Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” with a dollop of "free will".

[Rockerduck]

So believing in Him...having Faith in Him... repenting... or immersion baptism are not needed?

GOOD TO KNOW.

Baptism is an ordinance, not required for salvation. However, it is good to be baptized, if possible, for external show of identification of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ in the public eye. If you try to hinge baptism with salvation it becomes works and scripture refutes that.

 

[brightfame52]

@TomL

Repentance is the responsibility of man

The regenerated person, not the natural man. And when the command is given to the regenerated man it causes him to repent, it was a gift given by Christ Acts 5:31

31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

The regenerated man or woman is active in their conversion, which is Gods Gift

But the unregenerate man is dead in sin and adam under condemnation of the law, and frankly has no right to repent , he is under the curse o the law.

 

[TomL]

@TomL



The regenerated person, not the natural man. And when the command is given to the regenerated man it causes him to repent, it was a gift given by Christ Acts 5:31

31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

The regenerated man or woman is active in their conversion, which is Gods Gift

But the unregenerate man is dead in sin and adam under condemnation of the law, and frankly has no right to repent , he is under the curse o the law.

Sorry, unrepentant men are not regenerated.

Acts 3:19 (LEB) — 19 Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out,

Luke 13:3 (LEB) — 3 No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish as well!

Mark 1:15 (LEB) — 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”

 

[Rockerduck]

Sorry, unrepentant men are not regenerated.

Acts 3:19 (LEB) — 19 Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out,

Luke 13:3 (LEB) — 3 No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish as well!

Mark 1:15 (LEB) — 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”

Brightfame52 said the unregenerate man is dead in sin and also Acts 3:19 . KJV- Repent ye therefore, and be converted , that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

 

[civic]

God is not the cause of sin.

James 1:13–14 (LEB) — 13 No one who is being tempted should say, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each one is tempted when he is dragged away and enticed by his own desires.

1 John 1:5 (LEB) — 5 And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.

Deuteronomy 32:4 (LEB) — 4 The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are just; he is a faithful God, and without injustice; righteous and upright is he.

Psalm 145:17 (LEB) — 17 Yahweh is righteous in all his ways, and loyal in all his works.

Job 34:10 (LEB) — 10 “Therefore, listen to me, people who have sense: far be it from God that he should commit wickedness and that Shaddai should do wrong.

Amen

 

[TomL]

Amen

It is terrible to say he is.

 

[TomL]

Brightfame52 said the unregenerate man is dead in sin and also Acts 3:19 . KJV- Repent ye therefore, and be converted , that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

I believe Brightfame holds that a man is regenerated before he can repent.

Acts 3:19 calls for repentance and conversion

It is addressing unsaved Jews who killed Christ

Acts 3:12–20 (LEB) — 12 And when he saw it, Peter replied to the people, “Men and Israelites, why are you astonished at this? Or why are you staring at us, as if by our own power or godliness we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in the presence of Pilate, after he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One and demanded that a man—a murderer—be granted to you. 15 And you killed the originator of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses! 16 And on the basis of faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know, and the faith that is through him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all. 17 And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. 18 But the things which God foretold through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he has fulfilled in this way. 19 Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out, 20 so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and he may send the Christ appointed for you—Jesus,

So he is wrong once again

 

[atpollard]

God is not the cause of sin.

That did not answer the question that I asked.

If I had asked “Is God the cause of sin?” Then your answer would have been perfect. Unfortunately, the actual question was …

So what power/being external to God and creation compelled (first cause) sin to exist?

 

[TomL]

That did not answer the question that I asked.

If I had asked “Is God the cause of sin?” Then your answer would have been perfect. Unfortunately, the actual question was …

So what power/being external to God and creation compelled (first cause) sin to exist?

Well, according to Calvinist theology, God determines all that transpires, so I posted a denial of such erroneous theology.

Seeing that you discount both God and man (creation) there was just no point to your question.

 

[atpollard]

Seeing that you discount both God and man (creation) there was just no point to your question.

Fine, let’s include God … so GOD created evil … is that your answer? [now can you see why God was excluded?]

Let’s include Creation … everything that was made was made by JESUS (John 1 said that), so Jesus is the “First Cause” (uncaused creator) of all of creation … therefore, if anything in creation is the “original source” of “evil”, then JESUS is the actual “First Cause” (by creating creation) and creation is the “Second Cause” (the created thing that causes something else) of “evil” … is that your answer? [now can you see why Creation was excluded?]

So what is the uncreated thing that is the source of evil? Why does evil exist at all?
That is the metaphysical and philosophical question.

The Bible claims that GOD is the only uncreated thing … the only source that is eternal and has no origin.
Do with that whatever you will. Far greater minds than mine have pondered that issue. I just asked their question because @civic brought up the paradox.