[ksen]

For me, belief, self examination and repentance is the start of the process of salvation. Faith is a combination of belief, shunning evils and goodwill to the neighbor. Salvation is a result of the Lord giving a new will (changing a heart of stone to a heart of flesh) after being born again.

What initiates that process of "belief, self-examination and repentance?" Does God give you his Grace because you did those things?

Do you wake up one morning and decide that you haven't lived a very good life, tell God your sorry, and then he gives you saving Grace?

Galatians is a nice Epistle but I'll take the Lord's Word over Paul's every time.

All of the Bible is the Lord's Word, not just the red parts.

[DaveMSmith]

Does God give you his Grace because you did those things?

The Lord wishes all salvation. He also grants us free will. I started the quoted paragraph with 'for me'. I was a dreadful sinner before I returned to the faith of my youth. My responsibility is to repent, as John the Baptist exclaimed.