Which comes first Grace or Faith?
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Asked August 20 2014
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Sam Mekonnen
Supporter
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Dannie Murdoch
Supporter
Ephesians 2:8-9New International Version (NIV) 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. God gives us salvation by his grace; on the part of man, it is through faith. It does not come to us by an involuntary act. In the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned it was God who looked for them and asked why they were hiding, the lost sheep (us) would no doubt have died if the Shepherd did not seek it out. God has graciously sought us out. He brings grace to us and it's through faith which also comes from God that we are saved. The key point is we are saved by grace through faith(not by works which follow and are fruit of our salvation). God who is full of grace created us, we sinned and fell from grace but it takes faith which is part of Gods creation that allows us to be drawn to back to God.
Andy Mangus
Supporter
"Which comes First? Grace(from GOD) --or-- our Faith?" My answer would be one of looking into where, when and whom each emanates from! It is God's love that "His grace abounds and from which it emanates". As John 3:16 tells us 'point-blank and emphatically': "For God so loved the world that He sent His one and only begotten Son to save that which was lost, to die on that cross for our sins so that we may have a home in Heaven with Him for eternity." (2 Corinthians 5:1) God's grace is from God; it is His 'gift of forgiveness'; it is because He is love that grace exists! For without Love, there is No Grace! Therefore, God's GRACE comes first! Remember this truth: We were all born into sin and have the sin nature in us because of Adam's 'first act of sin' in the Garden of Eden'. Sin condemns us already! Remember this characteristic of God's love: Because God is Love, He has "rivers of grace that abounds and is overflowing"(John 7:38) and is The Reason He sent His only begotten Son to be OUR SACRIFICE on the Cross at Calvary; to be OUR SUBSTITUTE for which He was undeserving and unjustified in taking on my sins and your sins in order to remove and cleanse us of all unrighteousness in order that we may spend eternity with Him in Heaven! To receive God's GRACE, we have to have FAITH IN GOD (Believe in our hearts that God is real, that He created us, that He loves us, that He wants to save us from our many sins and that He sent His Son to die on that Cross to be our sacrifice to take on our sin debt--to "save that which was lost".) "Apart from God, there is no Grace and there is no forgiveness". "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God".(Romans 10:17) The ultimate message and reason God gave us His Word was to show us His Word and His love for His children through His grace and mercy through His Son's sacrifice over two thousand years ago. Grace is the extension of God's boundless love He FIRST had for us BEFORE the creation of the world! ~~Andy~~
jon schoenwetter
Supporter
The Bible tell us in Ephesians 2:8 that we are saved by grace through faith. An individual cannot experience God's grace without having accepted Christ as their personal savior. Our Christian life is a process, everything we do has order. We do not get baptized prior to accepting Christ as our savior because there is no reason to be baptized if you are not saved. In the same way God's grace is bestowed on us only after we have become saved though or faith in Jesus Christ. If we could receive the Grace of God without faith in what Jesus accomplished on the cross, there would have been no need for the cross.
Hairy Animals
Supporter
I believe we are saved by grace through faith. Ephesians 2:8 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Also see Romans 3:10-31. God bless.
Orville Carney
Supporter
Grace come first because grace is God's love for us - love that was is and always will be. Faith is ours - our belief (faith) in God and Jesus Christ. God's grace is on all - unbelievers and believers! Faith is something that not all have.
Jeremiah Kaaya
Supporter
Grace is what enables us to do things that we wouldn't manage to do in our own strength. Faith on the other hand is being able to see beyond your prevailing very unfavorable conditions. Grace and Faith, which of the two comes first? I think it depends on what situation a person is. Let us first deal with grace so at a later stage, we are able to relate if one come before or after the other. Grace can be categorized based on who needs it and I seek to look at it in two scenarios; #1 The grace we acquire before we accept and allow Christ into our lives. #2 The grace that we acquire to sustain our salvation. Now, let us try to relate between grace and faith, what comes first or before the other, each in its own scenario. # Grace and Faith before accepting Christ Before we accept Christ into our lives, we are almost oblivious of who God is and His provision of salvation to us through His Son Jesus Christ. Many things happen to us but we can hardly tell why they do the way they do. Sometimes we think it is luck or the lack of it. At this stage, there is the hand of God which can't easily be told. You find you are divinely led into something which you can only be able to critically look at because you have found yourself somewhere. In some untold way, you land on an evangelist who tells you about God's unrelenting love which is only provided to us through His Son Jesus Christ. In some way, you are convinced and you find you have reluctantly accepted Jesus into your life only intending to appease and hoodwink the preacher so that when he departs, you will resort back to your ways. In an unknowing way, you have stuck to your confession and right now you are Born Again. You never planned it at whatever stage. You did nothing to acquire it. You paid no price whatsoever. That is why many people after getting saved, they start wondering how they survived in very threatening incidences. But after you accepted Christ, now you have acquired the Faith. The Faith, rather Faith in God has only been acquired after grace has led you to salvation. Now you have the Faith that God is. In this scenario, what has come before or after the other? You realize that in this particular case, Grace comes first, and Faith follows on. Thus in Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul says for it is by grace that we are saved. # Grace to sustain salvation This is the grace that is granted to us after we have let Christ into our lives. Recall that to get saved is one thing, and to to be transformed is another. Now, that transforming power is what we refer to as grace. For non can get themselves out of sin or a habit. It is all exclusively by the grace of God. In this particular case, all we have and need to finish the race is exclusively our precious Faith in God alone. No amount of words can ever help to trans form a person. All we do is to pray by Faith in God to provide the transforming grace. For many go on to confess Christ as Lord and Savior, yet they carry on to willingly or unwillingly dwell in sin. But we carry on anyway. In the same vein, we carry on believing God's promises to us, by Faith. For we are pretty convinced that the Christ we let into our lives will surely see us through. Thus Jesus says; "...come to me all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). On this account, it is not about what status you are, for it about giving Him permission and access to your heart and leave the rest to Him. Many threatening things happen to us when we get saved, but if only by Faith in God we endure all through this, then we will be assured of the second salvation (Matthew 24:13). In this particular scenario, we are only seen through because of our Faith in God. At this stage, Faith comes first, for it brings us the grace only by which we are in position to overcome both internal and external challenges to our gift of salvation. Conclusively therefore, as to what comes before or after the other depends on a particular scenario.
David Nochella
Supporter
God's grace is on all creation to some degree Jn 3:16, Matt 5:44,45; Titus 3:4. This common grace is why humanity is alive and breathing. Now faith, or belief is by the free will act of God period. There is nothing on the side of humanity to warrant it or earn it. God choses who He chooses, Eph.1:4. because He is God. No further explanation is necessary. Now a believer lives in Gods grace as we know we are sinners and deserve judgment but do not receive it. The non believer is subject to judgement here in this life and for sure when the Day of The Lord comes. For those who are in Christ, there is no condemnation.Romans 8:1
EL Mohel Castorena
Supporter
THE QUESTION: "Which comes first Grace or Faith" Faith is first - for in Hebrews 11:6 But without Faith it is impossible to please Him, for(because) he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ is not risen, your FAITH is futile; you are still in your sins! Please know Grace is act of judgment given from GOD to us who BELIEVE. Grace is God's act of unmerited favor to YOU based on your FAITH in His Son To recap: One must have Faith first to be endowed with His Grace.
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