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Ok, the OP question was: Quote: Faith, How does a person get it?
My 1st posted scripture answered that question here:
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
(MY ANSWER: Please reread the last line in Rom 12:3: God has given everyone a measure of faith. We can choose to appropriate/seize God's promises with it, or not)
I'll add some additional related verses:
Rom 10:17 faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
(MY NOTE HERE: Our God given measure of Faith increases when seek God & study/ingest God's word/scripture.
My 1st reply stated via my note (Gal 2:16 placed TWICE). As to faith in what.
I'll be more specific here:
1 Cor 15:
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
(Vs 1-2 NOTE: The Apostle say's the gospel/good news that he preached & these believers in Corinth received/believed & as as a result of their faith were saved is: See next Note)
3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
(Vs 3-4 NOTE: Christ died for their sins (Paying sins required wage) was buried (proof Jesus died) & after 3 days Christ rose from the grave (Jesus resurrection is the Fathers receipt, sin payment received & accepted. Also see Rom 10:8-17)
The second quote is the answer to your question. Good job Halbhh.
Romans 10:
16But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
When the real gospel is preached, the Holy Spirit can bring conviction of sin to the one who will listen to the preaching. If the person is convicted, he/she may cry out, "What must I do?" as I did nearly 50 years ago. Unless the Word is preached, there will be no conviction and therefore no salvation - God saves sinners!
Faith comes when the person sees the truth that Lord Jesus died for their sins. It's not a mental understanding. It is a deep down, heart-knowing that effects a change of attitude. What I once loved I realised was keeping me separated from God. I have to admit that I was scared into God's kingdom. I feared being shut out of heaven. A revelation of God's love keeps me going day by day.
Faith begins at that first encounter with the Saviour. Faith is added as we receive revelation throughout our lives. It comes the same way - by God's word as revealed by the Holy Spirit. Those who diligently seek the Lord will grow in faith. Those who are spiritually lazy and apathetic stay immature and their growth is stunted. The parable of the sower applies throughout our lives. The honest heart is fruitful. Hard hearts, shallow hearts and hearts overly concerned with the world. God works in the heart of believers to make them more receptive to His word.
It's true that faith comes by hearing, but not from hearing. You hear but refuse to respond or you hear and choose to seek more truth. It's always a choice.
So if you were preaching the gospel, the message you would give to an unsaved person is ''Start to believe the Bible is true. This understanding can come about in different ways''?
I don't think this doesn't really give much guidance,it's just a commandment.
You lean more toward TULIP?
A saving faith which allows you to be a child of God is a gift from God given to some and not others, so the question might be better asked: “What can a person do to obtain such a faith, since not everyone obtains this faith?”
Every unbelieving sinner has some God given “natural” faith, which allows him/her to trust in idols for one thing. Since a person has to be a real fool not to believe in a god and it takes great faith to believe God does not exist it takes very little “natural” faith to believe a benevolent God does exist. Since the lowliest mature adult on earth can believe in the existence of a benevolent Creator, it is a humbly experience to trust in a benevolent Creator. This humility does seem great enough for the sinner to accept from his hated enemy undeserved charity (love). Just the wiliness to accept pure undeserved charity in the form of forgiveness allow God to shower that person with unbelievable wonderful gifts, including a saving faith.
I agree with "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. [Rom 10:17 ESV] but I would add to that...
[John 6:63 NIV 1984] 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
Long story short...I came to Christ through reading the Gospel of John about 36 years ago (No human contact/witness except incidental). So though I love all the word of God, the Gospels have preeminence for me.
Romans10:17 “... Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God”, gives us knowledge on how faith comes, by taking in God’s word.
You take a step of faith by inviting Christ to save you. Your obedience is a measure of your faith. Continue knowing that if you continue to seek you will find.
Trials, through faith in God to get you through your trials.
Faith works by love. Make love your motive in all you think, say, and do, and faith will grow.
“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.” Galatians 5:6 (NCPB)
The new birth is a heart of love which is a gift. Faith comes from that.But faith is a gift right?
Faith is by hearing.
Romans 10:17
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
I can personally attest to this. I heard about Jesus Christ of Nazareth as a child and that is when I started to believe and have faith. The power of the Holy Spirit came later in life as an adult.
Be blessed.
Romans 12:3
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
All gifts come through the Holy Spirit. The Lord knows the heart. He meets people where they are .... seems to me there are different types or levels of faith.
One first needs a basic faith to take steps towards Christ in the first place. ie
I stand at the door and knock .... one needs to answer and open that door.
Once that door is opened ... then the Holy Spirit moves in the believer to learn about the Lord through His Word ... no doubt as one studies continuously faith is increased through knowledge.
Saving is up to the Lord ... really who are we to say? Judgement is up to the Lord ... who are we to say?
Like I said ... only He knows the heart (the secret things).
We discuss and pass along scripture to people ... how they use and/or respond to that knowledge ... or not ... is through each one's personal relationship with the Lord ... much of that relationship however does come through His word.
John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Believe and obey.
Two points in regard to Romans 10:17
1) If you believe that a person must hear the gospel to be saved,what happens to unborn people that die in the womb?
2) I interpret Romans 10:18 to mean all people have heard Gods word by his creation so the gospel is not necessary in every single case of salvation,only the saving grace of God is. If you disagree with scripture interpretation,what is your counterargument?
It's all right here
Matthew 25:34-40 is what I look to for instructions on how to love for God. Notice it doesn't say "bow down to me and worship me" It seems to be more important to show love to your neighbor that
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
This passage basically is the blueprint of what makes someone act like a Christian. I don't think it is as simple as "believe and receive" and that's all you need to do.
Matthew 16:24-25 says
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
So similar to the earlier passage, being a Christian means self sacrifice. Denying your sinful desires and "take up your cross" meaning:
John 15:12-13
12This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
So it's not just about accepting Christ but loving your neighbor to the death is the ultimate denial of self for others. That is the Christian way. To sacrifice yourself, your comfort, your time, your compassion, even your life if need be but deny your personal desires and desire to help and love your fellow man.
For "faith without works is dead" as Saint James tells us.
I wish I could give you one answer. Each person needs to hear different things. Some people need to hear good arguments for the Bible. Other people need to hear about the love of God, others just need to hear about the person Jesus. Some need to hear about forgiveness, some to be prayed for, listened to etc. In the end it's a work of the Holy Spirit.
The new birth is a heart of love which is a gift. Faith comes from that.
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