Let's look at it again, Silverhair, :
" 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.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." ( Ephesians 2:8-10 ).
Look at what it says in the above... Faith is the gift of God that is "not of ourselves", as believers.
We ( believers ) are God's workmanship, created in ( See Romans 9, vessels of mercy afore prepared unto glory ) Christ Jesus.
This was done by Him and relies upon nothing else.
" But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin {is} death; but the gift of God {is} eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." ( Romans 6:22-23 ).
Again, in context and outside of isolating it from the rest of Scripture, look at what it says in the above:
Believers, being made free from sin by the death of His Son ( from Romans 5 ) and become the servants of righteousness, are told that the gift ( not reward ) of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ their Lord.
It's a gift, Silverhair...not a result of trying to earn one's way into the grace of God.
Conditional "salvation" is based on the efforts and desires of men; In other words, works.
God's salvation is based on the efforts and desires of God; In other words, grace.
The two do not co-exist, as God says that they cannot:
" Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then [is it] no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if [it] be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." ( Romans 11:5-6 )
We, as believers, are the remnant that is according to the election ( choosing ) of grace...
Not God allowing ( or worse yet, requiring ) us to make a choice before He can save us.
That is what God says, not John Calvin.
Dave your misunderstanding of the text comes from your not knowing the Greek. I have included some information from two articles {links included} that should help clear up your error.
The Greek nor the overall context of the book supports your view.
Is Faith a Gift from God? - Apologetics Press
As is pointed out Eric Lyons the overall context of the first three chapters of Ephesians is man’s
salvation found in Christ.
Eph_1:7, Eph_1:11, Eph_1:13, Eph_2:5, Eph_2:8, Eph_2:13, Eph_3:7
["
For by grace you have been saved "] {how} through faith. Salvation is a gift that we receive from God because of our faith.
These two verses {Eph 2:8-9} thoroughly document how a person is
saved, not how a person
believes.
Salvation is by grace
Salvation is through faith
Salvation is not of yourselves
Salvation is the gift of God
Salvation is not of works
Antecedents and Faith - Eph 2:8-9 (Monday with… | Zondervan Academic
Also the Greek text does not support your view as is shown by Bill Mounce in his article on Eph 2:8-9.
“The problem with that exegesis of the verse is that "this" is a neuter pronoun and "faith" is a feminine noun. While a pronoun's case is determined by its function in the sentence, it gender and number are determined by its antecedent. Therefore, "this" cannot be referring back to "faith."
But "grace" too is feminine, so it cannot be the antecedent of τοῦτο. So what is?
If you looks backwards for an antecedent, you will look in vain. There are neuter nouns, but they make no sense as an antecedent.
The answer is to know a little Greek! When Greek wants to refer back to a general though, perhaps a phrase, the pronoun can be in the neuter. "This is not of yourselves" does not refer specifically to πίστεως but rather to the entire salvific process, of which faith obviously is a part. It is the entire salvific process that is God's gracious gift and is not part of our own doing. It is a gift.
We often talk about "trusting" God, that salvation is by "faith," but I have often wondered how much people are really able to understand those words. Referring to Isaiah 6:1-7. God reveals himself as a holy God. Isaiah's appropriate response was to see the great chasm between himself and God and cry out, "Woe is me." Isaiah is forgiven by merely receiving God's atoning gift of the burning goals. Salvation, Dave preached, has to do with seeing God for who he is, with seeing myself for who I am, realizing that there is nothing I can do to move from being a sinner to being holy, and yet also believing that the holy God has done what only he can do in reaching out and offering forgiveness to us. "Faith" is believing that God has extended the fires of forgiveness.
Isaiah clearly saw that the entire process was a gracious gift
received by the faith that believes God has bridged the gap and has forgiven our sins” Bill Mounce
I see you struggle with the fact that man is responsible for trusting in God for their salvation. Faith is the condition that God has made.
Rom 5:1 Therefore,
having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Rom 5:2 through whom also
we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
As you said that is what
God says the free gift of God is eternal life which is received through faith.
Strange you do not trust Calvin yet hold to his theology.
