Regeneration precedes faith. Faith is the fruit of regeneration, not the root of it.
Biblical soteriology (how we are saved) is monergistic. That is, it is God acting alone. Man’s will is enslaved to sin. So his will is limited. Man cannot initiate salvation, because he is spiritually dead. Man’s will is so enslaved to sin, that God must act first. The effectual call is God acting on man’s disposition so he can receive the gifts of faith and repentance.
Man is changed, by the Holy Spirit quickening the dead soul, such that he goes from being spiritually dead to spiritually alive. It is a radical and complete transformation. This process is known as being “born again”.
So, does regeneration come before faith? John 6:44 says, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Second Corinthians 4:4 declares, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” It is undeniable that God must do something to enable people to believe. At the very least, God must draw people to Christ and open their eyes.
The question still remains, however, must God regenerate people, i.e., save them, before they can believe? Is it possible that God could enable people to believe without regenerating them? Could God draw people, unblind their eyes, soften their hearts, and open their minds, making it possible for them to believe, without actually regenerating them? For the Arminian, the answer is yes, and this “spiritual awakening” is known as prevenient grace.
Again, for the Calvinist, Ephesians 2:1 is the deciding factor. It is impossible to draw, unblind, soften, or open the minds of dead people. God must make people alive, regenerate them, before they can believe.
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