Most Calvinists attempt to honor Christ's command to "preach the gospel to every creature." Yet it is difficult to uphold the importance of the gospel when the unregenerated are unable to believe it, and the elect are regenerated without it, then sovereignly and supernaturally given faith to believe. Given TULIP, how can the gospel effect the salvation of anyone? Calvinism is very convoluted. Even the elect can't believe the gospel until they have been allegedly regenerated, so what good is it to preach it to lead people to Christ? Such confusion can't be easy or comfortable for the conscience unless it is, in fact, unregenerated.

Faith in Christ through the gospel precedes new birth (salvation or regeneration), in contradiction to the doctrine of regeneration before faith:
  • The devil...taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. (Luke 8.12)
  • Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.... (Acts 16.31)
  • That if thou shalt...believe in thine heart...though shalt be saved. (Rom. 10.9)
  • In whom [Christ] also ye 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....(Eph. 1.13; emphasis added)