Until a sinner is born again or regenerated he cannot understand the things of God. Here Paul describes that type of man as the "natural man" in contrast to the man who has been quickened by the Holy Spirit:

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor.2:14).

It is not until the sinner is regenerated by the Spirit of God that he can understand the things of God:

"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God" (1 Cor.2:11-12).

Some sincere Christians teach that the sinner is regenerated by receiving the Spirit "before" he believes. But Paul makes it plain that the receiving of the Spirit happens when the sinner believes. He asked the believers at Galatia the following question:

"This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Gal.3:2).

Of course the answer to Paul's question is that the unregenerate man receives the Spirit "by the hearing of faith," and not before.

In the following verses John says that those who believed on the name of Jesus Christ were made children of God when they were "born of God":

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, {even} to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (Jn.1:12-13; NASB).

John also makes it plain that this birth was accomplished apart from man's will--"nor of the will of man."

Believing something is not based on one's will. In the natural sphere a man knows that five plus five equals ten. He cannot "will" himself to believe that five plus five equals nine or eleven or anything other than ten. A man cannot "will" himself to believe something that the evidence tells him is not true. It is impossible, and that is because a person's beliefs are based on "evidence" and not based on his "will":

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb.11:1).

Being "born again" or "born of God" is accomplished when the sinner believes the gospel (1 Pet.1:23-25). The Lord Himself has supernaturally given the true believer an "understanding" of the gospel and the believer "knows" Him Who is true:

"And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life" (1 Jn. 5:11).

Again, this knowledge is based on "evidence":

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb.11:1).

Indeed, this "evidence of things not seen" comes to us is the gospel, and the gospel comes unto us in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance:

"For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake" (1 Thess.1:5).

Those who have believed the gospel have a supernatural knowledge of the truths of the gospel, a knowledge that even supercedes any knowledge that a person might have in the natural sphere. This supernatural evidence is so strong that Paul can speak of Christ's crucifixion clearly portrayed before them:

"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?" (Gal.3:1).

There is no merit in believing the gospel, especially since it is absolutely true and that truth comes in the power of the Holy Spirit. And again, believing the gospel is not a function of the will of man:

"So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy" (Ro.9:16).

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