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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Which proposition is scriptural? | John 3:16 | Morant61 | 89075 | ||
Greetings Parable! This isn't directed at just you my friend. I have seen many people use Eph. 2:8 to say that 'faith' is a gift. However, that actually isn't what Eph. 2:8 says. In Greek, pronouns must agree with their antecedents in both number and gender. In Eph. 2:8, 'faith' is a feminine, singular noun. 'Grace' is also a feminine, singular noun. However, 'it' is a neuter, singular pronoun. Therefore, 'it' cannot refer to either 'faith' or 'grace'. To what then does 'it' refer? Here is what the Bible Knowledge Commentary says: ************************************** "Paul elaborated, And this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Much debate has centered around the demonstrative pronoun 'this' (touto). Though some think it refers back to 'grace' and others to 'faith,' neither of these suggestions is really valid because the demonstrative pronoun is neuter whereas 'grace' and 'faith' are feminine. Also, to refer back to either of these words specifically seems to be redundant. Rather the neuter touto, as is common, refers to the preceding phrase or clause. (In Eph. 1:15 and 3:1 touto, 'this,' refers back to the preceding section.) Thus it refers back to the concept of salvation (2:4-8a), whose basis is grace and means is faith. This salvation does not have its source in man (it is 'not from yourselves'), but rather, its source is God’s grace for 'it is the gift of God.'" ************************************** So, it would be more proper to say that salvation is a gift of God, based upon Eph. 2:8. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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2 | Which proposition is scriptural? | John 3:16 | Parable | 89093 | ||
Tim, Thanks for clarifying this. From this word study, I agree that Paul is saying here that salvation is the gift. This is consistent with what Paul says elsewhere about salvation. Yet, 1 Cor 8:6 says "yet for us there is but one God...from whom all things came..." From this I infer that faith is from God. If not from God, then it is evil, but this is nonsense. And I'm NOT suggesting that this verse teaches that evil is from God. On the contrary, the definition of evil is that which is NOT from God. Evil was not real until it was chosen. Previous to that, it was merely a hypothetical possibility, a risk that was necessary for love to be meaningful, but one that God did not want anyone to actually take. |
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