Is faith really a gift?

[d taylor]

It does take faith, but not blind faith. We do need faith that the scientific community, the media and the politicians are not all lying to us in a big conspiracy but that is, I believe, a reasonable thing to assume.

Faith in man (especially non believing men) at best is highly likely, to be based on lies.

We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

And the wicked one has no truth in him.

 

[ViaCrucis]

I've often come across the idea here that faith is a gift but is that true?

What's often quoted is Ephesians 2:8-9:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

This appears to be saying that it's salvation, by grace and through faith, that's the gift, not faith.

Isn't faith something a bit more prosaic than that, something that we get just like we get faith in science or in the democratic process (perhaps a bad example at the moment!)? That is, we are persuaded about the truth of something based on the evidence.

This would eliminate faith being a choice --we don't choose to believe that the Earth is round, we either believe it or disbelieve it based on how persuasive we find the evidence for it. Similarly, don't we believe in Christ because we find all the evidences for it: the Bible, personal testimony and various philosophical arguments, complelling enough to make a commitment to believe?

So is faith a gift or is it a reasoned response to the evidence that has convinced us, at least on balance, that it is true? Is "accepting Christ" a matter of accepting the evidence for the gospel story rather than accepting a gift?

Grammatically it's the entire clause, "For by grace you have been saved through faith" that is the gift spoken about. And faith is part of the clause.

Salvation isn't mentioned as a noun, we can't take "salvation" to be the gift, but not the faith mentioned. Rather faith is the noun, through which "saved" happens. The gift and work of God is saving us through faith, thus even the faith through we are saved is God's gift, not of ourselves.

Indeed, even the ancient fathers say the same thing:

"His last clause runs thus: 'I have kept the faith.' But he who says this is the same who declares in another passage, 'I have obtained mercy that I might be faithful.' He does not say, 'I obtained mercy because I was faithful,' but 'in order that I might be faithful,' thus showing that even faith itself cannot be had without God's mercy, and that it is the gift of God. This he very expressly teaches us when he says, 'For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God,' They might possibly say, 'We received grace because we believed' as if they would attribute the faith to themselves, and the grace to God. Therefore, the apostle having said, 'You are saved through faith,' added, 'And that not of yourselves, but it is the gift of God,' And again, lest they should say they deserved so great a gift by their works, he immediately added, 'Not of works, lest any man should boast,' Not that he denied good works, or emptied them of their value, when he says that God renders to every man according to his works; but because works proceed from faith, and not faith from works. Therefore it is from Him that we have works of righteousness, from whom comes also faith itself, concerning which it is written, 'The just shall live by faith.'" - St. Augustine, A Treatise on Grace and Free Will, ch. 17

-CryptoLutheran

 

[nolidad]

I've often come across the idea here that faith is a gift but is that true?

What's often quoted is Ephesians 2:8-9:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

This appears to be saying that it's salvation, by grace and through faith, that's the gift, not faith.

Isn't faith something a bit more prosaic than that, something that we get just like we get faith in science or in the democratic process (perhaps a bad example at the moment!)? That is, we are persuaded about the truth of something based on the evidence.

This would eliminate faith being a choice --we don't choose to believe that the Earth is round, we either believe it or disbelieve it based on how persuasive we find the evidence for it. Similarly, don't we believe in Christ because we find all the evidences for it: the Bible, personal testimony and various philosophical arguments, complelling enough to make a commitment to believe?

So is faith a gift or is it a reasoned response to the evidence that has convinced us, at least on balance, that it is true? Is "accepting Christ" a matter of accepting the evidence for the gospel story rather than accepting a gift?

You are correct.

Salvation is the gift from God apart from any works.

We receive Divine faith as Paul said in romans 10: 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

[fhansen]

I've often come across the idea here that faith is a gift but is that true?

What's often quoted is Ephesians 2:8-9:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

This appears to be saying that it's salvation, by grace and through faith, that's the gift, not faith.

Isn't faith something a bit more prosaic than that, something that we get just like we get faith in science or in the democratic process (perhaps a bad example at the moment!)? That is, we are persuaded about the truth of something based on the evidence.

