Tong2020 said:
↑
I have a somewhat different view. In my view I don’t see the gospel as demanding anything. The gospel is about what God had done for salvation, not about what one should do to be saved. For there is nothing that a man could do that would save himself. God is the Savior and man is the one who needs saving. For if there is something man can do to save himself, there was no need for God to do what He had done in Christ for salvation.
Let me explain myself a bit more. As with any news, it is no more of a report about what happened or is happening. When some news gets to the hearing of people, some understand it and others don’t. But either way, all only gets to believe or not. With regards the gospel, there is no difference in that respect. Now, obviously, what one understand the news is about and what it is, is only what he may or may not believe. However, there is a big difference with the gospel in some respect. Unlike any news, the gospel is one that is coming from God, and is spiritual or better yet, about God and the things of the Spirit of God. That being the nature of the gospel, the natural man can not know it, because it is spiritually discerned. He does not receive the gospel because it is foolishness to him. In other words, for one to understand the gospel, there is one thing that should take place first in and on the man. Something spiritual. And that is not something that he could do nor is his work, but God’s. I call that spiritual something as the quickening of the man’s spirit, which opens up his heart and spiritual eyes and ears.
Also, in my view, what the gospel says is not about something that one could avail or not by doing something, but is about something that one could only believe or not, concerning the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
Those whose spirit are quickened, their hearts, ears and eyes having been opened by God, receives faith from God, that eventually move them in the spirit, resulting to their willful acceptance of the gospel and sincerely believe it. As such, they are saved by God, by grace through faith.