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James 1 - the gifts of God

atpollard

Well-Known Member
James 1:12-25 [ESV]
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.



It is no wonder that James was such a controversial book that it was almost excluded from the Bible. There was a recent discussion about “faith” and “repentance” being “gifts”. By the time I had something to say, the “6-hour warning” had been given, so I thought I would make the observation from James here.

Notice how James affirms that “Every good gift and perfect gift is from above” … clearly James would agree with the statement that “Repentance and faith are gifts from God” since few would argue that “repentance and faith” are not indeed “good” and “perfect”. What is more interesting is when we examine the context of James 1, James seems to come down on BOTH SIDES of the “DRAW vs FREE WILL” debate (indicated by the verses that I underlined).

My thought on the subject is “what sort of GIFT is faith” and “what sort of GIFT is repentance”?

A. Is it like the gift of adoption into the family of God that no man can deserve and clearly indicates an extraordinary GRACE from God?

B. Is it more like the gift of sending the sun and the rain on the just and the unjust alike … a GENERAL grace like granting another day of life when immediate punishment for our sins of today would be more JUST?

Few would argue against James and advocate that MAN is the source of good things, so the real question is not “Is God the source of “FAITH and REPENTANCE” but is God generous or selective with His gift of Faith and Repentance?
Placing the question back into another context, how many of the soils in the Parable of the Sower were ever “saved”? They all received the same seed, so was the “gift” just the “seed“ or was the “good soil” also a gift?
 

cjab

Member
James 1:12-25 [ESV]
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.



It is no wonder that James was such a controversial book that it was almost excluded from the Bible. There was a recent discussion about “faith” and “repentance” being “gifts”. By the time I had something to say, the “6-hour warning” had been given, so I thought I would make the observation from James here.

Notice how James affirms that “Every good gift and perfect gift is from above” … clearly James would agree with the statement that “Repentance and faith are gifts from God” since few would argue that “repentance and faith” are not indeed “good” and “perfect”. What is more interesting is when we examine the context of James 1, James seems to come down on BOTH SIDES of the “DRAW vs FREE WILL” debate (indicated by the verses that I underlined).

My thought on the subject is “what sort of GIFT is faith” and “what sort of GIFT is repentance”?

A. Is it like the gift of adoption into the family of God that no man can deserve and clearly indicates an extraordinary GRACE from God?

B. Is it more like the gift of sending the sun and the rain on the just and the unjust alike … a GENERAL grace like granting another day of life when immediate punishment for our sins of today would be more JUST?

Few would argue against James and advocate that MAN is the source of good things, so the real question is not “Is God the source of “FAITH and REPENTANCE” but is God generous or selective with His gift of Faith and Repentance?
Placing the question back into another context, how many of the soils in the Parable of the Sower were ever “saved”? They all received the same seed, so was the “gift” just the “seed“ or was the “good soil” also a gift?
One question. If faith is a gift from God, how can it be distinguished from righteousness credited on account of faith, and from salavation which is productive of faith?

Next question. If repentance is a gift from God, how can it be distinguished from mercy, which is productive of repentance, and from forgiveness which is consequential on repentance?

To my knowledge, there are no bible verses that directly impute either faith or repentance as gifts, separately from their causes, and their consequences.

If everything is to be regarded as a "gift of God", isn't the bible then relegated to being a philosopher's source book, and being of no practical value, in that every Christian is conditioned to just hanging around, waiting for the "gifts of God" to come their way?
 

atpollard

Well-Known Member
One question. If faith is a gift from God, how can it be distinguished from righteousness credited on account of faith, and from salavation which is productive of faith?
Why would you seek to distinguish between them? How much of your eternity would you propose to take credit for as originating with you and not with God?

Is your FAITH self-generated and not from God, that the credit should belong to you?
Is your RIGHTEOUSNESS self-generated and not from God, that the credit should belong to you?
Is your SALVATION self-generated and not from God, that the credit should belong to you?

