Romans 8:8

8. Cannot please God From this a strange theology has inferred that even an unregenerate man’s complete resignation of sin and unregeneracy, and his effort and act of entire submission to God, though required by God, and encouraged by his promise and pardon, cannot be pleasing to God nor accepted by him! This theology declares that men must be regenerate before they can make the self-surrendering act of faith to God! But in truth that act of faith is the precedent condition in order to regeneration. It is after an unregenerate man by God’s help and grace performs the act of faith that regeneration is bestowed. When it is said that an unregenerate man cannot please God, it means an unregenerate man acting after the flesh, that is, in accordance with the unregenerate nature within him. So a disobedient child cannot be pleasing to his parents, nor a dishonest citizen acceptable to the government, that is, as a disobedient child and as a dishonest citizen. But that means not that the disobedient child, as a free agent, cannot renounce his disobedience, and the dishonest resign his dishonesty, and so both become right and acceptable.