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“Now faith is the substance [hypostasis] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
Notice that the word substance is the same word used for person when speaking of God in Hebrews 1:3.
[Jesus] “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person [hypostasis], and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” (Hebrews 1:3)
So biblical faith relates to things not seen in the same way Jesus relates to God who also is not seen. He is the express image of God just as faith is the express image of what we pray for.
So faith is not what many assume it to be. This proves that faith is not of human origin. It is a supernatural gift that God produces as a fruit of the Holy Spirit in us as evidence for what our belief rests on. In essence you know God saved you if He gave you faith in the matter.
It is evidence of things not seen. Human faith cannot provide this assurance because you can cancel it at will. But it is not biblical faith. Human faith might give the Gospel or Honest Charlie the benefit of the doubt at the car lot. But it is not biblical faith, and cannot save.
Biblical faith causes you to believe, based on the evidence it provides.
Faith = 58.1 ὑπόστασιςa, εως f: the essential or basic nature of an entity—‘substance, nature, essence, real being.’ ὃς ὢν … χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ ‘who is … the exact representation of his real being’ or ‘… nature’ He 1:3. In some languages there is no ready lexical equivalent of ‘real being’ or ‘nature.’ Therefore, one may express this concept in He 1:3 as ‘who is … just like what he really is.’
Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 584). New York: United Bible Societies.
Faith is not what many assume it to be. This proves that faith is not of human origin.
Absolutely True, thats why Paul says its not of ourselves in Eph 2:8
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Quote:
Biblical faith causes you to believe, based on the evidence it provides.
Agreed !
Quote:
It is a supernatural gift that God produces as a fruit of the Holy Spirit in us as evidence that our belief rests on. In essence you know God saved you if He gave you faith in the matter.
“Now faith is the substance [hypostasis] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
Notice that the word substance is the same word used for person when speaking of God in Hebrews 1:3.
[Jesus] “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person [hypostasis], and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” (Hebrews 1:3)
So biblical faith relates to things not seen in the same way Jesus relates to God who also is not seen. He is the express image of God just as faith is the express image of what we pray for.
Faith is not what many assume it to be. This proves that faith is not of human origin. It is a supernatural gift that God produces as a fruit of the Holy Spirit in us as evidence that our belief rests on. In essence you know God saved you if He gave you faith in the matter.
It is evidence of things not seen. Human faith cannot provide this assurance because you can cancel it at will. But it is not biblical faith. Human faith might give the Gospel or Honest Charlie the benefit of the doubt at the car lot. But it is not biblical faith, and cannot save.
Biblical faith causes you to believe, based on the evidence it provides.
Faith = 58.1 ὑπόστασιςa, εως f: the essential or basic nature of an entity—‘substance, nature, essence, real being.’ ὃς ὢν … χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ ‘who is … the exact representation of his real being’ or ‘… nature’ He 1:3. In some languages there is no ready lexical equivalent of ‘real being’ or ‘nature.’ Therefore, one may express this concept in He 1:3 as ‘who is … just like what he really is.’
Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 584). New York: United Bible Societies.
I know no other way to say it. You contradict the Holy Spirit. According to the Scriptures, the source of Godly faith is the word of God.
Romans 10:17
“Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”
John 5:24
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
John 20:30-31
“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But [b]these are written so that you may believe[/B tthat Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
Absolutely True, thats why Paul says its not of ourselves in Eph 2:8
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
No. Ephesians 2:8 does not say that faith is not of ourselves, and is the gift of God. The general subject in Ephesians 2:1-9 is salvation, not faith.
Grammatical rules matter and must be observed. A pronoun must agree with its nearest antecedent in gender and number. If the antecedent noun is singular the pronoun must also be singular. If the antecedent noun is plural the pronoun must be plural. If the antecedent noun is feminine the pronoun must be feminine. If the antecedent is masculine then the pronoun must be masculine.
In Ephesians 2:8 the pronoun 'this' - τουτο is Neuter/Singular. But both the noun 'grace' - χαριτι and the noun 'faith' - πιστις are Feminine Singular.
Since the pronoun 'this' does not agree with the noun 'faith' in gender, 'this gift' (gift is Neuter/Singular also) does not refer to the noun 'faith.'
Therefore Ephesians 2:8 does not say that faith is a gift from God. The passage is referring to salvation being the gift of God.
Saving faith is a person's response to the gospel message. Not a gift from God.
If you won't accept that I know what I'm talking about then avail yourself of the following.
Is Faith a Gift of God? – Ephesians 2:8 Reconsidered
From a cursory reading of this verse, it appears that the relative pronoun that (v 8b) has faith (v 8a) as its grammatical antecedent. However, in its Greek construction that is a demonstrative pronoun with adverbial force used in an explanatory phrase. This particular construction uses a fixed neuter singular pronoun (that) which refers neither to faith, which is feminine in Greek, nor to any immediate word which follows. (See Blass, Debrunner, Funk, 132, 2.) What all this means is that the little phrase and that (kai touto in Greek) explains that salvation is of God’s grace and not of human effort. Understood accordingly, Ephesians 2:8 could well be translated: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, that is to say, not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
On a grammatical basis then, Greek language experts recognize that Ephesians 2:8 does not have faith as the antecedent of 'this faith.' Daniel B. Wallace covers this in his 'Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics' on pp. 334-335 which I won't take the time to quote.
Grammatical rules matter and must be observed. A pronoun must agree with its nearest antecedent in gender and number. If the antecedent noun is singular the pronoun must also be singular. If the antecedent noun is plural the pronoun must be plural. If the antecedent noun is feminine the pronoun must be feminine. If the antecedent is masculine then the pronoun must be masculine.
I heard that argument and it doesnt hold water in Spiritual matters. All of Salvation by Grace through Faith is the Gift of God. Man believes by Grace Acts 18:27
27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:
They believed through/ prep dia which means:
on account of, because of
They believed because of Grace. So believing Faith is not of ourselves, its by the Gift of Gods Grace ! You are merely giving men an occasion to boast friend !
I heard that argument and it doesnt hold water in Spiritual matters. All of Salvation by Grace through Faith is the Gift of God. Man believes by Grace Acts 18:27
27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:
They believed through/ prep dia which means:
on account of, because of
They believed because of Grace. So believing Faith is not of ourselves, its by the Gift of Gods Grace ! You are merely giving men an occasion to boast friend !
Grammar is grammar and Ephesians 2:8 quite simply does not refer to faith being a gift from God. Period. Faith is a response to the gospel. Not a gift from God, Calvinism be damned.
Grammar is grammar and Ephesians 2:8 quite simply does not refer to faith being a gift from God. Period. Faith is a response to the gospel. Not a gift from God, Calvinism be damned.
Thats been addressed and scripturally, regardless of your grammer argument, it still boils down to Faith being a Gift of Gods Grace, and its not of ourselves !
Thats been addressed and scripturally, regardless of your grammer argument, it still boils down to Faith being a Gift of Gods Grace, and its not of ourselves !
It's not just my argument. As I said, Greek language experts understand this, such as Daniel B. Wallace who goes into great detail on the matter in his text book 'Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics.'
Your 'addressment' of it is meaningless. Again, Calvinism be damned. Faith is not a gift from God. While there was a temporary spiritual gift given to some at the beginning of the church-age, that has no connection with the faith a person generates in response to the gospel.
I don't buy into your Calvinistic theology.
And it's 'grammar.' Not 'grammer.'
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