Reasons for New Birth before Faith !
One of the reasons one needs to be born again in order to believe the Gospel, its because within,the deep things of God are proclaimed !
The deep things of God have to do with His Counsels,things deep and involve the Mind of God. Paul is referring to the Gospel of God's Grace when He writes in Acts, Acts 20:24-27
24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
The counsel of His Own Will in His Chosen Salvation Eph 1:11-13
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Paul here is rehearsing the Things He Preached in the Gospel of their Salvation. Remember, Paul was speaking to the Ephesian Elders in Acts 20:24-27. So when He said to them when Preaching the Gospel of God's Grace, He did not shun to declare all the Counsel of God, then He meant what he wrote in Eph 1:11, this confirms that what He wrote in that Epistle Chapters 1-3 pertained to the Gospel of God's Grace or of His Kingdom !
Included in these deep things of God,the counsels of predestination and election were included Eph 1:3-6,and these are things that the Gospel reveals, and so must the Spirit 1 Cor 2:6-14
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 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.
12 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.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 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.
Paul here is speaking of the Gospel, The Wisdom of God in a Mystery !
This Gospel, this Wisdom of God in a Mystery is not received by or cannot be understood by the Natural Man !