[Buggman]

You already have my answer, OP. If you want to continue the debate, you'll have to actually tackle Romans 4 and Ephesians 2 instead of simply repeating a tradition of men that faith is a work. Until you do, why should I waste my time restating my position over and over again?

[xzins]

Romans 4, Ephesians 2, and just about every other place in the bible that compares righteousness by law (works) and righteousness by faith.

It is important that it was "keeping the law" that was contrasted with "faith." That makes "keeping the law" the equivalent of the parallel expression, "works." In short, it's a matter of "living a good enough life" to earn your own salvation, or a matter of "trusting God's mercy" as a way of attaining to salvation.

Me....I MUST choose the mercy route. My sins are too great for me to make it any other way.

Believing God's promise is not "living a good enough life" to earn your way in.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

The "act" of becoming saved is nothing more than choosing to trust God's provision of your salvation after He has taken the initiative in reaching you (i.e. through the Holy Spirit).

Well, the Bible teaches that while a Man is yet Spiritually-Dead, he NEVER "chooses to Trust God".

So, are you admitting that IN ORDER TO "choose to Trust God", a Man must FIRST be "Born Again" (i.e., Quickened unto Spiritual Life by the Holy Spirit)?