In order for salvation to be of grace, it must be through or by means of faith.
Respectfully,
It cannot be both.
In order for salvation to be of grace,
it must be through faith...
not by means of it.
It cannot rely on anything that we as men try to
do to influence the Lord to save us.
That would be works, not grace ( Romans 11:5-6 ).
Therefore, "believing our way into the kingdom" is not how Scripture describes the process, Van.
Salvation is of the Lord.
It is not a co-operative effort between God and men.
God does not make deals with rebellious sinners...
He has mercy and compassion on whom He will ( Romans 9:14-18, Exodus 33:19 );
A fact that it seems you keep overlooking.
Van,
No matter how you keep trying to translate things, the fact remains...
Salvation is not by man's efforts at pleasing the Lord.
Eternal life is a gift ( Romans 6:23 ), not a reward for what we do.
That's not "Calvinism"...that is the truth of Scripture.
I really wish you could see it.
It glorifies the Lord and abases us as the recipients of His unspeakable gift...
Eternal life, which is to know God and His Son ( John 17:3 ).
I wish you well, sir.
It seems that no matter how one tries, you simply will not ever see that faith is a gift from God, not of ourselves....
and that salvation is by grace and through faith...
Not of works, lest any man should boast.