Doug : "NO! Faith is NOT the gift we receive from God. The thing we have faith in is the gift of God. Salvation itself is the gift of God. Faith is our response to hearing the Gospel (Rom 10:17,
James 2:14-26)."
OK Doug, if they responded in faith to hearing the Gospel, who gave them their ears to hear with, to believe in the report, to be enabled to obey ?
Romans 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.
Is this the problem then, people do not recognize the testimony in this chapter of Romans 10, that the Gentiles did not seek God, but God was reaching out to Israel, until God killed them and called His servants by another name, ( first called Christians at Antioch) then they bless themselves knowing TRUTH ( believing the report)..
Isaiah 65:15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:
16 That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
Romans 10:20 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.
Follow it and see, how the Gentiles did not follow after God, but Israel sought without faith ( they were never given to believe) but stumbled at Christ by being offended in Him ( His word having no place in them..
Romans 9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
It's a very easy thing to show, but it shows nobody cares in this thread or in this forum to try to set anything straight, they are interested only in debate, and blaspheming the Holy Ghost, because talk is worthless.
Yet they believed not on Christ, to fulfil the saying, who believed the report ?
The arm of Christ was not revealed, as it has to be, or nobody can believe, by having blinded eyes, and that hardened stony heart, no conversion by being gifted faith, which is God calling us and Him writing the new covenant in our heart of soft flesh..
John 12:37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
Matthew 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.