Bible Truth For Today
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Topics
    • Covenant Theology >
      • Baptist >
        • American Baptist Churches USA
        • Baptist Bible Fellowships
        • Baptist General Conference
        • Conservative Baptist Fellowship
        • Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
        • Free Will Baptists
        • General Six Principle Baptists
        • Independent Baptists
        • Landmark Baptists
        • Missionary Baptists
        • National Baptists
        • Primitive Baptists
        • Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC)
        • Seventh Day Baptists
        • Southern Baptists
    • Abortion
    • Alpha Course
    • Arminianism
    • Communion
    • Assurance
    • Baptism >
      • Baptism - Lexicon Info
      • Baptismal Salvation
      • Infant Baptism
      • Baptism as an Ordinance of the church
    • Body of Christ
    • Calvinism
    • Denominations >
      • Apostolic Church
      • Assembly of God
      • Brethren >
        • Brethren in Christ
        • Church of the Brethren
        • Grace Brethren
        • Plymouth Brethren
      • Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
      • Christian & Missionary Alliance (CMA)
      • Church of Christ >
        • Church of Christ
        • United Church of Christ
      • Church of God >
        • Church of God - Anderson
        • Church of God - Cleveland
        • Church of God in Christ
        • Church of God of Prophecy
        • Worldwide Church of God
      • Disciples of Christ
      • Episcopal Church
      • Evangelical Free Church
      • Four Square Gospel Church
      • International Pentecostal Holiness Church
      • Lutheran Church >
        • Evangelical Lutheran
        • Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
      • Mennonites >
        • Amish Mennonites
        • Beachy Amish Mennonites
        • Conservative Mennonite Conference
        • General Conference Mennonites
        • Hutterites
        • Mennonite Church USA
        • Old Order Mennonites
        • Old Order Amish Mennonites
        • Reformed Mennonite Church
      • Methodists >
        • Free Methodists
        • United Methodists
      • Nazarenes
      • Presbyterian Church >
        • Bible Presbyterian Church
        • Orthodox Presbyterians
        • Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)
        • Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA)
      • Quakers
      • Reformed Churches >
        • Christian Reformed Church
        • Unitarian Universalists
        • Reformed Church in America
      • Roman Catholic Church
      • Wesleyans
    • Scientology
    • Canaan
    • Charismatic Movement
    • Church
    • Creation
    • Cults >
      • Christadelphians
      • Church of Christ, Scientist
      • Free Masons
      • Jehovah's Witnesses
      • Mormons
      • Seventh Day Adventists
      • Unity Church
    • Deacons
    • Discipleship
    • Dispensationalism
    • Doctrines of Grace
    • Easter
    • Easy Believism
    • Ecumenicism
    • Election >
      • Who are the Elect and Why?
    • Emergent/Emerging Church/Movement
    • Evolution
    • Foot washing
    • Foreknowledge
    • Gospel
    • Halloween
    • Hermeneutics
    • Holiness Movement
    • Homosexuality
    • House Churches
    • House of God
    • Humanism
    • Inerrancy (of the Bible)
    • Islam
    • Justification
    • Knowing God
    • Lord's Supper / Lord's Table
    • Lordship Salvation
    • Original Sin
    • Pentecostal Movement
    • Positive Confession Movement
    • Predestination
    • Prophecy
    • Prosperity Gospel Movement
    • Reformed Theology
    • Repentance
    • Replacement Theology
    • Roman Catholicism
    • Sabbath / Lord's Day / Sunday
    • Sacramentalism
    • Salvation
    • Sanctification >
      • Entire Sanctification
    • Sovereignty of God
    • Spiritual Gifts
    • Substitution
    • Tithing
    • Tongues
    • Tradition
    • Unity
    • Vineyard Movement
    • The Christian "Walk"
    • Will of God
    • Wine
    • Worship
  • Blogs
    • Blood of Christ
    • Christianity Lite ?
    • Christmas Expectancy
    • Chronicle of Defeat
    • Easy Faith ?
    • Eulogy
    • God's Name
    • Grow
    • Hiking
    • Hope
    • Identification With Christ
    • Jesus the tekton
    • Natural Disasters
    • Non-resistance
    • One Day
    • Perseverance
    • Pragmatism (Success)
    • Prayer
    • "Preach the Gospel - Use Words if Necessary"
    • Que sera, sera ?
