Featured Doctrinal View

Because salvation is through or on the basis of faith, the gift in view in Ephesians 2:8-9, must be salvation by grace and not works. There is no support anywhere in scripture for the Calvinist fiction of the "gift of faith" via irresistible grace. None, nada, zip.

 

Once again you have addressed my behavior. Your constant use of ad hominem shows you have no meritorious argument.
The Greek Grammar allows the gift to be salvation. So more deflection on display.

Salvation (the gift) is through or on the basis of faith. Pretty simple.
Here is a snippet from the Pulpit commentary:

And that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Which of the two things is meant - salvation or faith? The grammatical structure and the analogy of the passage favor the former view, "Your salvation is not of yourselves," though many able men have taken the latter. The apostle is so anxious to bring out the great distinguishing doctrine of grace that he puts it in all lights, affirms it positively, contrasts it with its opposite, and emphasizes it by repetition. It is a gift, not a purchase; a free gift, without money and without price; what would never have been yours, but for the generosity of God. It is very usual in the New Testament thus to represent salvation; cf. our Lord's words to Nicodemus (John 3:16); to the woman of Samaria (John 4:14); St. Paul's "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15); "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23); and 1 John 5:11, "God gave unto us eternal life, and the life is in his Son." This usage confirms the view that it is not merely faith, but the whole work and person of Christ which faith receives, that is meant here as the "gift of God."

 

Calvinist push the well known fallacy non-stop. Ephesians 2:8 teaches the gift is salvation. The grammar precludes "saved," "grace," or "faith" being the antecedent of the pronoun because the genders differ. Faith cannot be included because the gift is received (obtained) on the basis of faith. It is a lock

 

Utter nonsense posted to hide the truth.
Calvinist push the well known fallacy non-stop. Ephesians 2:8 teaches the gift is salvation. The grammar precludes "saved," "grace," or "faith" being the antecedent of the pronoun because the genders differ. Faith cannot be included because the gift is received (obtained) on the basis of faith. It is a lock

 

Repeating falsehood does not enlighten, but it does help if hiding truth is the agenda.

Calvinist push the well known fallacy non-stop. Ephesians 2:8 teaches the gift is salvation. The grammar precludes "saved," "grace," or "faith" being the antecedent of the pronoun because the genders differ. Faith cannot be included because the gift is received (obtained) on the basis of faith. It is a lock

 

We make plans but God directs our steps, thus God allows us autonomous thoughts and actions, but only so far as He allows. He can and does intervene and restrict our options, such as hardening hearts to cause some to continue to reject Christ for a time. Proverbs 16:9, Romans 11:7

Thus the Biblical Doctrine is that the Fallen have "Limited Spiritual Ability" able to understand "spiritual milk" but not "spiritual solid food (meat).

So in answer to your question, I would say the first fallen were Adam and Eve, and once the consequence of Adam's volitional sin was imposed (eyes opened) they would have made autonomous choices of will within the purview allowed by God.

 

There is absolutely no support anywhere in scripture for "total spiritual inability" as a result of the Fall. Changing to topic to Satan might seem like a good trick, but it sidesteps the issue:

We make plans but God directs our steps, thus God allows us autonomous thoughts and actions, but only so far as He allows. He can and does intervene and restrict our options, such as hardening hearts to cause some to continue to reject Christ for a time. Proverbs 16:9, Romans 11:7

Thus the Biblical Doctrine is that the Fallen have "Limited Spiritual Ability" able to understand "spiritual milk" but not "spiritual solid food (meat).

So in answer to your question, I would say the first fallen humans were Adam and Eve, and once the consequence of Adam's volitional sin was imposed (eyes opened) they would have made autonomous choices of will within the purview allowed by God.

 

Calvinists redefine "being spiritual dead" as being totally without spiritual ability. It is a fiction. And neither verse above supports the fiction.

Ephesians 2:1 says we are made alive (united with Christ) from a spiritually dead state (separated from Christ.) It does not indicate in the slightest what abiliities or inabilities our "spirituall dead" state imposed. This sort of non-germane citation demonstrates a lack of any actual support in scripture.

Colossians 2:13 Once again the verse says we were made alive when we were united with Christ (together with Him). But the verse does not address our abilities or inabilities while spiritually separated from Christ. More misdirection and smoke screed.

There is absolutely no support anywhere in scripture for "total spiritual inability" as a result of the Fall.

We make plans but God directs our steps, thus God allows us autonomous thoughts and actions, but only so far as He allows. He can and does intervene and restrict our options, such as hardening hearts to cause some to continue to reject Christ for a time. Proverbs 16:9, Romans 11:7

Thus the Biblical Doctrine is that the Fallen have "Limited Spiritual Ability" able to understand "spiritual milk" but not "spiritual solid food (meat).