I see no reason to distinguish: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” - Romans 9:15-16 [ESV]
 

Charlie24

Well-Known Member
James 1:12-25 [ESV]
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.



It is no wonder that James was such a controversial book that it was almost excluded from the Bible. There was a recent discussion about “faith” and “repentance” being “gifts”. By the time I had something to say, the “6-hour warning” had been given, so I thought I would make the observation from James here.

Notice how James affirms that “Every good gift and perfect gift is from above” … clearly James would agree with the statement that “Repentance and faith are gifts from God” since few would argue that “repentance and faith” are not indeed “good” and “perfect”. What is more interesting is when we examine the context of James 1, James seems to come down on BOTH SIDES of the “DRAW vs FREE WILL” debate (indicated by the verses that I underlined).

My thought on the subject is “what sort of GIFT is faith” and “what sort of GIFT is repentance”?

A. Is it like the gift of adoption into the family of God that no man can deserve and clearly indicates an extraordinary GRACE from God?

B. Is it more like the gift of sending the sun and the rain on the just and the unjust alike … a GENERAL grace like granting another day of life when immediate punishment for our sins of today would be more JUST?

Few would argue against James and advocate that MAN is the source of good things, so the real question is not “Is God the source of “FAITH and REPENTANCE” but is God generous or selective with His gift of Faith and Repentance?
Placing the question back into another context, how many of the soils in the Parable of the Sower were ever “saved”? They all received the same seed, so was the “gift” just the “seed“ or was the “good soil” also a gift?

We know that God gives faith. Faith is one of the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit, but in the context of Scripture this gift of faith is for another purpose than the faith needed for salvation.

This gift of faith is an added faith to accomplish a task given by God to a believer.

It stands to reason that if God gives this faith to believing man, He also gives the initial faith for man to believe the Gospel and be saved.

I believe the faith to believe is a gift from God, but man can refuse this gift when he hears the Gospel and the Holy Spirit convicts the heart of sin.

The faith to believe is there in the hearing of the Gospel, but man can ultimately choose to reject that calling to repentance.
 

Charlie24

Well-Known Member
We know that God gives faith. Faith is one of the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit, but in the context of Scripture this gift of faith is for another purpose than the faith needed for salvation.

This gift of faith is an added faith to accomplish a task given by God to a believer.

It stands to reason that if God gives this faith to believing man, He also gives the initial faith for man to believe the Gospel and be saved.

I believe the faith to believe is a gift from God, but man can refuse this gift when he hears the Gospel and the Holy Spirit convicts the heart of sin.

The faith to believe is there in the hearing of the Gospel, but man can ultimately choose to reject that calling to repentance.

There are many in this world who hear the Gospel and believe Jesus died for our sins, they believe God and His Word, but for various reasons they refuse to repent.

They will not enter into the Kingdom of God.
 

atpollard

Well-Known Member
There are many in this world who hear the Gospel and believe Jesus died for our sins, they believe God and His Word, but for various reasons they refuse to repent.
Really?

I ask this honestly, because it runs contrary to my personal life experience. I know many that hear and disbelieve (I was one for the first 18 years of my life). I know some that hear and respond with mockery. I know many that create a plan that upon examination is actually a ‘golden idol’ (such as the belief that doing good things will be enough and God will cover the shortage because He is merciful and we didn’t do anything that really deserves HELL.)

However the idea that some heard and understood and believed God and His Word and then just CHOSE to rebel rather than repent with their eyes wide open is outside my personal experience. So, I find it fascinating as a concept and shocking that it could be true of “many”.
 

atpollard

Well-Known Member
We know that God gives faith. Faith is one of the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit, but in the context of Scripture this gift of faith is for another purpose than the faith needed for salvation.

This gift of faith is an added faith to accomplish a task given by God to a believer.

It stands to reason that if God gives this faith to believing man, He also gives the initial faith for man to believe the Gospel and be saved.

I believe the faith to believe is a gift from God, but man can refuse this gift when he hears the Gospel and the Holy Spirit convicts the heart of sin.