    • Quotables
    • Resolutions
    • Seeing Jesus
    • Songs (Hymns) >
      • Site Theme Song
      • Songs - Recommended
      • Songs With Issues >
        • And Can It Be
        • I Know Whom I Have Believed
      • Songs Better Left Unsung >
        • Come, Thou Almighty King
        • Create in Me a Clean Heart
        • Faith of Our Fathers
        • Just a Little Talk with Jesus
        • The Old Rugged Cross
        • Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior
        • Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart
    • Sovereignty of God
    • Spiritual Authority
    • Spiritual "Lettuce"
    • Spiritual Strength
    • Substitution
    • The Fig Tree
    • The Four "Transes"
    • The Tongue
    • Thought Life - How is Yours?
    • Times Such as These
    • Do You Know What Time It Is?
  • Critical Questions
    • Is there really a God?
    • Who is God?
    • Can we really know God? >
      • The "Knowing God" Study >
        • God IS
        • GOD IS ABLE
        • God is AWESOME
        • God is COMPASSIONATE
        • God is a CONSUMING FIRE
        • God is My DEFENSE
        • God is My DELIVERER
        • God is FAITHFUL
        • God is FOR you !
        • God is GOOD
        • God is GRACIOUS
        • God is GREAT
        • God is my GUIDE
        • God is My HELPER
        • God is my HIGH TOWER
        • God is HOLY
        • God is JEALOUS
        • God is JUDGE
        • God is KIND
        • God is KING
        • God is LIFE
        • God is LIGHT
        • God is LONGSUFFERING
        • God is LOVE
        • God is MERCIFUL
        • God is MIGHTY
        • God is PERFECT
        • God is PRECIOUS
        • God is PURE
        • God is my REDEEMER
        • God is my REFUGE
        • God is my REWARDER
        • God is RIGHTEOUS
        • God is my ROCK
        • God is SALVATION
        • God is my SHEPHERD
        • God is my SHIELD
        • God is SLOW TO ANGER
        • God is my SONG
        • God is SPIRIT
        • God is my STRENGTH
        • God is a WARRIOR
        • God is WISE
        • God is WITH me
        • Jesus is the BREAD
        • Jesus is the DOOR
        • Jesus is the HEAD
        • Jesus is the LAMB
        • Jesus is the SHEPHERD
        • Jesus is the TRUTH
        • Jesus is the WAY
        • Jesus is WORTHY
        • Holy Spirit is COMFORTER
    • Who is Jesus?
    • What about the Bible?
    • Where did everything come from?
    • Who am I?
    • Why am I here?
    • How should I live?
    • What happens when I die?
  • Bible
    • Genesis
    • Exodus >
      • Exodus - Gleanings >
        • Making Excuses to God
        • Facing Compromise
        • Spared to Serve
        • Bitter Waters
        • Manna Lessons
        • God Uses People to Help Us
    • Leviticus
    • Numbers
    • Deuteronomy
    • Joshua
    • Judges >
      • Judges 6 - Gideon's Doubts; God's Assurances
      • Judges 6-8 Lessons From Gideon
    • Ruth
    • 1 Samuel
    • 2 Samuel
    • 1 Kings
    • 2 Kings >
      • 2 Kings 5
    • 1 Chronicles
    • 2 Chronicles
    • Ezra >
      • Ezra - Gleanings
      • Ezra 7:10
      • Ezra 9
    • Nehemiah
    • Esther
    • Job
    • Psalms
    • Proverbs
    • Ecclesiastes
    • Song of Solomon
    • Isaiah >
      • Isaiah 8:11-22
    • Jeremiah
    • Lamentations
    • Ezekiel
    • Daniel
    • Hosea
    • Joel
    • Amos >
      • Amos - Outline & Study Guide
    • Obadiah
    • Jonah >
      • Jonah 4:11
    • Micah
    • Nahum
    • Habakkuk
    • Zephaniah
    • Haggai
    • Zechariah
    • Malachi
    • Matthew >
      • Matthew 21:18-21
    • Mark
    • Luke
    • John >
      • John 5:21
      • John 6:44,65
      • John 15
    • Acts >
      • Acts - Overview
    • Romans >
      • Romans 3:9-12
    • 1 Corinthians >
      • 1 Corinthians 2:9-10
      • 1 Corinthians 11:17-23
    • 2 Corinthians
    • Galatians
    • Ephesians >
      • Ephesians 2:8
    • Philippians
    • Colossians
    • 1 Thessalonians
    • 2 Thessalonians
    • 1 Timothy
    • 2 Timothy >
      • 2 Timothy 2:15
    • Titus >
      • Titus - Outline and overview
    • Philemon
    • Hebrews >
      • Hebrews 10:25
    • James >
      • James - Overview
      • James 4:14
    • 1 Peter
    • 2 Peter
    • 1 John
    • 2 John
    • 3 John
    • Jude
    • Revelation >
      • Rev. 1:10
  • Contact Us
  • Spiritual Strength
  • Spiritual Gifts
  • Spiritual Authority
  • Sovereignty of God
  • Spiritual Gifts
  • Sovereignty of God
  • Spiritual Gifts
Ephesians 2:8