This would eliminate faith being a choice --we don't choose to believe that the Earth is round, we either believe it or disbelieve it based on how persuasive we find the evidence for it. Similarly, don't we believe in Christ because we find all the evidences for it: the Bible, personal testimony and various philosophical arguments, complelling enough to make a commitment to believe?

So is faith a gift or is it a reasoned response to the evidence that has convinced us, at least on balance, that it is true? Is "accepting Christ" a matter of accepting the evidence for the gospel story rather than accepting a gift?

While there are "motives of credibility" as they're sometimes called, that give reason for belief in a creator-God at least, we are totally incapable of believing in the God of the gospel, the God of love, and believing that He became man some two thousand years age and died on a cross for our sins and resurrected from the dead to demonstrate and prove His triumph over sin and death, without divine help, without grace.

Historically faith has been considered to be one of the three "theological virtues" which consist of faith, hope, and love, supernatural gifts given to man for his salvation. Faith is even said to be a dim foretaste of the "vision" of God that we'll experience in the next life where He's met "face to face". It's to know Him partially now, awaiting to know Him fully in heaven (1 Cor 13:12).

 

[StillGods]

I think Faith is both a gift and something we choose to have.

There is a verse that specifically says "Have faith in God" so that is something we choose.

But there is also the gift of Faith which I believe comes into play when God is doing something and He gives Faith to certain people to carry through that task or endeavour where it seems impossible.

We can grow our faith in God by hearing His word. I believe sometimes God will speak to us and His Word will build specific faith in Him in an area of our live where we were struggling, His Word Rhema word will speak directly to that area and we will be strengthened in faith. Reading the Bible also gives us His Word that the Holy Spirit will bring to mind when we need faith in a situation. ie. The Shield of Faith to quench the darts of the enemy.

Faith/Trust in God is a wonderful thing, empowering, uplifting, encouraging.

 

[fhansen]

I think Faith is both a gift and something we choose to have.

Yes! A gift we can either choose to accept and embrace, or reject.

 

[Hmm]

Yes! A gift we can either choose to accept and embrace, or reject.

I'm not disagreeing with you but if faith is a gift, how is it that we can strengthen our faith through our own efforts by study, reflection and staying away from I mean participating on CF?

 

[public hermit]

faith something a bit more prosaic than that, something that we get just like we get faith in science or in the democratic process (perhaps a bad example at the moment!)? That is, we are persuaded about the truth of something based on the evidence

When it comes to faith, I think a distinction needs to be made between mere belief and trust. Faith is more than mere belief, i.e. even the demons believe and yet they tremble. I would say that faith includes belief, but the primary function of faith is a continual act of trust. We can have degrees of belief, i.e. I can believe more or less, but trust functions more in terms of how one lives in relation to the One trusted. Trust is relational.

Your science example is good. Do we believe science based on evidence? Yes, in part. But we also trust the method to deliver understanding, to predict outcomes, and to aid in developing technology that, in the past, has proven reliable. So, even with science we see this dual function of belief and trust.

This would eliminate faith being a choice --we don't choose to believe that the Earth is round, we either believe it or disbelieve it based on how persuasive we find the evidence for it. Similarly, don't we believe in Christ because we find all the evidences for it: the Bible, personal testimony and various philosophical arguments, complelling enough to make a commitment to believe?

I think this would be accurate if we think of faith simply in terms of mere belief. I can't pull myself up by the bootstraps and believe just any old thing. But once we add the element of trust, the dynamic of faith changes.

Let's say I am new to Christianity and have a low credence of mere belief, i.e. I believe the great truth claims of Christianity to a fairly low degree, if at all. Nonetheless, I trust the witness of others that if I seek I shall find. Moreover, I am willing to pray and read the scriptures assuming that if these claims are true God will reveal it to me (That's what my Christian friends tell me). So, I begin mostly with trust, but as time goes along I come to believe, more than before, which in turn strengthens my willingness to trust.

