Dave G, posted: (My response in Red.)
Faith is authored and finished by Christ ( Hebrews 12:2 ). Not the verse cited. We put our faith in Christ, thus Christ is the author and finisher of our faith.
Therefore, one cannot be chosen rich in something that emanated from God, without the Lord giving it to someone. Absurd and bogus claim. Nonsense in defense of nonsense.
According to the Bible, faith is a fruit of the Spirit ( Galatians 5:22 ), not a work of the flesh. How was a person chosen for salvation through or by reason of faith, 2 Thessalonians 2:13. Here pre-election faith is claimed to be post-salvation faith. More nonsense.
Therefore, if the Lord chose a person based on something they did or had, that would be unfair to those that didn't have it or couldn't / wouldn't do it. God is never "unfair."
Merited versus unmerited favor. Did anyone say the faith God credits as righteousness was already meritoriously righteous? Nope.
It seems you keep categorizing the gift of eternal life as something that can be merited, Van.
Can you not see the significance of it? It seem Calvinists love to charge opponents with works salvation. Falsehood in support of falsehood ring a bell?