Is Saving Faith A Gift?

[brightfame52]

It is "Reformed" theology that makes God unjust

No, God was called unjust for His ways revealed in scripture.

 

[brightfame52]

Sometimes I just use them to show that I'm not the only person who understands these verses that way.

Sometimes they can be enlightening. Just have to view them within the scope of the overall balance of Truth.

 

[brightfame52]

Eph 2:8-9

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

This passage shows unequivocally that saving converting Faith is a Gift, this means that neither Grace or being saved by Grace through Faith, are a result of man being or doing anything as a condition to become saved/born again, so all boasting is excluded ! See men only believe because of Grace Acts 18:27

27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace

See it cant be said, Im saved because I believed and you didn't, when the only reason why I believed in a conversion experience was because of Grace.

 

[atpollard]

Is Saving Faith A Gift?

Yes.​

Next question.

 

[atpollard]

Contextually, Paul is speaking of Salvation as the Gift here. He repeats what he has just said in verse 5, “by grace you have been saved”. Clearly Salvation is the main theme here.

τῇ [] γὰρ [for] χάριτί [by grace] ἐστε [are you] σεσῳσμένοι [saved] διὰ [through] πίστεως [faith] καὶ [and] τοῦτο [that] οὐκ [not] ἐξ [of] ὑμῶν [yourselves] θεοῦ [of God] τὸ [the] δῶρον [gift]

• τοῦτο [that] and δῶρον [gift] are both "Nominative Singular Neuter" ... object of a verb - one thing - neither male nor female.
• χάριτί [by grace] is "Dative Singular Feminine" ... indirect object (often in a phrase) - one thing - female
• σεσῳσμένοι [saved] is a verb and "Nominative Plural Masculine" ... object of a verb - multiple things - male
• πίστεως [faith] is "Genitive Singular Feminine" ... shows ownership - one thing - female

In Greek Grammar, the gender of [that] and [gift] would need to match what they were referring to. If the [gift] was [grace] or [faith] or both, then the [gift] would be in the feminine form of the word. If the [gift] was [saved], then the word [gift] would be in the masculine form of the word. Since the words [that] and [gift] are both gender neuter and singular, there is only one gift comprised of something both masculine and feminine (since there are no gender neutral options in the sentence to be candidates for the gift).

The best understanding from the Greek Grammar - which one does not need to be an expert to follow along and understand - is that the singular gift is EVERYTHING ... "by grace you have been saved through faith". The GIFT is the means of our salvation from first to last. Which does not answer the question: "Is faith a gift?" the way we humans want God to have answered it. Sorry, look elsewhere for your smoking gun. God gave is something better (IMO).

 

[brightfame52]

Its quite evident from scripture that Faith/believing in Salvation is not something the natural man has, but contrary its by the Grace and Power of God. Paul in his writings always thanked God for the ones that believed or had faith 2 Thess 1:3

3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

Col 1:3-4

3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

1 Thess 2:13

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
God the Holy Spirit works effectually causing the elect to believe, so God is Thanked without ceasing
Rom 1:8

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

However most believe today that man of himself musters up faith to believe in Christ.

 

[brightfame52]

Again the Faith one has to believe in the True Jesus Christ is not of ourselves Eph 2:8 but is a Gift from the Power of the grace and Spirit of God effectually operating in us Phil 1:6

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Eph 1:18-19

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Jn 6:29

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
1 Thess 2:13
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
The word effectually energeō means:
to be operative, be at work, put forth power
Our believing is resultive of Gods putting forth His Power
Phil 1:9
29 For unto you it is given;[by the grace and power of God] in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

 

[brightfame52]

In the economy of Salvation, its the Spirits Work to bring the chosen, redeemed sinner to Faith in Christ, its so much so, Faith is the fruit of the Spirit Gal 5:22, the fruit of His Sanctifying work 2 Thess 2:13

13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
1 Pet 1:2
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

Obedience here is belief of the Truth as in 2 Thess 2:13 so its the Spirits Work

1 Pet 1:22

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Now if we say nah, Faith/believing is something I do by my own freewill choice, then we usurp the role and work of the Spirit, which isnt good at all.

Let us be careful to give God all the Credit in Salvation, even its application by the Spirit, which results in Faith, or Gospel Obeying !