So, the dynamic, on a phenomenological level, entails more than mere belief and giving one's assent to evidence. Faith is lived in relation to a Person, so it is a matter of experiencing trust in relation to One who proves trustworthy. Of course, there are times when it can appear that the One we trust is hidden or silent, and at this point trust is still in play, since revelation, both in Christ and the scriptures, gives ample indication that such experience is part of the lived faith.

So is faith a gift or is it a reasoned response to the evidence that has convinced us, at least on balance, that it is true? Is "accepting Christ" a matter of accepting the evidence for the gospel story rather than accepting a gift?

In the sense that faith is belief in what strikes us as true, there is no merit in believing. If I did not simply choose to believe it is true, how can it be merit worthy? And since I can't pull myself up by the bootstraps and reasonably believe just any old thing, then belief in the truth is not merit worthy. In other words, belief in the truth is something that happens to me.

And, if I just choose to believe whatever I decide to believe, then my belief has no ground in the truth, except perhaps by accident, which also would be of no merit.

In terms of trust, faith is also not merit worthy since it depends partially on the one in whom I have placed my trust. Assuming God is trustworthy, I should trust God and my doing so does not credit anything to my account, so to speak. In other words, I should trust those who are trustworthy.

If the above is true, then the question of whether or not faith is a gift becomes irrelevant. People assert that faith is a gift, most likely, because they want to ensure that it is not taken as being merit worthy, and thus somehow works in conjunction with grace. But, I have already shown that faith, whether we think in terms of belief or trust, is not merit worthy, so the point is moot (or the reason for the claim that faith is a gift becomes vacuous).

Of course, all that being said, it could still be the case that God enables the one with faith to both believe and trust so that it would still be true that faith is a gift.

 

[fhansen]

I'm not disagreeing with you but if faith is a gift, how is it that we can strengthen our faith through our own efforts by study, reflection and staying away from I mean participating on CF?

Because that seeking is to "exercise" our faith-and God responds with more yet, grace leading to grace. All the virtues can grow. It's meant to be a cooperative effort-and any and all support for faith in God is part of the process as I see it. At the end of the day it's a seeking for truth-and God loves that.

 

[Andrewn]

I think Faith is both a gift and something we choose to have.

True.

"A human being cannot, on his or her own, turn to God. God grants all sinners prevenient grace (prevenient meaning "coming before"). With this prevenient grace (or with its effects on the fallen human), a person is able to freely choose to place faith in Christ or reject his salvation. If the person accepts it, then God justifies him and continues to give further grace to spiritually heal and sanctify him. In response to Hendryx's question about the two individuals receiving prevenient grace and only one being saved, the Arminian would reply that the one who was saved freely chose faith, but only had the power to choose faith because of the prevenient grace, whereas the one who was not saved had the same assistance from prevenient grace and thus the same ability to choose, but freely chose not to have faith."

Synergism - Wikipedia

 

[chad kincham]

I've often come across the idea here that faith is a gift but is that true?

What's often quoted is Ephesians 2:8-9:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

This appears to be saying that it's salvation, by grace and through faith, that's the gift, not faith.

Isn't faith something a bit more prosaic than that, something that we get just like we get faith in science or in the democratic process (perhaps a bad example at the moment!)? That is, we are persuaded about the truth of something based on the evidence.

This would eliminate faith being a choice --we don't choose to believe that the Earth is round, we either believe it or disbelieve it based on how persuasive we find the evidence for it. Similarly, don't we believe in Christ because we find all the evidences for it: the Bible, personal testimony and various philosophical arguments, complelling enough to make a commitment to believe?

So is faith a gift or is it a reasoned response to the evidence that has convinced us, at least on balance, that it is true? Is "accepting Christ" a matter of accepting the evidence for the gospel story rather than accepting a gift?

Faith comes by hearing the word of God - Romans 10:17.

Faith is therefore the gift that we get to grace THROUGH.

But having faith doesn’t guarantee salvation, because though it’s the Holy Spirit that convicts of Sin, and no one can say Jesus is Lord except the Holy Spirit draws them - the Holy Spirit is resistible.

