Good day, Setst777
We agree on the consistent use of the pronouns in Eph1.
Does one need Faith to be saved? Can one be in Christ with out Faith?
Yes God does grant faith to both Jews and Gentiles not for our sake but for Christs sake. If it is not granted you do not have faith.
Phl 1:29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake
Philippians 1:29 (WEB) 29 Because
it has been granted [
5483 xarízomai]
to you on behalf of Christ, not only
to believe in him, but
also to suffer on his behalf,
5483 xarízomai (aorist indicative
passive 3rd person plural) literally means, "to exercise grace, freely show favor," i.e. willingly ("graciously") bestow [
Strong's Concordance.]
Notice that "granted" is
passive not
accusative, meaning that no one is giving faith in that Passage.
So, God is not
giving [
1435 dṓron] you faith and suffering; rather, God graciously bestows [
5483 xarízomai] upon mankind, through the Gospel invitation, to not only for us to believe in His Son, but also to suffer for him as well.
In the context of “
Philippians 1:29,” God is not mentioned as the "object" - as the one giving faith (accusative). God is not said to be the one granting, as in giving faith, rather, it is granted freely
to you; which indicates that what is granted
to you, is something that is graciously allowed for you to do. God does
grant "to you" the
gracious privilege to believe and suffer for Christ.
The Passage states:
It is granted
to you to believe and to suffer for Christ's sake.
The Passage does not state:
God is giving you faith and suffering for Christ's sake.
We are not only
freely granted the gracious opportunity
to believe in Jesus, but also
to suffer for His sake, so that we may also share in His glory.
Romans 8:17 (WEB) and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed
we suffer with him, that we may also
be glorified with him.
Acts 14:22 (WEB) strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to
continue in the faith, and that
through many afflictions we must
enter into God’s Kingdom.
The word “
given” implies the plan of God for salvation; in that, through the Gospel of Christ, we are invited to believe, and we are also promised suffering for Lord Jesus as a result. All are invited - Jew and Gentile alike.
Acts 11:18 (WEB) When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!
Acts 13:46-47 (WEB) 46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, “It was necessary that God’s word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from yourselves, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.’” [
Luke 2:30-32;
Isaiah 49:6]
Matthew 28:9 (WEB) Go therefore to the intersections of the highways, and
as many as you may find,
invite to the wedding feast.
So, by the Gospel invitation, we are given the gracious opportunity to believe in Lord Jesus. Many people will reject God's gracious offer, but to all who do believe, are saved.
The Gospel is a command of God Repent and Believe in regeneration God is the cause of obedience that is the beauty of the NC.
According to all the Scriptures, we must first repent and believe to be regenerated.
John 5:24 (WEB) 24 “Most certainly I tell you, he who
hears [listens] my word and
believes him who sent me
has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has
passed out of death into life.
Regeneration is the
light of life (Ephesians 5:8) and is
by faith evidenced by
following Lord Jesus:
John 8:12“I am the light of the world. [Isaiah 60:1] He who
follows me will
not walk in the darkness, but will have the {{
light of life}}.” [
The light of life is regeneration and is God’s Work in those who follow Lord Jesus.]
Eze 36:26 I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
God preforms the miracle he is the cause and the His purposes come to pass.. If He does not (give, put and remove) you can not walk and obey the command to repent and believe.
Yes, all whom he paid for (redeemed) are the same (all) that are regenerated and (all) have the gifts of Faith and repentance as they are Granted by God to His adopted (all) children the ones he chose to be His own (all of them).
In Him,
Bill
REGARDING EZEKIEL 36,
Eze 36:26 I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Do you, as a Christian who has a new heart and new Spirit perfectly walk in His statutes? Are you careful to obey all God's rules?
"
Ezekiel 36:25-27" is a prophecy for the New Covenant in Christ. But the fulfillment in in the resurrection and glorification of the saints.
All those believers of the Old Covenant lived before the Spirit was given to believers after the glorification in Christ Jesus (
John 7:37-39). Even so, whether OT or NT, we all still sin in weakness, and we do not obey all God's rules. So, although we see a partial fulfillment now, before the resurrection, we will see the complete fulfillment in the glorified state, when all sin and death is conquered.
"
Ezekiel 36:25-27," therefore, is a prophecy of the New Covenant, and its fulfillment in the Eternal State of after the Resurrection; however, this Passage does not explain
how or
when God will purify them and give them a new heart and new spirit, only that God will do it.
"
Ezekiel 11:16-21" is the same prophecy of the New Covenant as in Ezekiel 36:25-27. But in "
Ezekiel 11:16-21" we see an explanation of "
how" and "
when" the new heart and new spirit is given; in that,
those who put away the detestable practices are the ones whom God will purify and give a new heart and spirit.
The explanation of "
Ezekiel 11:16-21" as to the
how or
when is in harmony with all those other Passages that state that a person or nation must first
repent and
believe for God to form us for noble purposes and blessing. For instance:
Jeremiah 18:1-11;
2 Timothy 2:19-21.
The fact is, the Spirit lives in us (Christians), and makes us alive, as the Christian remains faithful to live, walk, and sow to the Spirit. These are the "Christians" the Holy Spirit gives eternal life to.
Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever a man
sows, that he will also
reap. 8 For he who
sows to his own flesh will from the flesh
reap corruption. But he who
sows to the Spirit will {{{
from the Spirit}}}
reap eternal life. 9 {{{
Let us}}} not be weary in doing good, for {{{
WE}}} will reap in due season, {{{
IF WE do not give up}}}
John 8:12 He who {{{
follows me}}} will not walk in the darkness, but will have the {{{
light of life}}}.
The "
light of life" is "regeneration, and is a possession of those
who follow Lord Jesus.
Even though Christians have the indwelling Spirit, and the Laws are written on our hearts, that does not mean Christians will obey God's Law perfectly.
Do you have the Laws of God written on your heart? If so, do you obey all God's Laws perfectly?
God writes the laws on our hearts, but only those who repent and believe will live out that Law by faith in Lord Jesus, but not perfectly because we still live in sinful flesh.
Many Christians will:
Grieve the indwelling Spirit (Ephesians 4:17-32),
Quench the indwelling Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19),
Insult/Enrage the indwelling Spirit (Hebrews 10:24-31),
Reject the indwelling Spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8),
Lie to the indwelling Spirit (Acts 5:3), and
Test the indwelling Spirit (Acts 5:9).
Therefore, even though the Christians have a new heart and new spirit, the Spirit will only give Eternal Life to the Christian who remains faithful to sow to the Spirit without giving up.
Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever a man
sows, that he will also
reap. 8 For he who
sows to his own flesh will from the flesh
reap corruption. But he who
sows to the Spirit will {{{
from the Spirit}}}
reap eternal life. 9 {{{
Let us}}} not be weary in doing good, for {{{
WE}}} will reap in due season, {{{
IF WE do not give up}}}
