It is man's duty to believe, but it is the work of God to persuade us to believe.
Could you give scripture that says that?
Believing can't be a work because of what Paul writes here. "To him that worketh NOT, but believeth..." That shows plainly that believing is not a work of man's.
Paul the ex Pharisee was speaking about the purification works the people had to do and were doing for over 1,600 years.
Romans 4:4-5 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Think of all the things Jesus did to make people believe in Him. He healed the blind, raised the dead, fed the 5,000, miracle after miracle. Right? All that before He ever went to the Cross.
John 5:17 tells us, "My Father is working....and I am working."
Luke 24:19 Matthew 11:2 Mark 5:20 Luke 8:39
The only inspired writers I know of are found in the Bible, and it's there. Dying for sins probably tops the list.
What?
Salvation is a Gift we cannot earn with all our blood, sweat, tears, or good intentions. It's a gift so that man is never able to BOAST (which man is ever so prone to do), and that all the world will give all the Glory to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
The work that boasting in that was no longer allowed was the purification/ceremonial works.
Romans 2:23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?
The Jews had the law to boast in.
Galatians 6:13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.
Philippians 3:3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh--
Did you read that read? That is about not boasting in making ourselves clean with things such as CIRCUMCISION.
Paul warns us to obey
1 Corinthians 10:12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!
1 Corinthians 15:2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling
So much for your beliefs.
We cease from our own efforts.
No way is that in the scriptures.
Jesus saves those who obey and do right.
Want scriptures?
Trusting and resting in Him is what we were created to do. This is how we stay out of the Lord's way, and He is able to perform His work in and through us. We are merely the body He uses to accomplish His will. He performs that work....not us. The Spirit even gives us the desire to please God. Our job is to trust and rest in Him.
Rest in the fact that you don't have to get circumcised and bring an animal to sacrifice.
Paul says WE ARE ALL WORKING all the time.
Paul says we are either working at sinning, or at doing right.
Where do you EVER get that obeying Jesus is now the way to Hell?