We have freewill to reject Jesus, as His own elect people whom He came for did - John 1:11, or choose to receive Jesus, and become a child of God - John 1:12.

Jesus came only for Israel. Matthew 15:24.


They were God’s elect. Isaiah 45:4


Yet His own, that He came for, REJECTED Him. John 1:11:


Joh 1:11 He came unto HIS OWN, and his own received him NOT.


Jesus, who is God, yearned for His own elect people whom He came for, to come to Him - but they refused:


Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and YE WOULD NOT!

Stephen preached to the same elect Israelites (Isaiah 45:4) who Jesus came for (John 1:11) who He yearned would come to Him (Matthew 23:37) and told them WHY they killed the prophets God sent, and rejected and killed their own Messiah when He came for them: because they RESIST the Holy Spirit.


Act 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always RESIST THE HOLY GHOST : as your fathers did, so do ye.


Act 7:52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered (Jesus).

To review: faith comes from hearing the word of God, but having faith doesn’t guarantee salvation, due to freewill and because irresistible grace doesn’t exist.

Shalom.

 

[Tree of Life]

I've often come across the idea here that faith is a gift but is that true?

What's often quoted is Ephesians 2:8-9:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

This appears to be saying that it's salvation, by grace and through faith, that's the gift, not faith.

Isn't faith something a bit more prosaic than that, something that we get just like we get faith in science or in the democratic process (perhaps a bad example at the moment!)? That is, we are persuaded about the truth of something based on the evidence.

This would eliminate faith being a choice --we don't choose to believe that the Earth is round, we either believe it or disbelieve it based on how persuasive we find the evidence for it. Similarly, don't we believe in Christ because we find all the evidences for it: the Bible, personal testimony and various philosophical arguments, complelling enough to make a commitment to believe?

So is faith a gift or is it a reasoned response to the evidence that has convinced us, at least on balance, that it is true? Is "accepting Christ" a matter of accepting the evidence for the gospel story rather than accepting a gift?

If it were the case that we are impartial people, able to freely be persuaded by the evidence then you'd be correct. The problem is that we are not impartial people. The Bible describes us as blind, stiff necked, hard hearted, dead in our sins, etc. Becoming saved is not an evidential problem. It's not that we lack evidence, we encounter evidence, and then we come to believe based on that evidence. Becoming saved is a matter of being born again or "born from above". Unless a man is born of the Spirit, he cannot even see the kingdom of God. In our sinful condition, we are hostile toward God and will not repent no matter what evidences pass before our eyes. We will always interpret God as an enemy unless he opens our eyes and changes our hearts. God must do that. And when he does, he does it as a gift that we don't deserve. There's nothing we can do to merit this. God must do it as an act of grace.

 

[fhansen]

I'm not disagreeing with you but if faith is a gift, how is it that we can strengthen our faith through our own efforts by study, reflection and staying away from I mean participating on CF?

And faith, BTW, is more than a one-time experience, act, and profession as you probably know but it's a state of being, inseparable from the relationship or communion with God that it establishes. Faith is "access" to God, 'apart from whom we can do nothing' (John 15:5). Faith means a life of grace, life in the Spirit, a change in us. Faith is to be in right stead with God; it is our justice/righteousness, or the root of it, because that relationship is our life-blood; the essence of justice or the right order of things for man; man was made for communion with God and is lost, dead, sick, and unable to refrain from sin, to love as he should, without it. Adam thought otherwise-that he didn't need God for all practical purposes-and the rest is history as they say.

Anyway, that's what it means to be justified- made just- by faith. Righteousness is not only imputed to us, as if forgiveness was the only real aspect of justification, but is part and parcel of the union with God that faith establishes, because He, alone, can accomplish that true righteousness in us; He is our righteousness. And this is why we must remain in Him- because to do otherwise would be to lose our state of justice or righteousness, generally by turning away and living unjustly, by the flesh, especially if that means persistently participating in some acts of sin so serious as to directly oppose love of God and neighbor by their nature-"sin that leads to death" (1 John 5:16-17).

 

[Silly Uncle Wayne]

I will also add it is the object of faith that is special in christianity.

