Justified by the faith of Jesus Christ.

[glorydaz]

What James is referring to is when Abraham actually offered up
Isaac. That was the work man could see...a manifestation of the faith that God saw when Abraham believed. God did not have to wait to see Abraham's obedience...he knew what Abraham would do. This, "Now I see" from God isn't because it was a mystery to God...it was to point out that a visible sign of Abraham's belief had been shown forth. Without the faith of Christ, and, yes, Christ has had faith from the beginning...the Plan of Redemption had already been laid, then Abraham would have never had the grace to believe any promises from God.

Faith without obedience is dead faith and it will not save you.

Abraham's faith was made effective by his actions.

God reaches out and touches us by his grace. This initial act of grace cannot be merited.

However, once God has touched our lives we have a choice(s) to make. Pick up our cross and follow or drop our plow and go home.

I certainly agree that we have a choice to take up our cross or turn back. But we take up our cross after we are justified by faith. If we don't look unto Christ and believe, we have no cross to pick up because we've denied Him (turned back). Once we believe, we are accounted as righteous before God. Then begins the sactification process...where we are set apart and enter into a relationship as sons of God.

Dead faith never had life to begin with...so obedience doesn't even enter into that mix.
Dead faith is what the devils have. There is no "looking unto Christ", no trust, no submission...it's dead (without Spirit).

Justifying faith doesn't "die", because we are justified by the faith of Christ, and life is imparted to us. God rewarded Christ's faith by justifying those who believe in Him. He lived and died by faith...It's a result of His faith that we believe unto salvation. Abraham believed God and it was counted as righteousness.

Abraham's obedience was an act of faith on his part...not unto justification before God, but as an outworking of the sanctification process. It was a result of his being justified, not the cause of his justification.

 

[francisdesales]

Dead faith never had life to begin with

An incorrect conclusion. When James talks about dead faith, he never implies that a person NEVER had "living" faith to begin with, he only is commenting on the current situation. Considering he is speaking to Christians, we should presume that at least once upon a time, they DID have some "living" faith.

Dead faith is what the devils have. There is no "looking unto Christ", no trust, no submission...it's dead (without Spirit).

Dead faith is not just what the devil has, he is speaking about ANYONE who is a hearer, and not a doer!!!

Justifying faith doesn't "die", because we are justified by the faith of Christ, and life is imparted to us.

And this is why you are confused and the Bible's meaning escapes you. Since the amount of faith is dependent upon the soil (since God gives all sufficient grace to have a measure of faith) it is planted upon, a person's justifying faith ebbs and flows... As such, CHRISTIANS are told to be careful not to let their faith die. Do not let your faith become shipwrecked. Naturally, if that happens, we are to blame, not God.

As to "faith of Christ", that has yet to be shown to be true. I have yet to see any valid explanation, nor does Scriptures make this clear that one is justified by someone else's trust in the Unknown.

I presume you believe Jesus is God, so HOW or WHAT Jesus had "faith" in remains unknown to me, since the definition of faith DEPENDS on not seeing something, but trusting it will take place (such as Abraham's trust that God would provide another heir if he killed Isaac)...

Abraham believed God and it was counted as righteousness.

But this belief was active, was it not? And it was HIS action, was it not?

Abraham's obedience was an act of faith on his part...not unto justification before God, but as an outworking of the sanctification process.

totally untrue, as I stated before. Abraham was declared just at the altar, AFTER He had done something, not when Abraham FIRST heard the command, not while he was walking with his son two days before hand, not while he was preparing Isaac...

ONLY when he lifted the knife and INTENDED to kill his son and was about to do it. AT THAT MOMENT, the Bible states that Abraham was justified. You are merely arguing against God, now...

It was a result of his being justified, not the cause of his justification.

Wrong, the Bible is very clear on WHEN he was justified. This is the last gasp desperate attempt to kick at the goad. The Bible states when he was justified. Deal with it, if you REALLY think it is the Word of God...

 

[glorydaz]

Maybe you should actually read Genesis and you'll see when Abraham was justified. He was justified unto God when he believed the promises..(believing is what justified him - by partaking of Christ's faith)....not when he offered up Isaac.

You are hilarious. I won't return your insult, I'll just let the bible speak for me...

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? James 2:20-21

If you would have stuck to the context we were earlier discussing, whether Abraham was justified before man or God according to James, you would have picked up on this.

He had whereof to glory, but not before God. Before whom, then? Before man. Offering up Isaac was the outward manifestation of the faith he received when he believed...the act that man could talk about and write about.

In your dreams.

"And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son] from me. Gen 22:12

It doesn't matter than no one else was there...the story got out.

