying that those who are IN HIM (through faith) are predestined to become holy (sanctified) and adopted (glorified). The text says nothing about God predestining some individual to believe the gospel so as to be IN HIM, as Calvinism reads into the text.
The last part of verse 13 is literally, "They were sealed in Him [Christ] with the Holy Spirit of promise
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
The key to being in Christ is to believe, to have Faith
Therefore
Faith precedes remission of sin
Faith precedes justification
Faith precedes regeneration
Faith precedes Salvation
How can it be any other way. All heavenly blessings are in Christ
Ephesians 1:3 (ESV) — 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
In fact, every stage of the application of our redemption is given to us because we are “in Christ.” It is “in Christ” that we are called to salvation (1 Cor. 7:22), regenerated (Eph. 2:1, 5), and justified (Rom. 8:1; 2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:7; Phil. 3:9; Col. 1:14). and “in him” our bodies will be raised up again (1 Cor. 15:22
remission of sin? It’s a heavenly blessing and in Christ
Justification? It’s a heavenly blessing and in Christ
Regeneration? It’s a heavenly blessing and in Christ
Salvation? It’s a heavenly blessing and in Christ
So how does one get in Christ?
According to scripture
Ephesians 1:13 (ESV) — 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
Ephesians 1:13 (NA27) — 13 ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀκούσαντες τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς σωτηρίας ὑμῶν, ἐν ᾧ καὶ πιστεύσαντες ἐσφραγίσθητε τῷ πνεύματι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῷ ἁγίῳ,
One is sealed in Christ when one believes in him (ἐν ᾧ)
Both the first ἐν ᾧ and the second are to relate to the ἐσφραγίσηθητε = “in whom, on hearing and believing, ye were sealed”; it being in Christ, in virtue of our union with Him, that we receive the gift of the Spirit.
The πιστεύσαντες here expresses something prior to the fact conveyed by the definite verb, not contemporaneous with it (Harl.). The sealing was in Christ (ἐν ᾧ), and it followed on their πίστις.—ἐσφραγίσθητε: ye were sealed. Expositors Greek Testament
In whom also, &c.] Better, In Whom moreover, on believing, ye were sealed, &c. The Gr. does not forbid the rendering, “on believing in Whom;” but this demands an unusual construction. —The Christian is here viewed as “sealed in Christ;” that is, as receiving a Divine attestation of his union with his Lord. Cambridge Bible
In whom also. In the Lord Jesus. A little different translation of this verse will convey more clearly its meaning. "In whom also ye, having heard the word of truth, (the gospel of your salvation,) in whom having also believed, ye were sealed," etc. The sealing was the result of believing, and that was the result of hearing the gospel. Comp. Romans 10:14,15.
Barnes' Notes on the New Testament.
But notice carefully the term “IN HIM” which is used throughout the entire chapter. Verse 13 tells us how one comes to be IN HIM. Notice the order:
1. “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.”
They heard the truth…the gospel.
2. “When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit”
They were mark IN HIM after they believed.
Clearly, Paul is saying that those who are IN HIM (through faith) are predestined to become holy (sanctified) and adopted (glorified). The text says nothing about God predestining some individual to believe the gospel so as to be IN HIM, as Calvinism reads into the text.
The last part of verse 13 is literally, "They were sealed in Him [Christ] with the Holy Spirit of promise
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
The key to being in Christ is to believe, to have Faith
Therefore
Faith precedes remission of sin
Faith precedes justification
Faith precedes regeneration
Faith precedes Salvation
