Theodore Beza (1519-1605)
When I asked Google AI if Beza believed that regeneration preceded faith, I got this answer:
"Theodore Beza did not believe that faith preceded regeneration; rather, as a central architect of Reformed scholasticism, he held that regeneration (or effectual calling) logically precedes saving faith."
After I gave evidence to the contrary to AI, AI then said I was right and gave me the evidence from other sources that say I was right. I asked AI why it keeps making these errors. So, folks, do not trust AI to give you the correct answer. It is still learning. lol
In the previous chapter I showed that John Calvin, for whose namesake we get the word "Calvinism," did not believe that regeneration or rebirth of the Spirit preceded faith but believed faith preceded. Now I wish to cite from Theodore Beza, Calvin's close friend and one who co-founded with him the Geneva Academy and who succeeded him in leadership of the Reformed churches. He was also, even more than Calvin, a Greek scholar, having published critical and influential editions of the Greek New Testament (with his own Latin translations and detailed annotations) in 1565 and 1582. I say this because he believed like Calvin that regeneration was by faith and obviously therefore did not believe that I John 5:1 taught that regeneration or rebirth occurred before faith from the Greek grammar as later Calvinists would argue.
In "Propositions and Principles of Divinity" (You can read it here), Chapters 22-26, "concerning Faith, Justification, and Sanctification," and the sub-heading "PRINCIPLES CONCERNING FAITH. XXII," Beza wrote (emphasis mine):
"1. CHRISTIAN faith is that only hand, whereby we take hold, or apply unto ourselves, Christ being offered unto us, with all his benefits, that are necessary unto our salvation."
"5. We affirm this Faith to be the mere gift of God, peculiar only to the elect: and such a gift as in no wise can be repented of, or called back, or being the most sure & immovable remedy unto the salvation of all the elect."
This is what Calvin taught. He said that union with Christ is what must first occur before any of Christ's saving benefits can be obtained and since union with Christ is by faith, faith must precede not only justification, but regeneration, sanctification, etc. Since penitent faith is the substance of evangelical conversion, it precedes or is identical with regeneration. Calvin and Beza saw regeneration as sanctifying and believed, contrary to the Catholics, that justification precedes sanctification. The idea that union with Christ by faith is first in the order of salvation was also the teaching of the oldest Calvinist confessions, such as the Belgic (1561), the French Calvinist (1559), Westminster (1646) London Baptist (1644 & 1689).
The Belgic Confession says:
Article 22: Our Justification Through Faith in Jesus Christ We believe that to attain the true knowledge of this great mystery the Holy Ghost kindleth in our hearts an upright faith, which embraces Jesus Christ with all His merits, appropriates Him,1 and seeks nothing more besides Him.2 For it must needs follow, either that all things which are requisite to our salvation are not in Jesus Christ, or if all things are in Him, that then those who possess Jesus Christ through faith have complete salvation in Him.3
Article 24: Man's Sanctification and Good Works We believe that this true faith, being wrought in man by the hearing of the Word of God and the operation of the Holy Ghost,1 doth regenerate and make him a new man, causing him to live a new life2 and freeing him from the bondage of sin.3 Therefore it is so far from being true that this justifying faith makes men remiss in a pious and holy life,4 that on the contrary without it they would never do anything out of love to God, but only out of self-love or fear of damnation.
Notice that the confession says that "true faith...doth regenerate and make him a new man" and causes him to have a new life.
The French Confession Of Faith A.D. 1559 (drawn up under the supervision of Calvin) said: "XXII. We believe that by this faith we are regenerated in newness of life, being by nature subject to sin."
Westminster catechism says:
Q. 30. How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
A. The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.
Q. 31. What is effectual calling?
A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.
Q. 32. What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?
A. They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, sanctification, and the several benefits which, in this life, do either accompany or flow from them.
Notice that all the benefits of redemption, which would include regeneration or quickening, come from union with Christ and union is by faith. The Baptist Catechism attached to the 1689 London confession says the same.
Next, under "PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF FAITH" (XXIII) Beza wrote:
"1. THE efficient cause of faith indeed, and to speak properly, is one; to wit, the mercy of God.
2. The ordinary means whereby the same is wrought, (that is, whereby both the understanding of man is framed unto a saving knowledge of God in Christ, and a particular receiving thereof; and also the will powerfully disposed unto a right order of the affections) is the preaching of God’s word, delivered unto us by the Prophets and Apostles, and for that cause (so far as it concerneth the elect) appointed to be in the Church."
