Prevenient Grace

Many in Christendom teach some variation of John Wesley's doctrine of Prevenient Grace, which suggest that there are three states of man: 1) a state of total depravity, 2) a state of prevenient grace which nullifies some aspects of that depravity to enable an eternally saving decision, and 3) a state of regeneracy and eternal salvation. While Primitive Baptists do affirm that the saving grace of God is prevenient (lower case "p" meaning that regeneration precedes the exercise of faith in time, or life precedes action) we most certainly deny the common doctrine of Prevenient Grace (upper case "P" as in the teaching of a pre-regenerating and enabling grace) that is so common in Christendom today. There is no "third state" of man between unregenerate and regenerate (Romans 8:5-9). The "drawing" of God is the immediate, life giving fiat of regeneration that comes upon ALL of God's elect in fulfillment of a covenant promise (Galatians 4:6).