The faith to believe is there in the hearing of the Gospel, but man can ultimately choose to reject that calling to repentance.
How do we know?

As I stated in the OP, clearly GOD is the source, but how can we know whether God offers a universal prevenient grace for a resistible “draw” or God offers a particular effective grace for an irresistible “draw”? How can we (limited men) know the mind and plan of infinite God whose “ways are not our ways, and thoughts are not our thoughts”?

People have debated this since the 1500’s at least, so there seems little chance of discovering an as yet undiscovered definitive Bible Verse that clearly resolves the question. So this strikes me of being a case where "The secret [things belong] to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” - Deuteronomy 29:29 … and this might be one of the “secret things”. Thus we can speculate, but we cannot know.
 

Charlie24

Well-Known Member
Really?

I ask this honestly, because it runs contrary to my personal life experience. I know many that hear and disbelieve (I was one for the first 18 years of my life). I know some that hear and respond with mockery. I know many that create a plan that upon examination is actually a ‘golden idol’ (such as the belief that doing good things will be enough and God will cover the shortage because He is merciful and we didn’t do anything that really deserves HELL.)

However the idea that some heard and understood and believed God and His Word and then just CHOSE to rebel rather than repent with their eyes wide open is outside my personal experience. So, I find it fascinating as a concept and shocking that it could be true of “many”.

They have believed in vain as Paul has said. It's an empty faith, with no repentance and therefore no forgiveness.

31% of the worlds population today profess Christ as their Savior, yet Christ said, "narrow is the gate that leads to life and few there be that find it."

The way I see it, the lack of true faith from the heart of man in Christ is found in no repentance.

They believe with the head and not the heart, no change in their lives.
 

Charlie24

Well-Known Member
How do we know?

As I stated in the OP, clearly GOD is the source, but how can we know whether God offers a universal prevenient grace for a resistible “draw” or God offers a particular effective grace for an irresistible “draw”? How can we (limited men) know the mind and plan of infinite God whose “ways are not our ways, and thoughts are not our thoughts”?

People have debated this since the 1500’s at least, so there seems little chance of discovering an as yet undiscovered definitive Bible Verse that clearly resolves the question. So this strikes me of being a case where "The secret [things belong] to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” - Deuteronomy 29:29 … and this might be one of the “secret things”. Thus we can speculate, but we cannot know.

Titus 2:11-12

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;"


The grace of God that brings salvation has been offered to all men, but all have not believed from the heart.
 

Charlie24

Well-Known Member
Titus 2:11-12

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;"


The grace of God that brings salvation has been offered to all men, but all have not believed from the heart.

Matt. 6:21

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
 

Charlie24

Well-Known Member
The heart of most professing Christians in this world, and for all time, is in this world, not in their Christ by true faith.

My treasure is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

He is the air I breathe the food I eat, my All in All.

I live to please Him.

One day He will call me home, where my treasure is stored, where my heart is.
 

cjab

Member
Why would you seek to distinguish between them? How much of your eternity would you propose to take credit for as originating with you and not with God?
I would seek to distinguish, just because Eph 2:8 distinguishes. If the apostles, in general, determined it was necessary to make draw distinctions between salvation, grace, faith and justification, then it is incumbent on present-day Christians to maintain the distinctions as per the apostles.

Is your FAITH self-generated and not from God, that the credit should belong to you?
You're not distinguishing planting, watering, growth and what the plant can or must do of itself (respond to the light as opposed to shutting it out) cf. 1 Cor 3:6. An analytical appraisal is required before apportioning credit, so that credit may be properly apportioned and directed, rather than misdirected. In so far as the plant does anything at all, effort is involved, and must be involved, which is "work" as Christ said in John 6:29.

Credit is given by God to humans for making the right choices. That much is clear.

Moreover, to cast all human effort as "a gift from God" insinuates that God's gifts are based only on His own a priori resolve to give. This confounds the idea of "gift" with God merely resolving to do something. It deprecates the idea of "reward" used frequently by Christ.