Spoken by someone in total denial - or ignorant about the Bible.

James said Abraham was declared just AT THE ALTAR, not after he told the story!!!

Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar

Man couldn't see if Abraham actually believed, but God could.

No kiddin'. Now, put one and one together... I am making this as simple as possible, because I realize it must be difficult to see sola fide totally dismantled in such a fashion...

Abraham was justified before God - by faith working and made visible. (Jesus' faith is not mentioned by Genesis or James, that's an un-biblical notion...)

It all fits together. Men are not justified by faith alone. Why not just follow what the Scriptures say, rather than doing Scriptural gymnastics that contradict other parts of Scriptures, just to maintain the idol of sola fide???

You have a contentious spirit....I simply don't feel like beating my head against a brick wall today.

I will point out that James is speaking to hypocrites who claimed a faith they didn't have. Read the verse in context, and you'll understand that the offering is what justified Abraham before men. You can ignore the Scripture that says Abraham's belief in the promises of God is why he was justified. Justification is not a process, but sanctification is. And you're wrong...Abraham was declared just long before Isaac was even born. His obedience was a result of his being justified. You can't pick and choose which verses you stand on, Joe. All the Word of God...line upon line. If you leave out one line, you end up with a distorted message.

Oh, one more point...you say the faith of Jesus wasn't even mentioned in Gen. What is the Gospel? It is the revelation of the righteousness of God through the faith of Christ. The Gospel was preached to Abraham when the promise was given. That's when he believed and was justified.

And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

The righteousness of God is NOT revealed to us by our faith in Christ, but by the faith of Christ. I'm sure your translation claims the righteousness of God is revealed by our faith in Christ, but that's what this thread is all about, isn't it? If man's faith reveals the righteousness of God then no wonder so many people aren't saved. No one would know about our Righteous God if they looked at any man...it's only by looking at Jesus Christ that man can see God.

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

 

[glorydaz]

Dead faith never had life to begin with

An incorrect conclusion. When James talks about dead faith, he never implies that a person NEVER had "living" faith to begin with, he only is commenting on the current situation. Considering he is speaking to Christians, we should presume that at least once upon a time, they DID have some "living" faith.

Dead faith is what the devils have. There is no "looking unto Christ", no trust, no submission...it's dead (without Spirit).

Dead faith is not just what the devil has, he is speaking about ANYONE who is a hearer, and not a doer!!!

Justifying faith doesn't "die", because we are justified by the faith of Christ, and life is imparted to us.

And this is why you are confused and the Bible's meaning escapes you. Since the amount of faith is dependent upon the soil (since God gives all sufficient grace to have a measure of faith) it is planted upon, a person's justifying faith ebbs and flows... As such, CHRISTIANS are told to be careful not to let their faith die. Do not let your faith become shipwrecked. Naturally, if that happens, we are to blame, not God.

As to "faith of Christ", that has yet to be shown to be true. I have yet to see any valid explanation, nor does Scriptures make this clear that one is justified by someone else's trust in the Unknown.

I presume you believe Jesus is God, so HOW or WHAT Jesus had "faith" in remains unknown to me, since the definition of faith DEPENDS on not seeing something, but trusting it will take place (such as Abraham's trust that God would provide another heir if he killed Isaac)...

Abraham believed God and it was counted as righteousness.

But this belief was active, was it not? And it was HIS action, was it not?

Abraham's obedience was an act of faith on his part...not unto justification before God, but as an outworking of the sanctification process.

totally untrue, as I stated before. Abraham was declared just at the altar, AFTER He had done something, not when Abraham FIRST heard the command, not while he was walking with his son two days before hand, not while he was preparing Isaac...

ONLY when he lifted the knife and INTENDED to kill his son and was about to do it. AT THAT MOMENT, the Bible states that Abraham was justified. You are merely arguing against God, now...

It was a result of his being justified, not the cause of his justification.

Wrong, the Bible is very clear on WHEN he was justified. This is the last gasp desperate attempt to kick at the goad. The Bible states when he was justified. Deal with it, if you REALLY think it is the Word of God...

Oh my goodness, Joe...all that bluster and blow.

Abraham hadn't even been given a new name...much less offered up a son that hadn't been born. Do you see here that "he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness"? Do you see an altar anywhere in this verse?

And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

 

[glorydaz]

Dead faith never had life to begin with

An incorrect conclusion. When James talks about dead faith, he never implies that a person NEVER had "living" faith to begin with, he only is commenting on the current situation. Considering he is speaking to Christians, we should presume that at least once upon a time, they DID have some "living" faith.

