We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ because we wanted to be when we found out we could be, and by him we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the "hope of the glory of God," which is the new body in which we can come into the presence of God.
As usual, Calvinism has it 180 degrees opposite of the truth. They say that faith is a work. They really say this, in spite of the scriptures saying just the opposite.Watch it, the scriptures saying the opposite of Calvinism.
Rom 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
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13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they which are of the law [be] heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, [there is] no transgression.
16 Therefore [it is] (the promise) of faith, that [it might be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
I do not want to be gross here or offensive but Abraham manifested his faith by a conjugal visit with Sarah. Had he not done that after the promise that he would be the father of nations, then it would have proven he did not have faith in God and his promise. Abraham was 100 years old and the scriptures say that Sarah was past child bearing at 90 years old.
It is just silly to say that faith is a work and it makes no sense. There is an "obedience of faith" for the nations to receive the "gospel of God."
Ro 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Here is a passage that says faith is not work.
Ga 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
God commands sinners to believe but he does not program them to believe.
Ro 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
