tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993518718588952892.post5984847325118991705..comments2023-11-30T15:30:10.482+13:00Comments on True Paradigm: Faith and ineffectual regenerationbethyadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08990677679970591625noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7993518718588952892.post-4670343250900734782015-06-09T14:06:00.295+12:002015-06-09T14:06:00.295+12:00Re: “grace through faith” – I was simply quoting t...Re: “grace through faith” – I was simply quoting the passage. I was not intending to impose Calvinistic terminology onto the text. Rather, exegetically, I suggest that when Paul writes, “it is the gift of God,” the “it” refers to the whole phrase “by grace, through faith.” I know you haven’t written a post on the passage yet. Just trying to give some context.<br /><br />So, based on my exegetical position, the questions hopefully make more sense. For me, it really is a textual question, long before it is a soteriological systematic question.<br /><br />Re: spiritually dead – I think I agree with you that spiritually dead means “lost without Christ.” I don’t think I agree with you that Isaiah is speaking hyperbolically about our deeds being filthy rags. Metaphorically to be sure, but I’m not convinced it is hyperbole. I hesitate to speak for Calvinists here (mainly since I don’t think I’m a card carrying member of the club) but I don’t know any Calvinists who deny that lost people/spiritually dead people DO things. In other words, the spiritually dead carry out volitional acts and are morally responsible for those acts. I consider a subset of these acts to be actual choices – but apart from Christ these choices always result in movement toward (eternal) death instead of life.<br /><br />Re: “We can accept or reject God’s call.” – Agreed. My question is how is God’s call accepted? You state that “We do not receive faith. Faith is not something God can cause…” This has to be determined on exegetical grounds before it can function as a logical premise in a system. And so again, I eagerly await your post on Ephesians 2:8.<br /><br />I have thoroughly enjoyed our interaction.<br /><br />JasonJason Sturkienoreply@blogger.com