It was when later Calvinists began to deny that regeneration or rebirth was by faith that they also began to deny that the word of God was a means in regeneration. In this post (here) I gave citations from W.G.T. Shedd's Systematic Theology where he said:
"The Lutheran doctrine, stated in the apology for the Augsburg Confession and in the Formula of Concord, employs regeneration in the wide meaning, but distinguishes carefully between justification and sanctification. In the Reformed church, the term regeneration was also employed in the wide signification...Regeneration thus included not only the new birth, but all that issues from it. It comprised the converting acts of faith and repentance...The divines of the seventeenth century very generally do not distinguish between regeneration and conversion, but employ the two as synonyms. Owen does this continually (On the Spirit 3.5), and Charnock likewise (Attributes, Practical Atheism)...Consequently, there arose gradually a stricter use of the term regeneration and its discrimination from conversion. Turretin (15.4.13) defines two kinds of conversion, as the term was employed in his day. The first is habitual or passive conversion. It is the production of a habit or disposition in the soul: Habitual or passive conversion occurs through the infusion of supernatural habits by the Holy Spirit. The second kind is actual or active conversion...Regeneration is the origination of life; conversion is the evolution and manifestation of life...Regeneration is wholly an act of God; conversion is wholly an activity of man...regeneration is not effected by the use of means, in the strict signification of the term means. The Holy Spirit employs means in conviction, in conversion, and in sanctification, but not in regeneration...the word and truth of God, the most important of all the means of grace, is not a means of regeneration..."
(You can read the larger citations in the post I mentioned; these are excerpts)
Next Beza wrote:
"3. But here two extremities are to be taken heed unto: the one of the ENTHUSIASTS, who do not only distinguish but also separate the internal word as they call it: that is, the work of the Spirit of God in our souls, from the preaching of the written word: whence followeth not any faith, but rather a mere dotage."
These old "Enthusiasts" remind me of the Hardshell Baptists who likewise distinguish between the internal word and the preaching of the written word. When they are confronted with I Peter 1: 23 and James 1: 18 where it is said that sinners are "born again" or "begotten" by the "word of God" or "word of truth" they will often say that this is a word that Jesus speaks directly to a sinner apart from the written word of God. It also reminds me of the rhema versus logos doctrine (or "word of faith" doctrine) of Pentecostals such as Kenneth Hagin who say that the rhema word is the word that Jesus speaks to you apart from the written word of God, as he does to prophets, and to them this rhema word has more weight than the written word of God. I wrote a short post on this (here).
Next Beza wrote:
"4. Now that which we have spoken of the Ecclesiastical ministry, is so to be taken, as in the mean time we are to know, that God as often as it pleaseth him, is able in a moment by the inward operation of his Spirit, extraordinarily to regenerate his elect."
That is the essence of Calvinism. I recently wrote about his (here), stating that it is this truth that makes me a Calvinist and how even many Arminians pray this way.
Next Beza wrote:
"9. Now that true and lively faith, whereof we speak, is no less made known, by the perpetual and necessary effects thereof, than is the life of the body, by motion and sense.
10. But these effects do not give being unto faith, or inform the same, as the Sophisters do most absurdly dream, but they are the undoubted and sure signs of it."
This surely condemns those Calvinists today who say that regeneration precedes faith for they surely teach that regeneration and its effects are what gives being unto faith.
Beza continued:
11. These effects are partly carried out of us unto Christ, with whom we are united by faith, and partly they do beget some things within us.
12. The outward effects, inasmuch as they do peculiarly apply Christ and his benefits, unto those that believe, and therefore the most excellent, and of greatest account. And they are, both the full remission of all sins, as well original as actual, by the blood of Christ, and also the bestowing upon us of all righteousness fulfilled by him, together with the most full restoring and repairing of our nature in the flesh of Christ: All which, are freely by faith in Christ, imputed unto us, who take hold both of him and his gifts.
13. Another effect of our spiritual joining together with him by faith is, that he governeth by his Holy Spirit, both our understanding & will, being sanctified and brought out of darkness unto that marvelous light; so as we begin to think, to will, and to do, the things that are of God."
Notice again the important basic proposition that says that faith is the means of a person becoming united to Christ and how all the benefits of redemption (of which regeneration or spiritual life is one) follows that union. The "repairing of our nature" is a result of union with Christ by faith.
