Just to set the record straight from a “Calvinist” Confession, the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith states …
Of Saving Faith
Chapter 14, Paragraph 1:
The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts,(2 Cor 4:13; Eph 2:8) and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word;(Rom. 10:14,17) by which also, and by the administration of baptism and the Lord's supper, prayer, and other means appointed of God, it is increased and strengthened. (Luke 17:5; 1 Pet. 2:2; Acts 20:32)
- 2 Cor 4:13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak,”
- Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
- Rom. 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
- Rom 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
- Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
- 1 Pet. 2:2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
- Acts 20:32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Paragraph 2
By this faith a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for the authority of God himself, and also apprehends an excellency therein above all other writings and all things in the world, as it bears forth the glory of God in his attributes, the excellency of Christ in his nature and offices, and the power and fullness of the Holy Spirit in his workings and operations: and so is enabled to cast his soul upon the truth consequently believed; and also acts differently upon that which each particular passage thereof contains; yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come; but the principle acts of saving faith have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.
Paragraph 3
This faith, although it be in different stages, and may be weak or strong, yet it is in the least degree of it different in the kind or nature of it, as is all other saving grace, from the faith and common grace of temporary believers; and therefore, though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory, growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith.
(Verses omitted, but available at this
LINK)
“born again” does not appear in the Confession as an act or state prior to having faith (and the term may or may not appear in the Confession at all). However, the 1689 BCF does affirm God as the first cause in the salvation of man (if you choose to redefine God acting on human hearts as ‘born again’, then so be it … the BCF does not).
