Featured All that the Father gives Me

No, I don't believe that faith is directly a "gift" from God...at least not in the sense that you, as a Calvinist believe it is. The following article is somewhat along the lines of what many of those in the "free will" camp believe. I'm not saying whether I'm a Calvinist, Arminian, Calminian, or other. That's nobodies business but mine and God's. I do, however, get sick of the arrogance of the Calvinists, and their attitudes towards others in pressing their soteriology as if they have God's truth down pat. There's not one iota that they do, nor is there any proof that those who hold to "free will" have it correct either. It's fruitless to waste so much time on these conversations when we are supposed to be witnessing for Christ instead of fighting over an issue that is so divisive and won't be settled until we stand before him.

Is Faith a Gift of God? – Ephesians 2:8 Reconsidered – Grace Evangelical Society

 

The article fails to address the fact that, before salvation, people are dead in their sins. It takes God's active choice to make them alive. One does not become alive by their faith. Again, you have to address verses 4-5 of Ephesians 2 before you can jump to verses 8-9.

"But God..."

You have to deal with this and not avoid it.

If you have saving faith, even while you are dead, before God makes you alive, then you are the one who causes God to be gracious. God is effected by your choice and you can be applauded for your reasonable choice. That is precisely what 37 has claimed, saying that he reasoned his way to salvation and then God graciously saved. That, of course, ignores the fact that he was spiritually dead and could do nothing to generate faith while in bondage to sin.

"But God..."

You have to deal with this.

There is no saving faith before God makes you alive.

 

The only people who believe that people are negating God's part in this are the worshippers of "Calvin." Sorry, I don't buy your THEORY...not theology.

 

So, no one here, nor anyone in history since no one has or does worship Calvin. Your false statement is obvious to all.

So far you have raised up human will as the pinnacle of power with God reacting to human choice.

I note that you avoid Ephesians 2:4-7. Why is that?

 

False accusations from you. I don't avoid anything at all. Nobody is denying that salvation is of the grace of God. I've stated that nowhere...So, either apologize for your false accusation or you can continue to speak elsewhere. I don't put up with bloviation from people like you. Of course God has to "quicken" a person through salvation...not before. Just because man is "dead in trespasses and sin" doesn't negate his responsibility to respond for or against God's gift of salvation....at least that is the way those who hold to free will see it...Calvinists believe that God has to "quicken" the person before they've accepted God's grace...basically saving them. So, why would they need to "repent?" If they're going to be saved, they're going to be saved regardless. Remember, some of us are elect, and some of us aren't....how does one tell?

 

I notice you don't say salvation is by grace alone.
God must quicken, even while we were still dead. That's what the Bible tells us, yet you are unwilling to accept what God clearly tells you. Instead, you have a faux tantrum.
God causes us to be saved. The effect is faith and repentance. We respond in repentance because we finally see that God is holy and we are not. We were so dead in sin that we could not see God as holy. We only saw God as wrathful and we didn't know why he should have wrath toward us when we viewed ourselves as good.

Honestly, under your prescription God is secondary to your will.

 

That's YOUR opinion, and a false accusation and assumption. You're full of yourself and your love of Calvin. I've NOWHERE denied salvation is by grace. Maybe you need to stop trying to insert your own ideas of what people have said into what they've actually said. Go figure.

 

In all 3 cases Jesus is addressing the Covenant people of God.

 

Is he? What about when he told the rich young ruler to sell all he had and come and follow him? He gave him a choice.....How can anyone who, in a Calvinists viewpoint "come and follow" when he/she hasn't been given an opportunity to be regenerated? I'm finding a lot of double-speak in your posts.