You are talking about initial salvation and TOTALLY ignore sanctification-cutting out synergism which is biblical
I had an exchange with a Calvinistic friend recently where he said, “Leighton, when will you accept the fact that we are born again by God’s will, not free will?!” Then he emphati…
soteriology101.com
Sanctification -- Special Topic by Dr. Bob Utley, professor of hermeneutics (retired).
www.freebiblecommentary.org
And you completely misunderstand the Scriptures.
Ephesians 2:8-9 – Salvation by Grace Through Faith (Human Response Required)
Greek and Morphology Analysis
τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι διὰ πίστεως· καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον· οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται.
ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι (este sesōsmenoi) – Perfect Passive Participle of σῴζω (sōzō, "to save")
The perfect tense signifies a completed action with continuing results.
The passive voice shows that salvation originates from God.
διὰ πίστεως (dia pisteōs, "through faith") – πίστις (pistis, "faith") in the genitive case functions as the means or instrument of salvation.
This excludes automatic regeneration because faith is the necessary response.
Dana & Mantey (p. 103) confirm that διά with the genitive denotes means, not cause—faith is the channel, not the origin.
οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων (ouk ex ergōn, "not of works") – This excludes meritorious actions but does not nullify the necessity of faith as a response.
BDAG (p. 818) emphasizes that ἔργα (erga, "works") in Pauline thought generally refers to the Law, not the exercise of faith itself.
Synergistic Implication
Faith (πίστις) is necessary for the realization of salvation. If faith were automatically given after regeneration (monergism), Paul would not say that salvation is "through faith."
Instead, salvation is by grace, through the means of faith, necessitating human response.
Paul explicitly teaches that confession and faith precede salvation, contradicting monergism. If salvation were entirely unilateral, Paul would have written, "You will be saved, and then you will confess and believe." Instead, confession and belief are prerequisites, making salvation synergistic.
Joh_1:12 "But as many as received Him" This shows humanity's part in salvation (cf. Joh_1:16). Humans must respond to God's offer of grace in Christ (cf. Joh_3:16; Rom_3:24; Rom_4:4-5; Rom_6:23; Rom_10:9-13; Eph_2:8-9). God is certainly sovereign, yet in His sovereignty He has initiated a conditional covenant relationship with fallen humanity. Fallen mankind must repent, believe, obey, and persevere in faith.
This concept of "receiving" is theologically parallel to "believing" and "confessing," which denoted a public profession of faith in Jesus as the Christ (cf. Mat_10:32; Luk_12:8; Joh_9:22; Joh_12:42; 1Ti_6:12; 1Jn_2:23; 1Jn_4:15). Salvation is a gift that must be received and acknowledged.
Those who "receive" Jesus (Joh_1:12) receive the Father who sent Him (cf. Joh_13:20; Mat_10:40). Salvation is a personal relationship with the Triune God!
Utley.
"through faith" Faith receives God's free gift in Christ (cf. Rom_3:22; Rom_3:25; Rom_4:5; Rom_9:30; Gal_2:16; Gal_3:24; 1Pe_1:5). Mankind must respond to God's offer of grace and forgiveness in Christ (cf. Joh_1:12; Joh_3:16-17; Joh_3:36; Joh_6:40; Joh_11:25-26; Rom_10:9-13).
God deals with fallen mankind by means of a covenant. He always takes the initiative (cf. Joh_6:44; Joh_6:65) and sets the agenda and the boundaries (cf. Mar_1:15; Act_3:16; Act_3:19; Act_20:21). He allows fallen mankind to participate in their own salvation by responding to His covenant offer. The mandated response is both initial and continuing faith. It involves repentance, obedience, service, worship, and perseverance.
The term "faith" in the OT is a metaphorical extension of a stable stance. It came to denote that which is sure, trustworthy, dependable, and faithful. None of these describe even redeemed fallen mankind. It is not mankind's trustworthiness, or faithfulness, or dependability, but God's. We trust in His trustworthy promises, not our trustworthiness! Covenant obedience flows from gratitude! The focus has always been on His faithfulness, not the believers' faith! Faith cannot save anyone. Only grace saves, but it is received by faith. The focus is never on the amount of faith (cf. Mat_17:20), but on its object (Jesus).
Utley
J.