God is responsible for "salvation by grace throught faith" - the whole schema, and yet, this doesn't reduce humanity to insignificance. Far from it. Human effort has a place in God's schema. Gal 6:4 uses the phrase "The work of himself" and not "The work of God." This, perhaps, is your fallacy, in a nutshell.

Albeit the plant cannot take credit for its own existence, light, water, growth etc., that doesn't mean that in so far as it exercises any choices, they are not its own choices, in which it can take pride in: Gal 6:4.

What you seem to be suggesting is that it isn't up to man to make choices, as all choice is the sole responsibility of God. It just isn't so (Deut 30, John 3:18 etc). Reductionism meant to squeeze out every last vestige of human choice or effort is deprecated as no part of the gospel.

Is your RIGHTEOUSNESS self-generated and not from God, that the credit should belong to you?
Is your SALVATION self-generated and not from God, that the credit should belong to you?

I see no reason to distinguish: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” - Romans 9:15-16 [ESV]
 
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atpollard

Well-Known Member
I would seek to distinguish, just because Eph 2:8 distinguishes. If the apostles, in general, determined it was necessary to make draw distinctions between salvation, grace, faith and justification, then it is incumbent on present-day Christians to maintain the distinctions as per the apostles.
Here is the sentence in its paragraph:

[Eph 2:1-10 ESV]
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-- 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

SALVATION: Note that the word itself never actually appears. What it does say over and over in the paragraph is that we “have been saved” … making us the recipients of salvation from someone or something outside ourself [God] and negating the possibility that it is the result of our actions. When a ball “has been thrown”, the ball is a passive participant in the act of being thrown … it does not “permit” itself to be thrown, it does not “assist” in being thrown, and it does not “throw” itself. Now, you can argue that people have some role in their salvation, however, not from THESE verses.

THIS/IT: The “this” which is “NOT of your doing” and the “it” that is “a gift of God” are both ALL of salvation in this sentence. “This/it” is not just part (like just “grace” or just “faith” or just “saved”). That is not as clear in English as it is in Greek where the words have “gender” rather than ”order” to indicate which words go together.

JUSTIFICATION/SANCTIFICATION: You stated “distinctions between salvation, grace, faith and justification” and I have already demonstrated that the only “distinction” between ‘saved, grace and faith’ is that all are the GIFT OF GOD and NOT OF US (which is a unity rather than a distinction). That just leaves “salvation” and “justification” (words that technically do not appear in Ephesians 2, but the concepts certainly do).

Are you Catholic?
I do not ask as an offense, but merely because Catholics and Protestants have historically viewed the definition of SALVATION differently. When a Catholic speaks of saved/salvation they mean something like this: “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” - Romans 8:30 with the entire process from “predestined” to “glorified” being “salvation” … thus one is “saved” when they are “glorified”.
Protestants, in contrast, typically speak of saved/salvation and mean something like this: “… and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved …” - Ephesians 2:3-5 [ESV]

Since Catholics view salvation more as a process and Protestants view salvation more as an event, when they speak of “saved” or “salvation” they tend to be speaking of very different mental frames of reference with the same words. I wanted to clarify that I was speaking as a Protestant of “saved” as a singular event most properly called “Justification” and being 100% a gift of God. This is followed by a lifelong event called “Sanctification” that is definitely a synergistic endeavor according to Scripture.

I apologize if I gave any other impression.

However, the OP was directed towards Justification (the moment of belief, repentance and rebirth) and asked whether the CALL was general (to all men) and resistible or particular (to those predestined) and irresistible without my taking a position either way (since James seems to embrace both possibilities).
 

cjab

Member
Here is the sentence in its paragraph:

[Eph 2:1-10 ESV]
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-- 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

SALVATION: Note that the word itself never actually appears. What it does say over and over in the paragraph is that we “have been saved” … making us the recipients of salvation from someone or something outside ourself [God] and negating the possibility that it is the result of our actions. When a ball “has been thrown”, the ball is a passive participant in the act of being thrown … it does not “permit” itself to be thrown, it does not “assist” in being thrown, and it does not “throw” itself. Now, you can argue that people have some role in their salvation, however, not from THESE verses.

