Since grace, faith, and works have been bandied about here I wanted to post a section from the Council of Orange (I could post more from it, but wonāt because of space considerations):
THE COUNCIL OF ORANGE
The Council of Orange dealt with a revived form of Pelagian thinking often called Semi-Pelagianism that the human race, though fallen and possessed of a sinful nature, is still āgoodā enough to able to lay hold of the grace of God through an act of unredeemed human will. For the Semi-Pelagians, human beings can take the first steps toward salvation without grace.
The Council clearly reject this view and teaches that grace precedes and enables any step we can possibly take toward God. Yet it also rejects the view of the extreme Augustinians that God could possibly will the damnation of some. It affirms that God wants all to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
crossroadsinitiative.com/library_author/82/Council__of_Orange.html
That was a brief introduction, here are the canons:
THE CANONS OF THE COUNCIL OF ORANGE (529 AD)
CANON 3. If anyone says that the grace of God can be conferred as a result of human prayer, but that it is not grace itself which makes us pray to God, he contradicts the prophet Isaiah, or the Apostle who says the same thing, āI have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for meā (Rom 10:20 , quoting Isa. 65:1).
CANON 4. If anyone maintains that God awaits our will to be cleansed from sin, but does not confess that even our will to be cleansed comes to us through the infusion and working of the Holy Spirit, he resists the Holy Spirit himself who says through Solomon, āThe will is prepared by the Lordā ( Prov. 8:35 , LXX ), and the salutary word of the Apostle, āFor God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasureā ( Phil. 2:13).
CANON 5. If anyone says that not only the increase of faith but also its beginning and the very desire for faith, by which we believe in Him who justifies the ungodly and comes to the regeneration of holy baptism ā if anyone says that this belongs to us by nature and not by a gift of grace, that is, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit amending our will and turning it from unbelief to faith and from godlessness to godliness, it is proof that he is opposed to the teaching of the Apostles, for blessed Paul says, āAnd I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christā ( Phil. 1:6 ). And again, āFor by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of Godā ( Eph. 2:8). For those who state that the faith by which we believe in God is natural make all who are separated from the Church of Christ by definition in some measure believers.
CANON 6. If anyone says that God has mercy upon us when, apart from his grace, we believe, will, desire, strive, labor, pray, watch, study, seek, ask, or knock, but does not confess that it is by the infusion and inspiration of the Holy Spirit within us that we have the faith, the will, or the strength to do all these things as we ought; or if anyone makes the assistance of grace depend on the humility or obedience of man and does not agree that it is a gift of grace itself that we are obedient and humble, he contradicts the Apostle who says, āWhat have you that you did not receive?ā ( 1 Cor. 4:7 ), and, āBut by the grace of God I am what I amā ( 1 Cor. 15:10).
Just always seems like the road you happen to be looking for isnāt, doesnāt it. 