The phrase that salvation comes from [or is "of"] the Lord is repeated several times in Scripture: Jonah 2:9; Psalm 3:8; Psalm 37:39; Prov. 21:31. Also, in view of Rom. 1:17, (cf. Heb. 10:38; Gal. 3:11; Hab. 2:4), which said the "just shall live by faith" (i.e., the birth-text of the Reformation), Martin Luther had a spiritual wake-up call from his dogmatic slumber and instigated the Reformation by nailing his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church on Oct. 31, 1517.
These verses are the whole quintessence, synopsis, and compendium of salvation doctrine and all we need to know, if apprehended--it is a matter of God's work on our behalf alone (monergistic), and not a cooperative venture (synergistic). There are only three possibilities for salvation: of man alone; of man jointly with God; and of God alone! We don't contribute some pre-salvation effort to our salvation, but only receive it in faith as a done deal--fait accompli. Jesus said, "It is finished," on the cross or "tetelestai" in Aramaic, meaning that it was completed on the cross and we could add nothing to it.
Man is incurably addicted to accomplishing his salvation and doing something: if we had to do something, we'd fail! Salvation is by grace alone (sola gratia), meaning we don't add works; in Christ alone (soli Christo), meaning we don't do a work with Christ; and God alone gets the glory (Soli Deo Gloria). Titus 3:5 says that we don't merit our salvation: Grace is something we can't earn, payback, or deserve. Sola fide means we are saved by faith alone: Faith is the instrumental means of our salvation and is not meritorious, being a gift. If God had to save us due to our faith and was obliged to justify us, it wouldn't be grace, but justice. God doesn't save us because we are ready for salvation, or even worthy of salvation; we don't prepare ourselves for it.
God elects us unto faith, which is a gift according to multiple verses (cf. 2 Pet. 1:1) and we believe through grace (cf. Acts 18:27). The fallacious and erroneous prescient view (Romans 8:29-39 militates against it) is that it holds that God elects us because of faith or foreseen faith--that would be merit. Our election is unconditional as is His unconditional love for us "according to the pleasure of His goodwill" (cf. Eph. 1:5). In short, we're "elect according to the foreknowledge of God" and "according to His purpose and grace" (cf. 2 Tim. 1:9). Left to ourselves, none of us would've chosen Christ! "Many are called, but few are chosen" (cf. Matt. 22:14). Our salvation as our ultimate destiny is in God's hands because no one is inclined to come to Him but must be wooed. "As many as were appointed unto eternal life believed" (cf. Acts 13:48). "... The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened" (Rom. 11:7, ESV).
When we say salvation is "of the Lord," (monergistic) we mean that no works of the flesh are prerequisite--faith is not a work or it would be meritorious salvation. In a works salvation, you never know how much is enough and you have to keep trying without ever getting any peace and rest. The only way to be assured of salvation is to have it solely from God and not a joint venture or cooperative work (synergistic). This is where grace makes Christianity unique because it makes possible the full assurance of salvation in the here and now or in real time and in light of eternity. Soli Deo Gloria!
These verses are the whole quintessence, synopsis, and compendium of salvation doctrine and all we need to know, if apprehended--it is a matter of God's work on our behalf alone (monergistic), and not a cooperative venture (synergistic). There are only three possibilities for salvation: of man alone; of man jointly with God; and of God alone! We don't contribute some pre-salvation effort to our salvation, but only receive it in faith as a done deal--fait accompli. Jesus said, "It is finished," on the cross or "tetelestai" in Aramaic, meaning that it was completed on the cross and we could add nothing to it.
Man is incurably addicted to accomplishing his salvation and doing something: if we had to do something, we'd fail! Salvation is by grace alone (sola gratia), meaning we don't add works; in Christ alone (soli Christo), meaning we don't do a work with Christ; and God alone gets the glory (Soli Deo Gloria). Titus 3:5 says that we don't merit our salvation: Grace is something we can't earn, payback, or deserve. Sola fide means we are saved by faith alone: Faith is the instrumental means of our salvation and is not meritorious, being a gift. If God had to save us due to our faith and was obliged to justify us, it wouldn't be grace, but justice. God doesn't save us because we are ready for salvation, or even worthy of salvation; we don't prepare ourselves for it.
God elects us unto faith, which is a gift according to multiple verses (cf. 2 Pet. 1:1) and we believe through grace (cf. Acts 18:27). The fallacious and erroneous prescient view (Romans 8:29-39 militates against it) is that it holds that God elects us because of faith or foreseen faith--that would be merit. Our election is unconditional as is His unconditional love for us "according to the pleasure of His goodwill" (cf. Eph. 1:5). In short, we're "elect according to the foreknowledge of God" and "according to His purpose and grace" (cf. 2 Tim. 1:9). Left to ourselves, none of us would've chosen Christ! "Many are called, but few are chosen" (cf. Matt. 22:14). Our salvation as our ultimate destiny is in God's hands because no one is inclined to come to Him but must be wooed. "As many as were appointed unto eternal life believed" (cf. Acts 13:48). "... The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened" (Rom. 11:7, ESV).
When we say salvation is "of the Lord," (monergistic) we mean that no works of the flesh are prerequisite--faith is not a work or it would be meritorious salvation. In a works salvation, you never know how much is enough and you have to keep trying without ever getting any peace and rest. The only way to be assured of salvation is to have it solely from God and not a joint venture or cooperative work (synergistic). This is where grace makes Christianity unique because it makes possible the full assurance of salvation in the here and now or in real time and in light of eternity. Soli Deo Gloria!
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