Is Faith an exclusive gift 🎁
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The access to all spiritual blessings in Christ is THROUGH faith . Once in Christ now the Faith OF Christ applies . Your putting the cart before the horse . look at this verse again .
5¶But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, HIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!faith is counted for righteousness.
Now !!!!! After !!!!! We recieve all the things your trying to put BEFORE . Why ? Whats going on ?
5¶But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, HIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!faith is counted for righteousness.
Now !!!!! After !!!!! We recieve all the things your trying to put BEFORE . Why ? Whats going on ?
God put the Holy Spirit within you, when you were born again, and the Holy Spirit revealed to you that God was real, and that Jesus was the way (that was irresistible grace). After you resisted God's commandments for years, the Holy Spirit within you, pricked your new fleshly heart to repent, and be converted to follow God's commandments, You had the same experience as Paul did on the road to Damascus when he was converted, but not to the extent that Paul was.
Ephesians would definitely be the opportunity for Paul to mention ' irresistible grace ' but we never see it mentioned in there ?
I don't think hebrews is talking about Jesus authoring an individuals faith from beginning to end. But The faith from the old testament till the end Jesus is the Author.
Eph 2 is about Grace and about being blessed with all spiritual blessings IN HIM . I believe Paul is saying its through faith not works . Thats the point of Ephesians 2.8 .
Paul already says in the lead up to verse 8 :
5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Its by Grace we are saved.
I don't think hebrews is talking about Jesus authoring an individuals faith from beginning to end. But The faith from the old testament till the end Jesus is the Author.
Eph 2 is about Grace and about being blessed with all spiritual blessings IN HIM . I believe Paul is saying its through faith not works . Thats the point of Ephesians 2.8 .
Paul already says in the lead up to verse 8 :
5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Its by Grace we are saved.
Here is Hebrews 12:2; "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of (our) faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Verse 1 is those who have run before us, and which now sit in the grandstands watching. Verse 2 is the race that Jesus ran, and verse 3 is the race we have to run. The fuel that keeps us going is FAITH. Its AUTHOR - why, Jesus. But it is "OUR" faith. Although the original text does not have "our", it is implied by the grammar. The Lord initiated it and then gave it as a gift to be possessed and used by US.
You have not shown how the context of Ephesians 2:8 changes the plain language it uses. No matter what the context is, you cannot change the meaning of, "Jesus died for us". So also Ephesians 2:8. It cna stand alone, or be in any context. The sentence means the same. But I think you know that - and so does every other person who has a grasp of English. And I think you know that verse 7 addresses verse 8 perfectly.
Both you and I, and many others on this Forum, have a past. And this past formed our ideas. I used to believe that you had to speak in tongues to be saved. I was told that as a new Christian when my brain was big and my Bible knowledge was small. It caused me much agony because I did not speak in tongues. But the Lord only allowed me to believe that for about 4 years. Then came the day I studied the scriptures on the gifts, and was fully satisfied that the doctrine I had held for 4 years was wrong. This process has been repeated at least a hundred times in my years of Bible study. We can't help holding the wrong thing, but we can change when we hear a better argument.
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I used the terminology "God's CHOICE (not salvation) is based on His foreknowledge". If I may say so, your problem is that you are constantly looking for another meaning in every sentence. Try just taking what is there. It will enhance your understanding of the Bible 100% from the first day you start doing this. And then, honor your debating partner by doing the same to his/her writing. Don't add, or subtract or look for another meaning. Just take what is there.
Here is my proof.
1st Peter 1:2; "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."
Romans 8:29; "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."
Here is my proof.
1st Peter 1:2; "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."
Romans 8:29; "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."
With respect. Your putting Predestination in the wrong place . How can we be predestined to the Adoption and to be Conformed when both of these haven't happened at conversion.Rom 8.23 I realise what all the systematic theologians declare. But there is no predestination for sinners. Its after a sinner is converted. Now they are predestined by the sealing of the Holy Spirit ( the spirit OF adoption) Guarenteed glorification. thats why Roman's 8 says glorified as if already happened.
The ' elect ' in Peter are jews . The elect are always referred to Jews . Or its to service, purpose and calling . The word ' elect ' is like a buzz word which gets translated as " chosen to be saved " lol
The ' elect ' in Peter are jews . The elect are always referred to Jews . Or its to service, purpose and calling . The word ' elect ' is like a buzz word which gets translated as " chosen to be saved " lol
Exactly, that is what I am trying to tell you, that these people that Paul is telling them to confess, and believe, are regenerated. The word that is tripping you up is "saved", in verse 9, which means "delivered" and "salvation" in verse 10, means "deliverance".
