We could describe salvation as a "Catch 22." Paul says the message of the Gospel saves men, but it can only be understood by being spiritually appraised. In other words, you have to be saved already to understand the Gospel, since the message of God can only be understood by a living, born-again spirit. Notice Paul says a natural man "does not accept" the things of the Spirit. It is literally impossible for an unbeliever to believe the Gospel of their own will.
So how can anyone be saved? The answer is God MUST act first to overcome our natural, unbelieving state by giving us a living spirit capable of belief in the Gospel. God MUST become the author of our faith, for faith can come no other way, according to scripture.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:4-9) [1]
Faith is the human requirement that enables the Holy Spirit to bring about the new birth – without faith, new birth or regeneration will not take place. Proof: John 1:12a, Galatians 3:26
For salvation: But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, (John 1:12)
Notes that salvation comes BY grace and THROUGH faith, according to Ephesian 2:8. (τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι (Perf Pass Part) διὰ (through) πίστεως· καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, Θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον· (gift))
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: (Romans 3:21-22)
δικαιοσύνη δὲ Θεοῦ διὰ πίστεως ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς πάντας καὶ ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν διαστολή· (Romans 3:21-22)
22 It is the righteousness of God available through in Jesus Christ for all who believe
dikaiosynē · de theos dia faith pistis Iēsous Christos eis pas ho pisteuō. For there is no distinction (gar eimi ou diastolē,)
https://www.openbible.info/topics/exercise_faith
Rom 10:11 For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME."
Rom 10:12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
Rom 10:13 For "WHOEVER CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED."
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
Romans 11:1 is not the definition of faith; εστιν δε πιστις ελπιζομενων υποστασις πραγματων ελεγχος ου βλεπομενων. But rather this verse gives the characteristics (essentially the outcome) of faith “pistos”.
The word “faith” is a noun, which the author refers to and begins the sentence literally “He is” (in the Greek, faith is masculine) and goes on to provide it’s (‘his’ in Greek) characteristics being the (noun) subject of the sentence.
The author says faith has two characteristics: 1) it has the assurance (hypostatsis) or expecting of things hoped for (a participle) and 2) the no need (“ou”) literally to be “looking” (blepo in Greek, here as a participle) for a proof for those things hoped for, but rather faith produces conviction (ellegos) of the truth; that is, someone with faith forgoes the Greek logic (and logic of today) of seeing a thing as proof it exists; faith is counter to this, that is trusting negates seeing. In this we learn that the character of faith is assurance and conviction of things that are/cannot be seen (e.g. as in vs 3 – God created the earth), and the author goes on to provide a list of people who demonstrated this
All four aspects take place at the same time:
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
(1 John 2:2)
A complete understanding of this can be found in the Gospel of Matthew, in particular chapter 12:22-32
And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. (Luke 12:10)
A common (mis)interpretation of the unpardonable sin suggests that Jesus was speaking merely about the sin of unbelief (i.e., dying without accepting Christ as Lord), but the context of Jesus' words and the related scriptures leads us to reject this interpretation. Jesus was speaking about the unique circumstances Israel encountered when they rejected Christ face-to-face. Israel committed the unpardonable sin, and therefore that entire generation of Israel received a special judgment - a judgment that only that generation could experience. Their penalty was disqualification from receiving the Kingdom. Instead of receiving the Kingdom, that generation was excluded forever from God's forgiveness, leaving only a remnant of Israel to know Christ and receive the Kingdom. (SA)
There is a sin that leads to eternal death, which is the sin of unbelief, and this sin cannot be forgiven through our intercession. We have no hope that the Lord will grant our petition that someone be forgiven of their sin of unbelief. The Lord cannot grant such a request. Therefore, concerning a person committing the sin of unbelief, John says the Christian ought not to pray for forgiveness for that person since we know it cannot be granted. We would not be praying in the Lord's will in such a case. Instead, we should pray for the individual to believe so as to be saved and forgiven.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (John 3:18)
This fits with: Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24)
See also:
Passage - 1 John 5:16
At the beginning of this passage, John defines what he means by "death" and" life." Life is having the Son, that is to be a believing Christian. Conversely, not having life (i.e., death) is not having the Son, that is being an unbeliever. The Bible commonly uses the dichotomy of life and death to represent belief and unbelief.
The apostle Paul put it Gal. 6:7-8: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Salvation is obtained by Jesus drawing unbelievers to himself: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." (John 12:32) - see also 1 John 2:2
Concerning the true meaning of these words there can be but one opinion in any candid mind. They do not mean, as is often supposed, that if the doctrine of Christ crucified is lifted up and exalted by ministers and teachers, it will have a drawing effect on hearers. This is undeniably a truth, but it is not the truth of the text. They simply mean that the death of Christ on the cross would have a drawing effect on all mankind. His death as our Substitute, and the Sacrifice for our sins, would draw multitudes out of every nation to believe on Him and receive Him as their Savior. By being crucified for us, and not by ascending a temporal throne, He would set up a kingdom in the world, and gather subjects to Himself.
How thoroughly this prophecy has been fulfilled for eighteen centuries, the history of the Church is an abundant proof. Whenever Christ crucified has been preached, and the story of the cross fully told, souls have been converted and drawn to Christ, just as iron-filings are drawn to a magnet, in every part of the world. No truth so exactly suits the wants of all children of Adam, of every color, climate, and language, as the truth about Christ crucified. (JCR)
[1] Steve Armstrong: Verse By Verse Ministries
[2] https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/faith/
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