The following is a comment recently left on Steve Camp's blog. No one answered her question and so I posted the following reply to him/her there. I thought I would share it here also.
To Seeking Disciple:
You said:
"So if faith is a gift from God for the elect, how can God justly condemn the lost for their lack of faith (Mark 16:16; John 3:18,36)? And is justification unto faith or by faith (Romans 5:1)?"
Your logic would say - "since God does not give me eternal life, then I cannot be condemned"! That is a non sequiter.
Faith is a duty for all men because all men are required to believe anything God has revealed as true. Therefore, to not believe it is sin.
Faith can be a sovereign gift bestowed and the fulfillment of a dutiful command at the same time. One does not exclude the other.
We are not to infer that the command to believe inplies an ability to do so apart from God's power, word, and Spirit.
Justification is "because of" the death of Christ and of God's decree to justify on the basis of Christ. Justification is "by faith," not "for the sake of faith," it being the channel God has chosen to convey the benefits and fruits of Chris's atonement to the elect, or to whoever believes.
Faith is not the "efficient" cause of justification but the means of receiving it.
God is not obligated to treat all alike.
In fact, our "differences" are to be ascribed solely to God, not to ourselves. I Cor. 4: 7.
I hope this helps answer your question.
Stephen
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