No, there is an initial saving faith where I, by faith, accepted the gift of God, which is eternal life. There are two important things to consider here. One is that when God gives a gift he doesn't take it back again. A gift by definition is a gift. If he took it from you after having given it to you he would be a thief--contrary to the nature of God.
Seocndly, that which is eternal can never be lost by definition of the word eternal. As soon as eternal life is lost, it ceases as eternal life and has become temporary life in the past. That would put God in the place of a liar, for the gift of God is eternal life, not temporary life. Eternal means eternal, thus it can never be taken away, it cannot be lost, it cannot cease. The definition of the Word and the nature of God won't allow it.
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
DHK
Amen! DHK
It is refreshing to hear others who understand what a Gift is!
The only point I differ from you is about the faith part which is why I questioned you.
I see the scriptures like this.
"Faith
comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God"
The key word being "
comes ". Where does it come from?
I say it comes from God, but not against our free will, but because we invited it.
I believe the Holy Spirit convicts the hearer that what he/she is hearing is Truth. At this point the person is not saved yet.
The Father is drawing the person to the Truth that is in the Son. The person is still not saved yet.
When the hearer decides 'Yes I believe' and calls on Jesus Christ, then that person recieves the Gift of the Holy Spirit, which is Living Water, which is Eternal Life, which is full of Faith, and is then saved forever!
This faith then remains forever and it is
not of ourselves but of the Spirit which dwells within us.
You see, I don't believe that saving faith can come from me. If so I would fail at some point to remain faithful. The source of my saving faith must come from God otherwise I would fail. If this saving faith comes from me, then it is me who is saving myself by my
own faith.
I would have something to boast about. "I have faith!"
If I realize the only reason I have that faith is because God gave it to me, then all I can say as a witness to others is "I asked God for faith and God freely gave it to me".
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast".
"Grace, saved, faith" I believe this is the order of "saved". "Grace" abd "faith" being the book ends and all three together "not of yourselves".
If saving faith is of me, then wouldn't I need to work at keeping it? If not, then what keeps it going if not the Spirit of Christ within me?
If saving faith is only an initial event which grants me eternal life through recieving the Gift, then that means that my faith could cease and the Gift would remain.
But you and I know from our own lives that even when we are stuck in the valleys of life there stands our faith in Christ. Sometimes we doubt but faith always remains. How does it always remain? I believe that it remains because Jesus Christ remains in us and He is the source of that continuing saving faith.
"Faith comes by hearing"
"Comes" from where? If from me, then I already had it! It comes from God, from His word both written and spoken and through Holy Spirit conviction.
Your thoughts?
God Bless!
