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Bruce,It is a condition, a sine qua non; but it is such that God graciously (unconditionally) gives the one who needs it, who desires salvation, in order that he should obtain entrance into the covenant by means of (or through) it. "By grace... through faith... not of yourself, [but] ...a gift from God."
Here is the whole verse Rev. Buchanan quotes.Faith is a gift, yes, but is it also appropriate to speak of it as a condition to enter the Covenant of Grace?
I agree with Owen on this. The old covenant was conditional on men, and the new covenant does not contain conditions placed on men.Owen seems to be saying that since faith is a gift that it cannot be also a condition.
I would use different wording here. Faith comes from God. The desire to be saved comes from God. "...it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Phil. 2:13)It is a condition, a sine qua non; but it is such that God graciously (unconditionally) gives the one who needs it, who desires salvation, in order that he should obtain entrance into the covenant by means of (or through) it.
I said he needed it (a fact) and that he desired it (had will). I didn't feel the need to explain in this space that the desire is an element of the ALL that God supplies.The desire to be saved comes from God. "...it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Phil. 2:13)
This is an excellent way to put it.The point of these conditions is that God supplies them ALL, while they are exercised at the proper time by the recipient.
Let me expand on what I mentioned.From man's perspective we think that it is us exercising faith, and using our will.