There are those who desire to place some "timeline" or priority upon sequence.
Why, I really don't know. But because you brought it up, here is what I have found in Scriptures.
Christ stated in John 3 that one must be born again from above. That is salvation. Without that birth, there is no salvation.
The sequence of how that takes place is also part of the passage. The Spirit of God moves and no one is apprised of where it has been or where it is going, but without the work of the Spirit of God there is no salvation.
The result of the work and birth is also part of that salvation. That God loved and gave (Eng. past tense) Christ. Those that believe (Eng. present) have (Eng. past tense as already acquired) eternal life. Those that don't believe are condemned already (Eng. past tense as already condemned).
Example: Prior to birth, there must be conception. The results of conception are birth and often loud announcement to everyone present the arrival.
The same is with the new birth from above. The proclaiming follows the conception and birthing.
Therefore, faith is part and not separate from regeneration and salvation all prior to the new birth. The one born has no participation other than responding to the forces causing the conception, causing the discomfort to remain in the darkness, and causing the birth. However, one born does not remain quiet and proclaims to all who have ears.
Sequence has nothing to do with the child's willingness nor desire, just as John 1 and Romans 10 states. “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,..." This is what takes place that causes the birth. Conception, new birth, resulting in proclamation.
One does not have Romans 10:13-15 prior to Romans 10:8.
I really like this post, especially that last sentence, which I would like to expound upon relative to what I believe the saving faith, to be.
What is Romans 10:8? What, Word of God, heard, which was our saving faith.
A man, Jesus of Nazareth, born of the virgin woman, Mary,
died, not for or because of his sin but for, because of our sins.
Now if nothing else had taken place would we be saved from our sins? See 1 Cor 15:17, 18 and if Christ hath not risen, vain is your faith, ye are yet in your sins; then, also, those having fallen asleep in Christ did perish;
This is what was said of that man, conceived out of Spirit and brought forth by the virgin Mary, who was sinless yet died.
Acts 13:30,33 and God did
raise him out of the dead, God hath in full completed this to us their children,
having raised up Jesus, as also in the second Psalm it hath been written, My Son thou art -- I
to-day have begotten thee.
It was because of the obedience unto death of that sinless man that God the Father raised him up out of the dead, highly exalting him? That is what we heard and that is our saving faith, That is why we receive the Spirit of promise moving us from unbelief unto belief. Of the faith of the Abraham.
John 7:39 and this he said of the Spirit, which those believing in him were about to receive; for not yet was the Holy Spirit, because Jesus was not yet
glorified.
1 Peter 1:21 who through him do believe in God, who did
raise out of the dead, and glory to him did give, so that your faith and hope may be in God.