The source for the following is the second part of the material found at: 
https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/716-is-faith-the-gift-of-ephesians-2-8

"Is Faith the Gift of Ephesians 2:8? The passage cited above (Eph. 2:8), as a proof-text for the idea that “faith” is strictly a “gift,” does not, in fact, teach that idea at all. The text reads as follows:
“For by grace have you been saved through faith; and that not of your selves, it is the gift of God ….”

There is no specifically-stated antecedent for “gift” in this context. However, it is to be inferred. The gift is the salvation that is implied by the verb “saved.”

“For by grace are you saved through faith; and this not of yourselves, it [the salvation] is gift of God….”

Grammatically speaking, there is no agreement between “faith” and “gift.” Faith (pisteos) in the Greek Testament is a feminine form, while “gift” (doron) is neuter gender. The “gift” is not “faith.”

Some have objected to this argument, contending that the Greek noun for “salvation” is also feminine, thus it cannot be the antecedent of “gift.” While it is true that the Greek noun, “salvation,” is a feminine form, the verbal construction found here used in connection with a neuter pronoun (“this”) requires that the antecedent must also be neuter, thus, “salvation” [understood], not “faith” (see: Lockhart, 86; Cottrell, 200).

Professor Arthur Patzia of Fuller Theological Seminary, who believes, “theologically” speaking, that faith is a gift, acknowledges that “the Greek sentence [Eph. 2:8] does not permit such an identification, because the two words differ grammatically” (185).

Even John Calvin interpreted the “gift” of this passage as “salvation,” and not faith (144). This, of course, is in perfect harmony with Paul’s declaration elsewhere that the “gift of God is eternal life” (Rom. 6:23).

A Gift Does Not Negate Personal Responsibility 
Even if it could be established (from other sources) that “faith” is, in some sense, a “gift,” that truth alone would not establish the proposition argued by our Calvinistic friend. Faith conceivably could be viewed as a “gift,” but if so, only in the same sense that “repentance” is a gift.

When Peter declared to his Hebrew kinsmen that God had “granted” (given) the Gentiles “repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18), the sense was this. The Gentiles, along with their Jewish neighbors, were granted the opportunity to repent. The text certainly does not suggest that they had no responsibility to act themselves in the repentance process (cf. Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30).

Perhaps, then, it might be said, in a similar sense, that we have been given the privilege to believe — by the exercise of our wills, as we contemplate the evidence provided by God that produces faith (cf. Rom. 10:17).

Those who argue that salvation is solely of God’s sovereignty, and that forgiveness is “unconditional,” have set themselves against the Savior (Heb. 5:9), regardless of how sincere they may be."


