By: Robert Serreyn

Question? Is faith in Ephesians 2:8 God’s gift?

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.

Answer: NO,NO,NO!!!

To say that FAITH is a gift of God is to suggest that the Lord gives a person “The Faith” to believe is nothing short of what is called Predestination.

Those such as Calvinist BELIEVE and TEACH that God gives those he chooses to save “The Faith” in order to believe.

First of all God IS NOT a respecter of persons.

Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

Romans 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

Salvation is A CHOICE, God NEVER FORCES anyone to believe (Trust in Christ alone for salvation).

If God CHOSE who he wanted to save then he WOULD BE UNJUST in casting those who were NOT GIVEN the faith to believe to hell.

If God CHOSE who he wanted to save then he COULD NOT SAY in John 3:16 “Whosoever Believeth” SHALL NOT PERISH, but only those “Whosoever Was Chosen”

And Lastly, If God CHOSE who he wanted to save then he COULD NOT SAY in 2 Peter 3:9 that he was NOT willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (Metanoia = Change of Mind).

NOTE: God wants us to Change Our Mind (Metanoia – Come to Repentance) from what we once thought what gave us eternal life, to believing, (trusting alone) in his way of getting eternal life which is ONLY through Believing Personally that Jesus Christ who DIED and went to the cross to shed his blood, was BURIED and three day later RESURRECTED from the dead as PROOF and the complete payment for our sins.

IN CONCLUSION:

God IS NOT the “Author of Confusion” MAN IS.

1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

God IS NOT a “Liar” MAN IS.

Romans 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.

-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8

-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24

-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9

“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23

ITS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH