That phrase is associated with Paul's approval for gifts of the Spirit. Tell us more about your Pentecostal leanings. This is going to be interesting...
John Piper: Born again through faith in the gospel
- Thread starter TomL
- Start date
civic
Well-known member
I'll get the popcorn ready this should be good.
Okay zoom call. And I'm dodging?
TibiasDad
Well-known member
It says “by grace” not “because of grace”. Now, dia, used with the genitive, as it is in Eph 2:8, can mean, according to Strong, “through, throughout, by the instrumentality of”, so διὰ πίστεως can be correctly translated as “by means of faith”. What is interesting, is that “by grace” is in the dative, which in this case is the dative of means or instrumentality. So the “tandem” nature of grace and faith shows that both are the means of salvation, and without either of them there is no salvation/being born again.
As for the use of because, is it not a true statement to say: Because of God’s graciousness and my belief in his graciousness, I am saved? If both are necessary, then because both are present I am saved. If Grace is a because, then faith is too, for they are both instrumental causes of salvation.
Perhaps you are trying too hard to accommodate your presupposition?
Doug
civic
Well-known member
Great response!!!
TibiasDad
Well-known member
Is it?
Sure, the means of salvation is by grace, through fairh. God's chosen means
Even belief is granted by God. Salvation is 100 % of God and to Him alone goes the glory.
TibiasDad
Well-known member
You see a zoom call is not a public forum, but a private conversation. Evidence that could be convincing by zoom would be just as convincing in a public discussion. In other words, zooming has no effect on whether something is true or not.
Doug
No one said it did Doug. Another strawman set ablaze. LOL
civic
Well-known member
Yes which proves neither Greek or English grammar is being acknowledged but deliberately being ignored to support a doctrine that’s in error.
TibiasDad
Well-known member
Grace allows for faith to be employed. God commands us to repent and believe; nowhere does scripture say that God must give us repentance and/or faith.
Salvation is all of God because he is the only one that can allow us back into relationship with him. We are the unfaithful spouse. He is the offended spouse. Only the offended party can effect reconciliation!
The offending party may want to come home, but there is no obligation on the part of the offended spouse; if they want to, it is pure grace. That is Paul’s whole point in Eph 2:8-9: Works (the efforts or desires of the offender) are meaningless because they cannot obligate God to let them come back home. Only if God wants to let them in will they be reconciled. Grace is the only means of power; faith is the only means of receptivity of that power.
In reconciliation, both parties have responsibilities, but only the offending party has and obligation to fulfill, to believe! God doesn’t have to do anything based solely upon our actions! All of God’s acts are gracious and thus, without obligation!
Doug
TibiasDad
Well-known member
So it would appear! Words and their syntactical use provide meaning; meaning provides principles, and principles provide cohesion of thought.
Doug
civic
Well-known member
Amen brother
Johann
Well-known member
The statement, "Faith is the instrumental cause by which we are born again," is generally accurate, but let’s examine its theological and philosophical underpinnings more precisely.
In Christian theology, the "instrumental cause" is often understood as the means or "instrument" through which something is achieved, distinguishing it from the "efficient cause" (the actual agent bringing about the change, such as God in this context). Here, faith is seen as the means or channel through which one receives regeneration, or new birth, rather than the primary agent that causes it. This view is common in many Protestant traditions, especially those that emphasize salvation by faith.
To refine this further:
Efficient Cause – God is considered the efficient cause of regeneration, as it is through His power and grace that the believer is "born again." This regeneration is a work of the Holy Spirit, who, according to passages like John 3:5-6 and Titus 3:5, is the direct agent of renewal.
Instrumental Cause – Faith, in this view, serves as the instrument through which the believer receives the effects of regeneration. It’s the means by which one accepts and receives the grace of new birth. Scriptures like Ephesians 2:8 highlight that salvation is by grace through faith, showing that faith is the means by which we access God’s gift.
Theological Nuances – Some traditions might nuance this differently, with Reformed theology emphasizing that regeneration precedes faith (faith as a result of new birth), while Arminian theology often holds that faith and regeneration are closely linked, though God initiates the process of drawing the believer (John 6:44, John 12:32).
