Dan, I would ask you to consider that in Ephesians 2:8 it states: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God," for in that verse of Scripture it is saying that it is by "GRACE" that we've been saved, THROUGH FAITH. Therefore, FAITH is the conduit by which God's GRACE saves us. Put another way, every human being is fully equipped with the ABILITY of "Free Choice" to choose what we desire to place our faith in. I believe God created mankind that way. So, in conclusion, we are saved by God's Grace, through OUR faith.
Hi , and that is the verse that I was alluding to !!
Eph 2:8 reads , For by CHARIS / GRACE / FAVOR you are Having Been SAVED / SOZO through FAITH , and this not from yourselves ( IT IS ) THE GIFT OF GOD !!
The first verb is ARE YE / ESTE and in in the PRESENT TENSE which places it time period , in the Dispensation of the MYSTERY !!
The second verb is SOZO / SAVED which is in the PERFECT TENSE , and it points to all saved people saved during the MYSTERY and the PRESENT TENSE says we are always SAVED , or OSAS !!
THE PASSIVE VOICE means God saved us , and not man !!
The PARTICIPLE is the word HAVING as all participles end in " ING ).
But before FAITH is given God has to OPEN the heart BEFORE any one can believe as in Acts 16:14 !!
When a person 's heart is opened , that persons , then believes and and believes with the HEART as in Rom 10:9 !!
Then the HOLY SPIRIT is given as 1 Cor 12:3 says and that person becomes saved !!
dan p