Faith is the vehicle of grace. It is the means by which God manifests His grace in salvation. But faith doesn't impart life, but is evidences that life has been imparted.
Thats the problem with religion. It makes faith and other words like baptism mean things they normally do not mean.
Faith literally means to have trust in, to be confident in. To consider the thing you trust or have faith in trustworthy, Based on evidence or proof.
Grace is offered to all. The mere fact you and I are hear discussing this is by the grace of God. we both deserve hell, Have no right or worthiness to even walk this earth but for the Grace of God. the mere fact he has not snapped his fingers and wiped us out. again, is by Gods grace.
Grace is extended to all mankind and has been extended since God killed that first animal and covered the nakedness of mankind with its flesh.
This picture of Gods provision of salvation is all over the OT. Animal after Animal. All that blood shed as a picture of the atronement the son of man would come himself and offer up his own body as the lamb of God who removes the sin.
He died for the elect yes. But he died for the world. Not one person will have an excuse, because God paid their debt also. He offered them salvation. they said no.
If anything again, saying no is earning condemnation (he who does not believe is condemned already)
The one who trusts and received did not earn anything. Its no different than a human father who offers his child a precious gift. If the child receives that gift because he trusts the father. The child can not go out an boast he earned the gift. He did not earn it. He did not pay for it. He did not merit it. he can not claim he received it because of his goodness or his obedience. and if he did, he would be a liar.
one sad aspect that arose from the catholic church is religisizing words and not just taking their base definition and meaning
faith in Christ is faith in HIS worthiness, HIS promise, faith and trust in HIS word. and faith and trust in HIS death,. in order to do this. one must repent. Because all of this is against human nature. It is against our own nature to confess and admit we are unworthy. we have failed. and we rightly do not earn condemnation. we see it all the time, "I am not Hitler" well no your not. but your still guilty. Far to many people refuse to repent because they have not been brought to the depth of despair. they have not become poor in spirit (bankrupt) they think they have some good in them.
It is God who brought the tax collector to his knees. who brough me to my knees and millions of others in the time since Adam.
Again, we are saved by Grace period.. For it is by GRACE I HAVE BEEN SAVED.
but we can not remove the other clause. God will not force it on you. You must receive it in faith. in order to have faith, you must repent.
That's why John preached repentance. That's why Jesus said the disciples would go out and preach the gospel of repentance.
The gospel is not God chose you. so he regenerates you and you will be saved. If God did not chose you. you have no choice or hope.
The gospel is the gospel of repentance. Spread through out the world. that anyone who sees and believes through his nature, his word. and others, where we are forced to make a decision.. Will we repent and believe. or will we continue in rebellion and stay dead.
[quote[Faith itself is the result of the Spirit of God employing the word of God. God is clearly present and working before someone believes. Is this not grace.[/quote]
Yes, it is the work of God. God spent months on me before I repented. and even then, it was not until I walked and asked for help did someone sit down and show me the way and I became as the tax collector.
It did not happen in a second where I was in rebellion, and the next second my eyes were opened in regeneration and I immediately repented and believed.
That not in scripture
This is why I began the discussion in Acts 2:37...when they heard this...faith is birthed...they were pricked in their heart...the circumcision without hands...they said...The work of God led those who responded to believe from a changed heart of flesh. We know that they had come to faith because they repented and were baptized.
that did not happen in a split second. these people already had knowledge. Most jews were very knowledgeable in scripture. they just did not understand it. Peter in his sermon showed it to them. so they were already prepared.
This is not the normal circumstance. Most people do not know the word. they do not know the gospel. they were not steeped in OT theology and the means of atonement based on the priestly function of sacrifice.
They must be led. slowly. drawn to God. taught by God through others. And this is a process whihc will lead to 2 possibilities
they will continue in unbelief. or they will repent and believe