The source of the following is the first part of the material found at:
https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/716-is-faith-the-gift-of-ephesians-2-8

"God’s Sovereignty Does Not Negate Man’s Free Will 
It is a serious misconception to suggest that the sovereignty of God somehow negates man’s free will and personal responsibility. The “sovereignty” of Jehovah has to do with his right to act according to his will, and in harmony with his nature.

For example, since God is a Being of absolute truth (Dt. 32:4; “faithfulness,” ASV), he cannot do that which would violate his own nature, e.g., practice lying. It thus is impossible for God to lie (Num. 23:19; Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:18). The Lord’s sovereignty is not compromised by his inability to lie. His sovereignty is limited, however, by his own holy nature.

Similarly, if it is the case that the Almighty granted man the ability to exercise free will, then the divine requirement that this free will be exercised responsibly (requiring obedience) is not a violation of Heaven’s sovereignty; rather, it is an example of the exercise thereof.

Calvinists are dead wrong when they allege that in order to preserve his sovereignty, God must be the causative force behind every human action.

God Commands All Men To Believe
If to “believe,” or “not believe,” is an act of divine sovereignty, and is, therefore, beyond human control, then any divine command requiring “belief” would be wholly irrelevant, not to speak of involving the biblical record in theological absurdity.

The New Testament clearly teaches that belief is a sacredly imposed obligation to which man is required to exercise as a matter of his own volitional ability.

  • At the commencement of his ministry, Jesus himself commanded, “repent, and believe the gospel” (Mk. 1:15).
  • The Lord charged those of his audiences to “believe the works” that he was performing, that they might comprehend his relationship to the Father (Jn. 10:38; cf. 14:11).
  • He admonished his auditors to “believe on the light,” i.e., the illuminating instruction that emanated from him, that they themselves might be enlightened (Jn. 12:36).
  • And to the jailor in the city of Philippi, the inspired Paul commanded, “believe on the Lord Jesus” (Acts 16:31).
In each of the passages just cited, the Greek verb pisteuo (“believe”) is in the imperative mood — the mood of command. It thus is quite inaccurate to allege that “believing” is an act of which one is personally incapable.

Clearly, belief is an action that has been commanded by God as a means leading to one’s justification. The submission of a person to this sacred obligation takes nothing away from the sovereignty of God."


Once again, all of the above content was from:
https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/716-is-faith-the-gift-of-ephesians-2-8

 
Additional resources:
http://www.dts.edu/download/publications/bibliotheca/BibSac-Lopez-IsFaithAGiftfromGodoraHumanExercise.pdf
https://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=11&article=1246