In conclusion, the statement is correct within a theological framework that views faith as the channel through which regeneration is received. However, it is God (by the work of the Holy Spirit) who is the ultimate cause of being "born again," with faith serving as the means or instrument through which a believer participates in this transformative work.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
Morphology:
"Saved" (ἐσώθητε, esōthēte): aorist passive indicative, which indicates a completed action of salvation.
"Through faith" (διὰ πίστεως, dia pisteōs): "through" (διά) is a preposition indicating the means by which salvation is received.
Syntax:
For by grace (tēi gar chariti). Explanatory reason. “By the grace” already mentioned in Eph_2:5 and so with the article.
Through faith (dia pisteōs). This phrase he adds in repeating what he said in Eph_2:5 to make it plainer. “Grace” is God’s part, “faith” ours.
And that (kai touto). Neuter, not feminine tautē, and so refers not to pistis (feminine) or to charis (feminine also), but to the act of being saved by grace conditioned on faith on our part. Paul shows that salvation does not have its source (ex humōn, out of you) in men, but from God. Besides, it is God’s gift (dōron) and not the result of our work.
Robertson
The phrase "by grace...through faith" indicates the relationship between grace and faith in the process of salvation, emphasizing that faith acts as the instrument through which grace operates, facilitating salvation.
3. Titus 3:5 (NKJV)
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit."
not by works of righteousness which we have done, -- Righteousness is not earned by works we may do. It is through God's mercy that we can be saved, Tit_2:11.
but according to His mercy He saved us, -- It is by God's mercy that he created a plan for the saving of mankind. Tit_2:11.
through the washing of regeneration -- (Eph_5:26, Joh_3:3-5, 1Co_6:11). Arnt & Gingrich lexicon says it is "The bath that brings about regeneration." According to Rev_1:5, it is the "washing" in the blood of Christ.
The "washing" is both "regenerating" and "renewing." The washing here denotes an inner, spiritual cleansing of sins (compare Eph_5:26) that sanctifies one, making one "righteous" before God.
It is the washing away of sin Rev_1:5; cf. Act_22:16; and becoming a "new" person, 2Co_5:17; Gal_6:15; Eph_2:15; Eph_4:24; Col_3:10, that makes one "righteous" before God.
and renewing of the Holy Spirit, -- Through the "washing" the H.S. makes one a "renewed" man. 2Co_4:16, Col_3:10 Rom_6:4.
renewing -- The "renewing" is "accomplished by" the H.S. What is renewal? See Rom_12:1-2; Grammatically, the "renewal" and "regeneration" depend on "the washing".
renewal of the Holy Spirit -- In Rom_12:1-2, the renewal or transformation, is the renewal of the mind. The agent for accomplishment is the Holy Spirit through the teaching of Christ and the Gospel which teaches us how to be "Christ-like" instead of "sin-like."
EGT suggests an analogy of natural birth used of the new birth. Birth, natural and spiritual, takes place at a definite moment. 1Pe_1:22-23
Morphology:
"Saved" (σώσας, sōsas): aorist active participle indicating an action taken by God.
"Washing of regeneration" (λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας, loutrou palingenesias): refers to a cleansing that signifies new birth, with "regeneration" (παλιγγενεσία) being a noun indicating renewal or rebirth.
Syntax:
The structure highlights the active role of God's mercy and the process of salvation as including faith as a response to the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit, presenting faith as an essential aspect of experiencing this salvation.
4. Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV)
"That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Morphology:
"Confess" (ὁμολογήσεις, homologēsis): present active indicative; indicates an ongoing action.
"Believe" (πιστεύσῃ, pisteusē): future active indicative; signifies the action of faith as an integral step toward salvation.
Syntax:
The conditional statement structure "if you confess...and believe" establishes that both confession and belief are necessary for salvation, emphasizing faith’s dual role as both belief in the heart and verbal acknowledgment.
Conclusion
In these passages, we see a consistent theme that portrays faith as an instrumental cause in the experience of being "born again" or saved. The morphology of key terms helps to elucidate the actions and states described, while the syntax of the sentences illustrates how faith interacts with God's grace and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. Through this lens, one can understand how faith is not merely an abstract concept but is intricately linked to the believer's relationship with God and the process of regeneration.
J.
