Yes, it's a one-package deal. . .it is all a continuous process, the regenerated
always believe, the regenerated are
always saved, the regenerated's sins are
always remitted, the regenerated are
always justified, the regenerated are
always adopted as sons. . .
Regeneration --> faith --> remission of sin (salvation) --> justification (declared righteous) --> sonship
are in reality close to simultaneous, but for order of effect, they are stated as occurring above,
it all beginning where Jesus says it does in
John 3:3-8, with the rebirth by the sovereign will of God the Holy Spirit before the unregenerate can even see anything spiritual (
Romans 8:7-8;
1 Corinthians 2:14), much less receive and believe.
""This is not scriptural (with the rebirth by the sovereign will of God the Holy Spirit before the unregenerate can even see anything spiritual (
Romans 8:7-8;
1 Corinthians 2:14), """much less receive and believe.)"""
This is like the statement you said before that is no where found in scripture and surely not in the ones who speak of here in John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. The water is representative of the word of God; John 15:3 Now you are made clean through the word which I have spoken. Eph 5:26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word 1 Peter 1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart
Ezekiel 36:25-27 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. Once a person begins to hear the word of God, it will when heard enough spark an interest in the heart of the lost, and if responded to will cause the conscience of man to begin to see they need to change their ways, conviction begins, whether fast or slow would depend on each case, and they will come to faith or put in off, for a time or permanently. John 6:63 it is the Spirit that quickens the words I speak to you they are spirit and they are truth. Isa 55:
8“For My thoughts
are not your thoughts,
Nor
are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9“For
as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, but water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
(
Romans 8:7-8;
1 Corinthians 2:14) These are speaking as you imply to the carnal minded who are lost and desire to walk according to the flesh. Apart from the working of God which He demonstrates in His creation
Romans 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
19For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. And the word of God, which tells of the law of sin and death no one would know they needed a Savior. Although also, the conscience I believe is taught to be what Paul was meaning, when he said the Gentiles in
Romans2:14 Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
15 So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them
16 on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel. Just as a side note, I had never heard a sermon mention the conscience of man, but was impressed in a bible study to look at all the references on the word, conscience, it was very informative and worth the time to do this, just put in your heading, if you haven't tried it, how many times in the bible is the word conscience mentioned and look them up, no charge for this valuable point. From birth the thoughts we have are the conscience often declaring the good thoughts and guilt without which while little babies, their parents tell them what not to do, when they do it, they look around to see who may be watching, just like Adam and Eve in the garden, when they ate of fruit, and heard the Lord in the garden, what did they do? they hid. Pardon me for getting off topic.