Note: The fact that we quote an outside source does NOT mean that we support all that the source teaches.
Copyright © 2009-2020   Bible Truth For Today
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Topics
    • Covenant Theology >
      • Baptist >
        • American Baptist Churches USA
        • Baptist Bible Fellowships
        • Baptist General Conference
        • Conservative Baptist Fellowship
        • Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
        • Free Will Baptists
        • General Six Principle Baptists
        • Independent Baptists
        • Landmark Baptists
        • Missionary Baptists
        • National Baptists
        • Primitive Baptists
        • Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC)
        • Seventh Day Baptists
        • Southern Baptists
    • Abortion
    • Alpha Course
    • Arminianism
    • Communion
    • Assurance
    • Baptism >
      • Baptism - Lexicon Info
      • Baptismal Salvation
      • Infant Baptism
      • Baptism as an Ordinance of the church
    • Body of Christ
    • Calvinism
    • Denominations >
      • Apostolic Church
      • Assembly of God
      • Brethren >
        • Brethren in Christ
        • Church of the Brethren
        • Grace Brethren
        • Plymouth Brethren
      • Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
      • Christian & Missionary Alliance (CMA)
      • Church of Christ >
        • Church of Christ
        • United Church of Christ
      • Church of God >
        • Church of God - Anderson
        • Church of God - Cleveland
        • Church of God in Christ
        • Church of God of Prophecy
        • Worldwide Church of God
      • Disciples of Christ
      • Episcopal Church
      • Evangelical Free Church
      • Four Square Gospel Church
      • International Pentecostal Holiness Church
      • Lutheran Church >
        • Evangelical Lutheran
        • Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
      • Mennonites >
        • Amish Mennonites
        • Beachy Amish Mennonites
        • Conservative Mennonite Conference
        • General Conference Mennonites
        • Hutterites
        • Mennonite Church USA
        • Old Order Mennonites
        • Old Order Amish Mennonites
        • Reformed Mennonite Church
      • Methodists >
        • Free Methodists
        • United Methodists
      • Nazarenes
      • Presbyterian Church >
        • Bible Presbyterian Church
        • Orthodox Presbyterians
        • Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)
        • Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA)
      • Quakers
      • Reformed Churches >
        • Christian Reformed Church
        • Unitarian Universalists
        • Reformed Church in America
      • Roman Catholic Church
      • Wesleyans
    • Scientology
    • Canaan
    • Charismatic Movement
    • Church
    • Creation
    • Cults >
      • Christadelphians
      • Church of Christ, Scientist
      • Free Masons
      • Jehovah's Witnesses
      • Mormons
      • Seventh Day Adventists
      • Unity Church
    • Deacons
    • Discipleship
    • Dispensationalism
    • Doctrines of Grace
    • Easter
    • Easy Believism
    • Ecumenicism
    • Election >
      • Who are the Elect and Why?
    • Emergent/Emerging Church/Movement
    • Evolution
    • Foot washing
    • Foreknowledge
    • Gospel
    • Halloween
    • Hermeneutics
    • Holiness Movement
    • Homosexuality
    • House Churches
    • House of God
    • Humanism
    • Inerrancy (of the Bible)
    • Islam
    • Justification
    • Knowing God
    • Lord's Supper / Lord's Table
    • Lordship Salvation
    • Original Sin
    • Pentecostal Movement
    • Positive Confession Movement
    • Predestination
    • Prophecy
    • Prosperity Gospel Movement
    • Reformed Theology
    • Repentance
    • Replacement Theology
    • Roman Catholicism
    • Sabbath / Lord's Day / Sunday
    • Sacramentalism
    • Salvation
    • Sanctification >
      • Entire Sanctification
    • Sovereignty of God
    • Spiritual Gifts
    • Substitution
    • Tithing
    • Tongues
    • Tradition
    • Unity
    • Vineyard Movement
    • The Christian "Walk"
    • Will of God
    • Wine
    • Worship
  • Blogs
    • Blood of Christ
    • Christianity Lite ?
    • Christmas Expectancy
    • Chronicle of Defeat
    • Easy Faith ?
    • Eulogy
    • God's Name
    • Grow
    • Hiking
    • Hope
    • Identification With Christ
    • Jesus the tekton
    • Natural Disasters
    • Non-resistance
    • One Day
    • Perseverance
    • Pragmatism (Success)