THIS/IT: The “this” which is “NOT of your doing” and the “it” that is “a gift of God” are both ALL of salvation in this sentence. “This/it” is not just part (like just “grace” or just “faith” or just “saved”). That is not as clear in English as it is in Greek where the words have “gender” rather than ”order” to indicate which words go together.

JUSTIFICATION/SANCTIFICATION: You stated “distinctions between salvation, grace, faith and justification” and I have already demonstrated that the only “distinction” between ‘saved, grace and faith’ is that all are the GIFT OF GOD and NOT OF US (which is a unity rather than a distinction). That just leaves “salvation” and “justification” (words that technically do not appear in Ephesians 2, but the concepts certainly do).

Are you Catholic?
I do not ask as an offense, but merely because Catholics and Protestants have historically viewed the definition of SALVATION differently. When a Catholic speaks of saved/salvation they mean something like this: “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” - Romans 8:30 with the entire process from “predestined” to “glorified” being “salvation” … thus one is “saved” when they are “glorified”.
Protestants, in contrast, typically speak of saved/salvation and mean something like this: “… and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved …” - Ephesians 2:3-5 [ESV]

Since Catholics view salvation more as a process and Protestants view salvation more as an event, when they speak of “saved” or “salvation” they tend to be speaking of very different mental frames of reference with the same words. I wanted to clarify that I was speaking as a Protestant of “saved” as a singular event most properly called “Justification” and being 100% a gift of God. This is followed by a lifelong event called “Sanctification” that is definitely a synergistic endeavor according to Scripture.

I apologize if I gave any other impression.

However, the OP was directed towards Justification (the moment of belief, repentance and rebirth) and asked whether the CALL was general (to all men) and resistible or particular (to those predestined) and irresistible without my taking a position either way (since James seems to embrace both possibilities).
Thanks for putting the OP in context. Two initial points: (a) be very careful of prepositional usage in Greek. What is not "from / out" of (ἐξ) could still be "through" (διὰ); (b) be very careful of the Pauline usage of "works" because if it is not grasped properly, there is a danger of seeing him as self-contradictory cf. 1 Tim 2:15 "[a woman] will be saved through (διὰ) childbearing if she continued in .....".

The word "work" (ἔργον in Greek) is very loose and very common (174 occurrences in the NT). It can stand for all kinds of things connected with human activity. IMO, our English translations translate ἔργον by "works" whenever there is a negative connotation to be put on the word, which is why "works" carry such a negative connotation i.e. in the sense of "contractual recompense for labor".

In Eph 2:9, Paul uses the preposition ἐξ + ἔργον by which he infers "out of contractual recompense for labor". This is a technical usage, with reference to (contractual) justification out of obedience to the law (of Moses). However, Paul still admits of salvation "through" (διὰ) work (ἔργον), just as Jesus does - where work (ἔργον) is used in its spiritual sense i.e. the "work (ἔργον) of God" - John 6:29, just as Paul admits to salvation "through" (διὰ) faith, because ultimately spiritual work and faith are connected.

In Eph 2:8, the "gift" of God primarily refers to salvation by grace; not faith specifically, even if faith is the corollary of grace.

So I am not really agreeing with your contention that "faith is not of us" any more that I would agree with a contention "repentance is not of us." Faith and repentance are man's response to grace. To confuse man's response to God's call, with "gift of God" is, IMO, out of place, simply because it clear that lack of faith & repentance in response to God's call is man's responsibility, and not the fault of God for not "gifting faith."

This is nothing to do with Protestantism versus Catholicism. It is about understanding the gospel, and cutting out the misunderstandings that arise from English protestant bible translations, which in my experience, are badly translated in all manner of ways.
 
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