Next he wrote:
"PRINCIPLES CONCERNING MAN’S JUSTIFICATION IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. XXIIII"
"11. The effect inherent in us, as in a subject, is that new quality, which is called inherent righteousness, or regeneration, which in no wise doth absolve us in the presence of God, but is only a most sure witness of our engrafting into Christ, and therefore, of our free absolution in him."
Beza says that regeneration is an effect of justification by faith. That is the biblical teaching. It was what Calvin, Beza, and others of the first Calvinists of the Reformation taught. They taught that faith preceded both justification and regeneration. Today's Calvinists who put regeneration before faith have also taken the Catholic view that says justification follows regeneration and sanctification. Those Calvinists who do so have not improved Calvinism but have adulterated it.
Next Beze writes the following under "PRINCIPLES CONCERNING SANCTIFICATION" [XXV.]:
"SEEING THE EFFECT OF FAITH IS twofold, Justification and Sanctification: it followeth that having spoken of the former, we adjoin the latter unto it."
Notice that he puts justification before sanctification and also know that he rightly saw how regeneration is sanctifying. Louis Berkhof even acknowledges this when he wrote:
"At the same time regeneration is the beginning of sanctification. The work of renewal, begun in the former, is continued in the latter, Phil. 1:6." (Systematic Theology Chapter X "Sanctification" - here)
So, not only do Calvinists of the "born again before faith" camp put regeneration before justification but also put sanctification before justification.
Next Beza wrote:
"1. HERE first of all, we do especially distinguish, Sanctification, whereof we are now to speak, from that most perfect integrity which in Christ is imputed unto us, as the effect is to be severed from the cause, and the fruit from the tree.
2. To express this whereof we now speak, there do occur many & diverse names in the holy Scriptures, as are these especially in the new testament: Sanctification, regeneration, newness of life, Baptism taken passively, Spirit, mortification of the old man, and the quickening of the new, with other the like phrases, which would be too long to be here recited."
Notice how Beza sees regeneration as the beginning of sanctification as well as the fruit of justification by faith.
Beza continued:
"11. This faith is in no wise of ourselves, but from the mere grace of God, the Holy Ghost mercifully creating the same in the understanding, and the heart of the elect, that is, being the cause that after they have heard, and understood the word of the Gospel, they do truly believe although not perfectly..."
Those Calvinists who teach the "born again before faith" error tell us that if we do not put regeneration before faith that we then deny total depravity, accept Arminian 'prevenient grace,' deny that regeneration is the work of God wherein the sinner is totally passive, and the whole Calvinistic system. However, that is simply not true. Why? Because, as Beza says, faith is God's creation. That is what he said in the above citation and in others I could cite.
Beza continued:
"13. That new quality then, called inherent righteousness, and regeneration testified by good works, is a necessary effect of true faith: whence it is to be gathered, that good works are by no means the causes, but only the witnesses of that imputed justification, whereby alone troubled consciences are at rest. for they are no otherwise to be considered, than as things that necessarily follow the believer’s being already justified in Christ."
Why did Calvin and Beza not see that their teaching of regeneration by faith caused all the problems that those Calvinists of the "regenerated before faith" view create? Why did they not see how the grammar of I John 5:1 taught the born again before faith view? In the above citation Beza again says that regeneration is by faith. He also spoke of "Doctrines therefore are to be detested." Such doctrines included the view "That no man can be assured of his salvation" and "That our Justification in the sight of God, is an effect of our Regeneration." Today's Calvinists of the "born again before faith" view who in their ordo salutis put regeneration before justification would be denounced by Calvin and Beza and other Calvinists, such as I, being a view that they "detested."
The following is taken from this web page (here) of "puritans mind" and the article titled "Faith and Justification - by Theodore Beza (1519-1605)." The author writes:
"The following article by Theodore Beza was taken from chapter four (sections 1-13) of his book The Christian Faith, translated into English by James Clark (Focus Christian Ministries Trust, East Essex England, 1992)." Then follow these citations from Beza (emphasis mine):
The Holy Spirit makes us partakers of Jesus Christ by Faith Alone
The Holy Spirit is therefore the One through whom the Father places and maintains His elect in possession of Jesus Christ, His Son; and, consequently, of all the graces which are necessary to their salvation.
But it is necessary, in the first place, that the Holy Spirit makes us suitable and ready to receive Jesus Christ. This is what He does in creating in us, by His pure goodness and Divine mercy, that which we call ‘faith’ (Eph. 1: 17; Phil 1: 29; 2 ‘Mess 3:2), the sole instrument by which we take hold of Jesus Christ when He is offered to us, the sole vessel to receive Him (John 3:1-13, 33-36).