    • Prayer
    • "Preach the Gospel - Use Words if Necessary"
    • Que sera, sera ?
    • Quotables
    • Resolutions
    • Seeing Jesus
    • Songs (Hymns) >
      • Site Theme Song
      • Songs - Recommended
      • Songs With Issues >
        • And Can It Be
        • I Know Whom I Have Believed
      • Songs Better Left Unsung >
        • Come, Thou Almighty King
        • Create in Me a Clean Heart
        • Faith of Our Fathers
        • Just a Little Talk with Jesus
        • The Old Rugged Cross
        • Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior
        • Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart
    • Sovereignty of God
    • Spiritual Authority
    • Spiritual "Lettuce"
    • Spiritual Strength
    • Substitution
    • The Fig Tree
    • The Four "Transes"
    • The Tongue
    • Thought Life - How is Yours?
    • Times Such as These
    • Do You Know What Time It Is?
  • Critical Questions
    • Is there really a God?
    • Who is God?
    • Can we really know God? >
      • The "Knowing God" Study >
        • God IS
        • GOD IS ABLE
        • God is AWESOME
        • God is COMPASSIONATE
        • God is a CONSUMING FIRE
        • God is My DEFENSE
        • God is My DELIVERER
        • God is FAITHFUL
        • God is FOR you !
        • God is GOOD
        • God is GRACIOUS
        • God is GREAT
        • God is my GUIDE
        • God is My HELPER
        • God is my HIGH TOWER
        • God is HOLY
        • God is JEALOUS
        • God is JUDGE
        • God is KIND
        • God is KING
        • God is LIFE
        • God is LIGHT
        • God is LONGSUFFERING
        • God is LOVE
        • God is MERCIFUL
        • God is MIGHTY
        • God is PERFECT
        • God is PRECIOUS
        • God is PURE
        • God is my REDEEMER
        • God is my REFUGE
        • God is my REWARDER
        • God is RIGHTEOUS
        • God is my ROCK
        • God is SALVATION
        • God is my SHEPHERD
        • God is my SHIELD
        • God is SLOW TO ANGER
        • God is my SONG
        • God is SPIRIT
        • God is my STRENGTH
        • God is a WARRIOR
        • God is WISE
        • God is WITH me
        • Jesus is the BREAD
        • Jesus is the DOOR
        • Jesus is the HEAD
        • Jesus is the LAMB
        • Jesus is the SHEPHERD
        • Jesus is the TRUTH
        • Jesus is the WAY
        • Jesus is WORTHY
        • Holy Spirit is COMFORTER
    • Who is Jesus?
    • What about the Bible?
    • Where did everything come from?
    • Who am I?
    • Why am I here?
    • How should I live?
    • What happens when I die?
  • Bible
    • Genesis
    • Exodus >
      • Exodus - Gleanings >
        • Making Excuses to God
        • Facing Compromise
        • Spared to Serve
        • Bitter Waters
        • Manna Lessons
        • God Uses People to Help Us
    • Leviticus
    • Numbers
    • Deuteronomy
    • Joshua
    • Judges >
      • Judges 6 - Gideon's Doubts; God's Assurances
      • Judges 6-8 Lessons From Gideon
    • Ruth
    • 1 Samuel
    • 2 Samuel
    • 1 Kings
    • 2 Kings >
      • 2 Kings 5
    • 1 Chronicles
    • 2 Chronicles
    • Ezra >
      • Ezra - Gleanings
      • Ezra 7:10
      • Ezra 9
    • Nehemiah
    • Esther
    • Job
    • Psalms
    • Proverbs
    • Ecclesiastes
    • Song of Solomon
    • Isaiah >
      • Isaiah 8:11-22
    • Jeremiah
    • Lamentations
    • Ezekiel
    • Daniel
    • Hosea
    • Joel
    • Amos >
      • Amos - Outline & Study Guide
    • Obadiah
    • Jonah >
      • Jonah 4:11
    • Micah
    • Nahum
    • Habakkuk
    • Zephaniah
    • Haggai
    • Zechariah
    • Malachi
    • Matthew >
      • Matthew 21:18-21
    • Mark
    • Luke
    • John >
      • John 5:21
      • John 6:44,65
      • John 15
    • Acts >
      • Acts - Overview
    • Romans >
      • Romans 3:9-12
    • 1 Corinthians >
      • 1 Corinthians 2:9-10
      • 1 Corinthians 11:17-23
    • 2 Corinthians
    • Galatians
    • Ephesians >
      • Ephesians 2:8
    • Philippians
    • Colossians
    • 1 Thessalonians
    • 2 Thessalonians
    • 1 Timothy
    • 2 Timothy >
      • 2 Timothy 2:15
    • Titus >
      • Titus - Outline and overview
    • Philemon
    • Hebrews >
      • Hebrews 10:25
    • James >
      • James - Overview
      • James 4:14
    • 1 Peter
    • 2 Peter
    • 1 John
    • 2 John
    • 3 John
    • Jude
    • Revelation >
      • Rev. 1:10
  • Contact Us
  • Spiritual Strength
  • Spiritual Gifts
  • Spiritual Authority
  • Sovereignty of God
  • Spiritual Gifts
  • Sovereignty of God
  • Spiritual Gifts