If regeneration precedes faith, then its regeneration against the will, which is the same thing as worn down.
If we are not made alive in our spiritually dead state (Ephesians 2) then we don’t have ears that hear and eyes that see.
I’m curious why are so many people opposed to God acting first in regeneration? Did not Jesus say all that the Father gives Him? Not all that come to the Father?
I’m a bit baffled at some of the comments from Catholics lately denying original sin and historic church council canons.
For example, the Council of Orange 529 AD settled the matter of even our saving faith is by the Grace of God. Here’s some canons from the council.
CANON 2. If anyone asserts that Adam's sin affected him alone and not his descendants also, or at least if he declares that it is only the death of the body which is the punishment for sin, and not also that sin, which is the death of the soul, passed through one man to the whole human race, he does injustice to God and contradicts the Apostle, who says, "Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned" (
Rom. 5:12).
CANON 4. If anyone maintains that God awaits our will to be cleansed from sin, but does not confess that even our will to be cleansed comes to us through the infusion and working of the Holy Spirit, he resists the Holy Spirit himself who says through Solomon, "The will is prepared by the Lord" (
Prov. 8:35, LXX), and the salutary word of the Apostle, "For God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (
Phil. 2:13).
CANON 5. If anyone says that not only the increase of faith but also its beginning and the very desire for faith, by which we believe in Him who justifies the ungodly and comes to the regeneration of holy baptism -- if anyone says that this belongs to us by nature and not by a gift of grace, that is, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit amending our will and turning it from unbelief to faith and from godlessness to godliness, it is proof that he is opposed to the teaching of the Apostles, for blessed Paul says, "And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (
Phil. 1:6). And again, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God" (
Eph. 2:8). For those who state that the faith by which we believe in God is natural make all who are separated from the Church of Christ by definition in some measure believers.
CANON 6. If anyone says that God has mercy upon us when, apart from his grace, we believe, will, desire, strive, labor, pray, watch, study, seek, ask, or knock, but does not confess that it is by the infusion and inspiration of the Holy Spirit within us that we have the faith, the will, or the strength to do all these things as we ought; or if anyone makes the assistance of grace depend on the humility or obedience of man and does not agree that it is a gift of grace itself that we are obedient and humble, he contradicts the Apostle who says, "What have you that you did not receive?" (
1 Cor. 4:7), and, "But by the grace of God I am what I am" (
1 Cor. 15:10).
There’s more:
Historic Church Documents at Reformed.org
