Is faith a gift that only God can give us? (Note: I have an answer, but I would like input).

[Bible Highlighter]

Is faith a gift that only God can give us?
(Note: I am not asking because I don't know).

Please post Scripture to back up your viewpoint,
and also vote in the poll.

Thank you, and may God bless you all today in the name of Jesus Christ.

 

[honey badger]

its a gift already given

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

 

[trophy33]

Both.

Its not a simple thing (like e.g. an apple that is given or taken as a whole), but rather a complex psychological state of our being. Some part of it must be given by God, some part of it must be our own endeavor.

 

[renniks]

Is faith a gift that only God can give us?
(Note: I am not asking because I don't know).

Please post Scripture to back up your viewpoint,
and also vote in the poll.

Thank you, and may God bless you all today in the name of Jesus Christ.

Faith, if it is a gift, is something we must accept to possess. I would not overthink it. I believe we can choose faith or unbelief.

 

[Halbhh]

"Irresistible Grace" is an Reformed idea I think (and one I think is probably partly mistaken or incomplete), and so if we want to discuss that in the best way, it makes sense to hear the Reformed view laid out well.

R.C. Sproul was/is a leading Reformed theologian/teacher (and also I know from seeing about 20-25 of his video lectures from and a bit of reading of short articles also).

Ligonier is the R.C. Sproul site.

Is Grace Cooperative?
“The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.”
- Titus 2:11

Every discussion of divine grace must address the issue of how free the human will actually is after the fall of Adam. As we have seen, thinkers who have emphasized the enslavement of the human will to sin—including men such as Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Jonathan Edwards—have never denied that human beings are free to make choices.
...(continues)
Is Grace Cooperative?


When you read more on this or go deeper into more involved discussion, you'll find in time that there are varied interpretations of what exactly is 'election' and what is 'predestined'. For instance: Corporate election - Wikipedia (we are chosen in Christ together, as the group of all that are His sheep/church)

 

[bling]

Anything "good" we have is a gift from God, the question is thus how do we take this "faith" we all have and direct it toward God to make it our saving faith?

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Is faith a gift that only God can give us?
(Note: I am not asking because I don't know).

Please post Scripture to back up your viewpoint,
and also vote in the poll.

Thank you, and may God bless you all today in the name of Jesus Christ.

In the beginning God tested the faith of Abraham. He feared God. God would not test Abraham if He bestowed the gift of faith upon Him already. Abraham chose to be faithful.
" Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

 

[Tree of Life]

Haw Haw Jason. You're a funny dude.

Faith is a gift from God. We are spiritually dead before God intervenes and enables us to see Him rightly and trust in Him. To suggest that fallen man has the capacity for saving faith without the special help of God is Pelagian. A heresy. I think you're into Pelagius though, from what I can remember.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Faith is not a gift from God.
Faith is something man must choose to exercise of his own free will.

#1. We are commanded to believe in Jesus (1 John 3:23).
#2. All men everywhere are commanded to repent (Acts of the Apostles 17:30).
#2. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
#3. You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13)
#4. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:10).
#5. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. (Matthew 8:10).
#6. Without faith, it is impossible to please God and we are told that if we come to Him, we must believe that He exists, and He is a rewarder to those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
#7. Jesus said to His disciples, “Have faith in God.” (Mark 11:22).
#8. When Peter failed to continue to walk on the water because he was scared of the intensity of the storm, Jesus eventually told him, “You of little faith,” “why did you doubt?” (See: Matthew 14:29-31).

 

[a-lily-of-peace]

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
(Ephesians 2:8-9, NKJV)

 

[Butterball1]

If one could have faith only if God gifted faith to him then God becomes culpable for all those who are faithless and lost.
Matthew 8:26 "And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm." Jesus' criticism should have been directed towards God for failing to give these disciples sufficient faith they lacked. Jesus could not justly condemn them for what was 100% out of their control and 100% in God's control. Acts of the Apostles 16:31 why command men to believe if believing is out of man's control? Paul should have command God to give the jailer faith. Yet the command implies man has both ability and accountability in choosing to obey by having or not having faith.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Faith is God's gift to us. Ephesians 2:8.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[sawdust]

Faith is the result of the Word united and at work within a willing soul. This is why faith is assurance and confidence (Heb.11:1) because it is based on the Word of God not the will of man. However, without a willing soul, there also can be no faith.

 

[BBAS 64]

Good Day,

Php 1:29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

Your belief has been granted to you for the sake of Christ... not for your own sake. It is all about Him, and not about us in any way.

In Him,

Bill

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Again, Jesus would not be amazed at the greatness of the Centurion's faith if it was something given to him by God. Jesus criticizes others for having little faith or for doubting. So this rules out any possibility that faith is forced upon a person by God.

 

[BBAS 64]

Faith is not a gift from God.
Faith is something man must choose to exercise of his own free will.

#1. We are commanded to believe in Jesus (1 John 3:23).
#2. All men everywhere are commanded to repent (Acts of the Apostles 17:30).
#2. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
#3. You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13)
#4. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:10).
#5. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. (Matthew 8:10).
#6. Without faith, it is impossible to please God and we are told that if we come to Him, we must believe that He exists, and He is a rewarder to those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
#7. Jesus said to His disciples, “Have faith in God.” (Mark 11:22).
#8. When Peter failed to continue to walk on the water because he was scared of the intensity of the storm, Jesus eventually told him, “You of little faith,” “why did you doubt?” (See: Matthew 14:29-31).

Good Day, BHL

I agree we freely exercise faith... Your question seemed to imply "where does Faith come from".

Can a man exercise a Faith that he does not have?

In Him,

Bill

 

[SkyWriting]

Is faith a gift that only God can give us?
(Note: I am not asking because I don't know).

Please post Scripture to back up your viewpoint,
and also vote in the poll.

Thank you, and may God bless you all today in the name of Jesus Christ.

The only miracle that exists is the gift of Faith in God to carry us.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Good Day, BHL

I agree we freely exercise faith... Your question seemed to imply "where does Faith come from".

Can a man exercise a Faith that he does not have?

In Him,

Bill

No. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
2 Thessalonians 2:10 says that the reason those who perish are perishing is because they received not the love of the truth that they MIGHT BE SAVED. There is no MIGHT BE SAVED in Calvinism.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

The only miracle that exists is the gift of Faith in God to carry us.

God does not force faith upon a person. The faith is the Bible. We gain faith by hearing the Bible. Our choice. For faith comes by hearing the Word of God (The Bible or the words of Jesus and His apostles).

 

[SkyWriting]

God does not force faith upon a person.

Yes. God calls whom He wills and this started before the Bible was written. Faith is a Gift given by God alone and not of mans doing.