[Winman]

Boy, I'm getting a little confused, or perhaps I am not understanding everyone.

#1 We know that God is not willing that any should perish.

2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

And it is clear that everybody has the personal choice to accept or refuse Christ.

Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

If saving faith is a gift of God, then those who are lost did not receive this saving faith from God. This makes God partial.

In Ephesians 2, grace is the topic, not faith.

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved; ) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

I have heard it said that grace and mercy are opposites. Grace is God giving us something we do not deserve, while mercy is God not giving us something we deserve.

I tie the phrase "it is the gift of God" to "For by grace" in Eph 2:8, not to "through faith".

This is why God calls those who fail to believe disobediant.

Rom 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding those here. If saving faith is a gift from God, then one can only conclude that those who are lost did not receive this gift from God.