Our part in salvation...?

My understanding of this subject has so radically changed over the last few months, I look back at some of the blogs I've posted and shudder. I'm sorry for throwing you so many curve-balls but consider who wrote the bible (men inspired by God), and then consider who wrote these blogs (a mere man inspired on occasion by God but usually inspired by my own flesh and stupidity) That being said I do feel my understanding of the scriptures is growing and moving in the right direction, so don't exit this blog until you've read the rest of the story.

If God grants us the faith to believe, and it's a gift, not of works lest anyone should boast(Ephesians 2:8-9), and it's Christ's faith, not ours that justifies us with God, and makes us righteous in His sight(Romans 3:22), then what's our part in this whole process?

Our part is this...believing in or on Jesus Christ as the Messiah (the chosen One). What I understand now is that the object of our faith is not determined by God. God gives us the ability to believe in something greater than ourselves but we are not forced to accept the God of the Scriptures nor His Son - Jesus.

Romans 1:21 says, "because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God,..."

Paul says the God of the Hebrew scriptures was not automatically implanted into their faith, they never came to an understanding of "The God" and instead made up their own "gods". Granted sometimes God makes people blind to who He is on purpose (Romans 9:21), but we don't know who those people are.

Romans 3:25 says, "...through the deliverence which is in Christ Jesus..." or John 3:16 "...that whosoever believeth in Him..."

We shouldn't take for granted that "Jesus" is the object of man's faith. There are so many distractions in this world competing for our time and affections. Paul understood this and alluded to those who have faith in the wrong object (Person).

Romans 1:25 "who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen."

Grace, MB