When a newly regenerated babe in Christ comes unto a knowledge of the gospel, they are delivered, not eternally, but from their lack of knowledge of the gospel. That is why Jesus instructed his apostles to go and preach the gospel to the lost regenerated sheep of the house of Jacob/Israel, and not to the goats, which are the unregenerate.
You will always have contradicting scriptures until you understand that, according to Strong's, save, saved, and salvation, means deliver, delivered, deliverance. There is an eternal deliverance, and there are many deliverances we enjoy, as we sojourn here in this world, by repenting, and following God's commandments. The bible reveals to God's elect how that they were delivered eternally, but the main purpose of the inspired words of God is to instruct his elect how he wants them to live their lives as they sojourn here in this world.
When a newly regenerated babe in Christ comes unto a knowledge of the gospel, they are delivered, not eternally, but from their lack of knowledge of the gospel. That is why Jesus instructed his apostles to go and preach the gospel to the lost regenerated sheep of the house of Jacob/Israel, and not to the goats, which are the unregenerate.
You will always have contradicting scriptures until you understand that, according to Strong's, save, saved, and salvation, means deliver, delivered, deliverance. There is an eternal deliverance, and there are many deliverances we enjoy, as we sojourn here in this world, by repenting, and following God's commandments. The bible reveals to God's elect how that they were delivered eternally, but the main purpose of the inspired words of God is to instruct his elect how he wants them to live their lives as they sojourn here in this world.
I appreciate your understanding of the matter. Just for future reference, you can post scripture for me. It saves a lot of writing for you. Have you got scriptures that says that faith is offered to all.
I also appreciate that you want us to have a good and positive view of God's Character. But the best is to let Him settle it with His Word. Let's let God explain Himself. It is not a case of God withholding faith to "allow you to die in your sins". It is that God, in His omniscience, KNOWS who will "hold the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom.1:18), and not only does He not GIVE faith, he sends blindness and inappropriate lusts upon them (v.21-24).
I also appreciate that you want us to have a good and positive view of God's Character. But the best is to let Him settle it with His Word. Let's let God explain Himself. It is not a case of God withholding faith to "allow you to die in your sins". It is that God, in His omniscience, KNOWS who will "hold the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom.1:18), and not only does He not GIVE faith, he sends blindness and inappropriate lusts upon them (v.21-24).
I try to start without any particular need to defend God's character or start with the will of man or any other philosophical presup . If something is true then we have to accept that regardless of what ' offends ' or doesn't gel with our sensitivities. A lot of Calvinsts assume non calvinists cannot swallow the hard truths mere non calvinsts are unable to handle lol
Omniscient? of course . I try not to assume I know all about what God knows beyond what is revealed . We have whole theological isms claiming they know all about everything before Genesis 1.1
Omniscient? of course . I try not to assume I know all about what God knows beyond what is revealed . We have whole theological isms claiming they know all about everything before Genesis 1.1
When you say // Have you got scriptures that says that faith is offered to all.// This is one of those Kjb soviet questions. " when did you stop beating your wife " . Your assuming faith has to be given . Faith in , comes from hear ing the word of God . its easy to demonstrate we have the ability to have faith in things innately. Planes , pilots ,Dentists, Doctors , Muhammed, vishna, Buddha, Jesus.
You are putting the unregenerate natural man, before the regenerated babe in Christ. Who is it that justified the ungodly? Was not that Jesus Christ?
The newly regenerated babe in Christ, when first born, and surviving on the milk of the word has not learned of the righteousness of God, until they have been taught by those regenerated people who are mature in the gospel, called preachers of the gospel.
When the regenerated babe in Christ comes unto a knowledge of the gospel, his!!!!!!! faith is counted for righteousness. Not the unregenerate natural man's faith.
The newly regenerated babe in Christ, when first born, and surviving on the milk of the word has not learned of the righteousness of God, until they have been taught by those regenerated people who are mature in the gospel, called preachers of the gospel.
When the regenerated babe in Christ comes unto a knowledge of the gospel, his!!!!!!! faith is counted for righteousness. Not the unregenerate natural man's faith.