My Question:
Definition of work: activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result.
Given: You believe that you of your own free will must believe (mental effort) to be saved (to achieve a result)
Question: How do you explain that you do NO WORK in order to be saved??????
Romans 4:2 For if Abraham was justified [that is, acquitted from the guilt of his sins] by works [those things he did that were good], he has something to boast about, but not before God.
4 What then shall we say that Abraham our father[
a] has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has
something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “
Abraham believed God, and it was [b]accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 N
ow to him who works, the wages are not counted [c]as grace but as debt.
Thank you for responding ...
I am not going to change you mind, but I will try to see from my point of view.
First, I see where you are coming from I think. I think you believe faith is not a work because God say
FAITH is not a work of man. To this we are both agreed. The next question is, "Why does God say Abraham's Faith is not a work of Abraham".
My View to "Why does God say Abraham's Faith is not a work of Abraham".
....I believe faith is not Abraham's work because the faith Abraham has came from God changing Abraham's heart so now Abraham desire/willed to believe as a result. NOTE: This does not conflict with the dictionary definition of believe because Abraham's faith was an effect and God was the cause of said effect.
Your View, as I see it, as to "Why does God say Abraham's Faith is not a work of Abraham".
First, you believe God gave the ability to Abraham to chose to believe or not. Then Abraham did the choosing to believe on his own.
Now, as I see it, you says this is not a work because the bible says it is not a work. To this statement we both agree. But your explanation still has contradictions.
Contradiction 1: The dictionary definition shows us that if Abraham was the cause of his belief (mental effort per dictionary) he would be saved (to achieve a purpose per dictionary). So you have a contradiction with the meaning of words per the dictionary.
Contradiction 2: Many verses to show did but just give John 1:12-13 which state one is not saved by his own will, but the will of God.
So, as I pointed out before ... there are many verses saying WHAT we must do to be saved, that is believe like you pointed out. But the only verses that tell us
WHY WE BELIEVE are verses stating GOD changed our hearts. Which is to say God is the CAUSE and our FAITH is the effect. Phil 1:29, Rom 3:12; 1 Cor 3:12, Eph. 2:8-9; Deuteronomy 29:4, Jeremiah 24:7, Ezekiel 36:26–27, Luke 17:5; John 6:29; John 15:5; Acts 3:16, Rom. 8:7; 1 Corinthians 2;5, 1 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 6:23, Colossians 1:3, 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Timothy 1:13; Hebrews 12:2 ... getting tired of listing all verses indicating faith causes us to believe comes from God. Probably 20 verses saying it is God's will as to who he chooses to be saved, or wills to be saved ... 40 verses saying we aren't capable of being saved, on and on and on ...