A Logical Fallacy – The Infamous through faith Argument
(i) Firstly the verse in concern
“for by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you — of God the gift, not of works, that no one may boast;” (Ephesians 2:8 – 9)
(ii) The Common Misunderstanding
The common misinterpretation by our dear Eternal Hell theologians’ “claim” is as follows:
‘Since in Ephesians 2:8 we find the phrase “through faith” (I apologise for the spelling error in image stating this), and not only the phrase “by Grace” (of God) —> and since ‘only believers’ have “faith in Christ” (the ‘faith’ referred to here) —> thus it must be that “only” believers are ‘Saved’.
(iii) What does Scripture actually say?
Firstly, the “Faith” referred to in Ephesians 2:8 is “not” our feeble little faiths, i.e. “not” our much overly idolised “faith in Christ” but rather the “Faith of Jesus Christ”.
It’s “not” the same and knowing this Scriptural distinction makes a lot of difference especially since we begin to ‘understand’ that “Salvation” is truly God’s Acts Alone “through His Faith Alone” and “by His Grace only”. Upon realising this, we will ‘stop idolising’ our ‘own feeble faiths’ regarding Him.
The phrase “not of our works” also contradicts any similar ‘idolising of our works’ regarding ‘Salvation’ too. It’s all plain as “it is written”. We don’t need any ‘human analysis to manipulate cleverly to say otherwise’, please don’t be deceived.
It’s not ‘our faith’ either proven by the phrase “not of you” found in that ‘same’ verse quoted (not of anything originating from ourselves, including our “faith in Christ” too).
Hence the verse says that it’s the “Gift of God” (from Him only, His Faith —> the “Faith OF Jesus Christ”, only seen when Holy Scripture for related verses are translated accurately first) —> noting a difference in Greek phrases for ‘both’ “faith in Jesus Christ” vs “Faith of Jesus Christ” which exists accordingly marking this distinction. The links at the end of this write up discuss this further.
Scripture is accurate to the last word used.
That is why “Salvation” is “God’s Gift” (by His Grace only and through His Faith Alone) —> that “none may boast” —> due to “nothing of ourselves” —> when we ‘understand’ such depths regarding “His Truth”, —> we also realise that we are “not” great at all and that “only God” is “Great” & truly —> “Salvation belongs to our God”:
“And after these things I heard a great voice of a great multitude in the heaven, saying, ‘Alleluia! the Salvation, and the Glory, and the Honour, and the Power, is to the Lord our God;” (Revelation 19:1)
For more in depth discussion for Edification, please consider the Two brief write up below:
https://www.google.com/amp/www.anonymouschristian.org/blog/faith-jesus-christ-2/amp/
https://www.google.com/amp/www.anonymouschristian.org/blog/faith-jesus-christ/amp/
Thank you for reading
