Faith: A Human Act or a Gift from God?

Originally Posted by billinjackson

...

The conclusion to the Council of Orange
(529 AD)

CONCLUSION. ...The sin of the first man has so impaired and weakened free will that no one thereafter can either love God as he ought or believe in God or do good for God's sake, unless the grace of divine mercy has preceded him. We therefore believe that the glorious faith which was given to Abel the righteous, and Noah, and Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and to all the saints of old, and which the Apostle Paul commends in extolling them (Heb. 11), ...
the apostle Paul does not commend extolling the men and women of faith. he lists them as a cloud of witness, as an encouragement to us to live by faith.

According to the catholic faith we also believe that after grace has been received through baptism, all baptized persons have the ability and responsibility, if they desire to labor faithfully, to perform with the aid and cooperation of Christ what is of essential importance in regard to the salvation of their soul. ...

grace is first received at conversion: for by GRACE you have been SAVED through faith... (Eph. 2: 8) baptism is another, a second step, not the first one.

[Enterprise]

Originally Posted by Christa

grace is first received at conversion: for by GRACE you have been SAVED through faith... (Eph. 2: 8) baptism is another, a second step, not the first one.

But is it Grace and Grace alone, that sees to ones salvation or do we also have to live a Christ-like life?

[walkingwithhim]

I believe that the pursuit of Faith is an act and a choice and receiving it is definitely a gift from God. A gift that we need to remind ourselves of everyday! At least for me. I must remind myself daily and in all situations that I am following God, not leading myself and I choose to do what I need to do for God in order to keep it through life.
God Bless

Originally Posted by Enterprise

But is it Grace and Grace alone, that sees to ones salvation or do we also have to live a Christ-like life?

if Christ-like living were required, no-one would ever be saved.

"while we were yet sinners (= no Christ-like life), Christ died for us"