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Dear brightframe52,
Jesus declared faith to be work (John 6:29). If it is work, it cannot be a gift. And faith is a condition for receiving salvation. (Mark 16:16; Rom 1:17; 3:24-25; 4:1-8; 4:22-25; etc.)
Again, with the false doctrine of Determinism. Mankind does have free will ability. It was by the sovereign will of God that He instilled mankind with free will. You would deny God the ability to do that. Shame!
The "it" in "it is a gift of God" in Ephesians 2:8 does not reference faith. Greek grammar will not permit it. Besides, the word "it" is not even in the Greek.We can only go by Gods word of truth....never stray from his truth....
Faith is a precious gift from God a manifestation of the Spirit....Faith is manifest in our spirit....as Gods word is “ Alive” in Spirit.....Praise God.
Bible, King James Version
Ephesians
Previous Chapter
Eph.2
[1] And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
[2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
[3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
[5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
[6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
[7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
[11] Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
[12] That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
[13] But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
[14] For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
[15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
[16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
[17] And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
[18] For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
[19] Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
[20] And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
[21] In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
[22] In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit
It should be obvious, even to you, that the faith spoken of in that passage is not referring to the saving faith of every believer. Rather it is a special miraculous gift from the Holy Spirit given to only a precious few, just as is the case of all the other special miraculous gifts from the Holy Spirit.
That is nothing short of heresy. God has given us His Written Word through the person and work of the Holy Spirit. It is through that Written Word that we can come to believe and obey the gospel (Rom 10). That you would even think for an instant that God is unable to communicate effectively with the unregenerate sinner is pure heresy. It is the very reason for the Bible.
Clearly. it is you spewing out the manmade mumbo jumbo. You simply refuse to understand and believe God's word.
That is correct. However, when Paul declared that we are saved by faith, not works, it is works of law that he spoke about. Clearly he did not refute Christ's own words that faith is a work. We are saved by grace through faith, and faith is a work according to Jesus.
1 Corinthians 2:11 - For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Paul does not merely limit "works" only to specific works of the law. In Titus 3:5, Paul stated that it is not by works of righteousness which we have done, (literally, works done in righteousness) but according to His mercy He saved us.. and in 2 Timothy 1:9, Paul stated that God saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works.. So, Paul includes works in general. Your saved by "these" works and just not "those" works argument doesn't hold water.
A gift indeed . Let all who name the name of JESUS CHRIST continue to keep all hope and faith IN HIM .
There are many who do twist things .
We were as dumb sheep that we all led astray . TRUTH IS , we cannnot DO anything WITHOUT HIM .
Salvation is a free gift given in Christ JESUS given by GOD .
