Arminian-Wesleyan Position. Theologians in the Arminian-Wesleyan tradition, such as Roger Olson, Thomas Oden, and Jerry Walls, assert that saving faith precedes regeneration, as the Holy Spirit responds to persons’ exercising faith by regenerating them. Arminian-Wesleyan theologians deny the equation of becoming a Christian with entering the kingdom of God; rather, they see a cause and effect relationship between the two. By becoming a Christian, people place themselves under God’s reign (Oden, Classic Christianity, 578).

Arminian-Wesleyan theologians concur with the Augustinian-Calvinist position that humans are unable to believe in Christ without the prior drawing of the Holy Spirit; however, they deny that this drawing is the same as regeneration. They instead maintain that this drawing is prevenient grace, or prior ability-supplying grace, that the Spirit gives to all humanity (John 12:32). As Olson explains, “humans are dead in their trespasses and sins until the prevenient grace of God awakens and enables them to exercise a good will toward God in repentance and faith” (Olson, Arminian Theology, 159). But this grace is resistible, which accounts for some people choosing to believe in Christ and other people choosing not to. Arminian-Wesleyan theologians equate regeneration with the gift of the Holy Spirit and identify regeneration as the beginning of eternal life and salvation. They support their position by pointing to texts affirming that one must believe in order to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37–39; Acts 2:38; Eph 1:13–14) and eternal life or salvation (Luke 7:50; John 3:15–16; 3:36; 5:24, 39–40; 11:25; 20:31; Acts 16:31).