Further on, we will return to this; in the first place we shall define what this so precious faith is, and what are its effects and powers."
"How faith is necessary, and what faith is.
We are at this point such enemies of our own salvation, because of our natural corruption (Rom 8:7; 1 Cor. 2:14), that if God had merely contented Himself to tell us that we shall find our salvation in Jesus Christ, we would only mock it; thus has the world always done and will do until the end (1 Cor. 1:23-25; John 10:20; Acts 2:13; Luke 23:35). Even more, if He added nothing more than to tell us also that the means whereby we experience the efficacy of this remedy against eternal death is to believe in Jesus Christ, that would profit us nothing (John 3:5-6). For, in all this, we are more than dumb (Ps. 51:15; Is 6:5; Jer. 1:6), deaf (Ps. 40:6; John 8:47; Matt 13:13), and blind through the corruption of our nature (John 1:5; 3:3; 9:41). It would be no more possible for us even to wish to believe than it would be for a dead man to fly (John 12:38,39; 6:44)...In declaring to us that He has given His own only Son so that whosoever takes hold of Him by faith should not perish (John 3:16), He creates also in us this instrument of faith which He requires from us."
"On the other side, faith embraces and appropriates Jesus Christ and all that is in Him, since He has been given to us on the condition of believing in Him (John 17:20,21; Rom 8:9). There follows one of two things: either all that is necessary for our salvation is not in Jesus Christ, or if all is indeed there, he who has Jesus Christ by faith has everything. Now, to say that all which is necessary for our salvation is not in Jesus Christ is a very horrible blasphemy, for this would only make Him a Saviour in part (Matt 1:21). There remains therefore the other part: in having Jesus Christ, by faith, we have in Him all that is required for our salvation (Rom 5:1)."
"Here is the explanation of our justification by faith alone: faith is the instrument which receives Jesus Christ and, consequently, which receives His righteousness, that is to say, all perfection. When therefore, after St. Paul (Rom 1: 17; 3:21-27; 4:3; 5:1; 9:30-33; 11:6; Gal 2:16-21; 3:9,10,18; Phil 3:9; 2 Tim 1:9; Titus 3:5; Heb. 11:7) we say that we are justified by faith alone, or freely, or by faith without works (for all these ways of speaking give the same sense), we do not say that faith is a virtue which makes us righteous, in ourselves, before God. For this would be to put faith in the place of Jesus Christ who is, alone, our perfect and entire righteousness."
"But we speak thus with the Apostle, and we say that by faith alone we are justified, insomuch as it embraces Him who justifies us, Jesus Christ, to whom it unites and joins us. We are then made partakers of Him and the benefits which He possesses. These, being imputed and gifted to us, are more than sufficient to make us acquitted and accounted righteous before God."
"It is established that to be assured of one’s salvation, through faith, is not only neither presumption nor arrogance, but, on the contrary, is the sole means of stripping oneself of all pride, to give all glory to God (Rom 8:16,38; Eph 3:12; Heb. 10:22,23; 1 John 4:13; 5:19; Rom 3:27; 4:20; 1 Cor. 4:4; 9:26,27). Because faith alone teaches us to go out of ourselves, and compels us, to earnestly acknowledge that in ourselves there is nothing but cause for complete damnation. Thus it sends us away to Jesus Christ, and it teaches us and assures us that we shall find salvation before God through His righteousness alone. Truly, all that is in Jesus Christ, that is to say, all the righteousness and perfection (in Him there was no sin and moreover He has fulfilled all the righteousness of the Law), is placed to our account and gifted to us as if it were our own, provided that we embrace Him by faith."
"That is why the Church, that is to say, the assembly of believers, is called the Spouse of Jesus Christ, her Husband (Rom 7:2-6; 8:35; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph 5:31,32); it is to more clearly show the greatness of the union and communion which exists between Jesus Christ and those who, through faith, have entrusted themselves to him. For, by virtue of this union and this spiritual marriage through faith, He takes all our miseries upon Himself, and we receive from Him all His treasures, by His pure goodness and mercy. This is what we are going to see."
"In the same way as the soul produces its effects when it is naturally united to the body, so, when, by faith, Jesus Christ dwells in us in a spiritual manner, His power produces there and reveals there His graces. These are described in Scripture by the words ‘regeneration’ and ‘sanctification’, and they make us new creatures with regard to the qualities that we can have (John 3:3; Eph 4:21-24)."
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