Example childern have faith, that there is a santa claus but their faith at that age is based on a lie.

But the faith used to believe in The Messiah for Eternal Life, is based on truth.

Don't mix up belief and faith. Children believe that there is a Santa Claus. They have faith that he provides presents because they see the evidence of this every year.

 

[d taylor]

Two short write ups on "is faith a gift"
Both are from the position of, faith is not a gift from God.

Is Faith a Gift? – A Study of Ephesians 2:8 – Grace Evangelical Society

Is Faith a Gift of God? – Ephesians 2:8 Reconsidered – Grace Evangelical Society

 

[d taylor]

Don't mix up belief and faith. Children believe that there is a Santa Claus. They have faith that he provides presents because they see the evidence of this every year.

But to have that belief, they have faith that their parents are telling them the truth.

 

[Silly Uncle Wayne]

I've often come across the idea here that faith is a gift but is that true?

What's often quoted is Ephesians 2:8-9:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

This appears to be saying that it's salvation, by grace and through faith, that's the gift, not faith.

Isn't faith something a bit more prosaic than that, something that we get just like we get faith in science or in the democratic process (perhaps a bad example at the moment!)? That is, we are persuaded about the truth of something based on the evidence.

This would eliminate faith being a choice --we don't choose to believe that the Earth is round, we either believe it or disbelieve it based on how persuasive we find the evidence for it. Similarly, don't we believe in Christ because we find all the evidences for it: the Bible, personal testimony and various philosophical arguments, complelling enough to make a commitment to believe?

So is faith a gift or is it a reasoned response to the evidence that has convinced us, at least on balance, that it is true? Is "accepting Christ" a matter of accepting the evidence for the gospel story rather than accepting a gift?

The gift refers to one of the other things in the sentence: Grace, Salvation or Faith. Faith has to be eliminated because if that is our free will choice. I've always thought it referred to salvation, but recently saw a video where someone looking at the Greek meant that 'this' actually refers to Grace, which makes sense... given that that is precisely what Grace means. Bit of an eye-opener I must say.

So we trust (have faith) that God provides salvation freely (Grace).

 

[Silly Uncle Wayne]

But to have that belief, they have faith that their parents are telling them the truth.

And everyone around them also. It's a great big conspiracy, don't you know

 

[eleos1954]

I've often come across the idea here that faith is a gift but is that true?

What's often quoted is Ephesians 2:8-9:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

This appears to be saying that it's salvation, by grace and through faith, that's the gift, not faith.

Isn't faith something a bit more prosaic than that, something that we get just like we get faith in science or in the democratic process (perhaps a bad example at the moment!)? That is, we are persuaded about the truth of something based on the evidence.

This would eliminate faith being a choice --we don't choose to believe that the Earth is round, we either believe it or disbelieve it based on how persuasive we find the evidence for it. Similarly, don't we believe in Christ because we find all the evidences for it: the Bible, personal testimony and various philosophical arguments, complelling enough to make a commitment to believe?

So is faith a gift or is it a reasoned response to the evidence that has convinced us, at least on balance, that it is true? Is "accepting Christ" a matter of accepting the evidence for the gospel story rather than accepting a gift?

Faith can only come from a new heart, regenerated by God

Only God knows the heart.

Proverbs 21:2
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.

After a regenerated heart then our faith is increased by growing our relationship with Him, through prayer, thanksgiving and through His Word.

Romans 10:17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

 

[Hmm]

But we also trust the method to deliver understanding, to predict outcomes, and to aid in developing technology that, in the past, has proven reliable. So, even with science we see this dual function of belief and trust.

Good point. Another thing that science takes on trust is that physical laws are the same everywhere. For example physicists assume that gravity operates in the same way thoughout the universe but of course this has not been demonstrated.

 

[chad kincham]

Two short write ups on "is faith a gift"
Both are from the position of, faith is not a gift from God.

Since faith comes by hearing the word of God, Romans 10:17, and since faith is how we access grace, then it’s pretty clear what the free gift is.

Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access BY faith INTO this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Shalom.