Dead faith is what the devils have. There is no "looking unto Christ", no trust, no submission...it's dead (without Spirit).

Dead faith is not just what the devil has, he is speaking about ANYONE who is a hearer, and not a doer!!!

James is talking to believers and non-believers...just like those who make up any assembly. He's been addressing hypocrites, after all. Those who put on a show of righteousness, but have an uncircumcised heart...no fruit...no good deeds...nothing. There is NO son of God that has dead faith. Christ imparts life when He takes up residence in our heart. Whoever has the Spirit has life...plain and simple. You're confusing the natural man with the spiritual man. There is no "mixing or losing" or condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Faith...being alone...no Spirit = no fruit (which is what James is talking about here...not the works of the law which do not have life).

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Here James is comparing the body without the spirit to faith without works.
So man, without the spirit, has dead faith. No Spirit...no life.

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 

[francisdesales]

You have a contentious spirit....I simply don't feel like beating my head against a brick wall today.

You are being contentious against the Word of God.

I will point out that James is speaking to hypocrites who claimed a faith they didn't have.

Wrong, he is speaking about their faith that has not works. He NEVER says they had "no faith". Another inability to read what is written.

Read the verse in context, and you'll understand that the offering is what justified Abraham before men.

You must be joking...

I did and have explained in my most previous post, yet again, that Abraham was justified AT THE ALTAR. No men were present. No crowd of people. No audience that Abraham had to wait for to tell the story. My friend, honestly, YOU are ignoring the context here. The Scriptures clearly state that he was justified AT THE ALTAR, and it was GOD who said "NOW I KNOW". Nothing is mentioned about being justified before men.

You can repeat that all day, and I will correct you and lecture you until you admit (or provide a better argument to support your contention) otherwise.

You can ignore the Scripture that says Abraham's belief in the promises of God is why he was justified.

Where have I ignored that? The act of justification awaits the visible act, not just a mental thought. Thus, tying Isaac up and taking the knife out WAS THE ACT, not loading his donkey and getting his son out of the house to take a two day walk...

Justification is not a process, but sanctification is.

No, you are wrong, because the Bible states THREE different times that Abraham was justified in God's eyes. Romans. Hebrews. James. ALL three claim Abraham was declared righteous/just before God.

While justification and sanctification are not entirely synonymous, they are BOTH processes. We are just in God's eyes AS we obey the commandments. Not just because one day, 20 years ago, we decided to obey the commandments. Note carefully WHEN Abraham was justified in the Genesis 22 event.

In addition, you have not told me the necessity of sanctification. I wait here with baited breath while you try to figure that one out...

And you're wrong...Abraham was declared just long before Isaac was even born.

I cited you James 2. He was justified again. The problem is that sola fide only allows a one-time justification. The Bible is not bound by that false doctrine, thus, it can state that man is justified throughout his life as he obeys God...

His obedience was a result of his being justified. You can't pick and choose which verses you stand on, Joe. All the Word of God...line upon line. If you leave out one line, you end up with a distorted message.

I am not picking and choosing. Please explain which verse I am leaving out... And I would suggest you heed the ones YOU leave out...

Oh, one more point...you say the faith of Jesus wasn't even mentioned in Gen. What is the Gospel? It is the revelation of the righteousness of God through the faith of Christ.

Faith IN Jesus Christ. If the Gospel was dependent upon the faith OF Jesus Christ, as understood in the 21st century, there is no point in evangelizing or having faith ourselves!!!

That's just silly. You must be able to see that, GD.

I believe that the Douay Rheims and KJV Bibles have "OF" because the meaning was different. Old English is different than today. I believe that the various Protestant and Catholic bibles more correctly render it "IN", as does the Greek, which precedes the 16th century bibles. I say this because the DR also has the word and it cannot be an interpreter foisting sola fide upon the text. I think it is just the way they used the word back then, just as "pray" and "worship".

You have provided precious little to show that it is Jesus FAITH that justifies Abraham. Now, if you say "Jesus WORK", that would be acceptable, in an indirect manner.

"Galatians 3:8"

And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

Here, I see nothing mentioned about Jesus' faith justifying Abraham. I see Jesus work allows that men be justified, but it is in an indirect manner. Jesus opened the gates for men to seek out God with the faith that is a gift. This imperfect seeking of man is "good enough" for God to grant the gift of justifying faith, since the work of Jesus "enables" the Father to view us under the eyes of Grace, not the Law (which would require perfect faith). Our imperfect and immature seeking are considered righteous.

The righteousness of God is NOT revealed to us by our faith in Christ, but by the faith of Christ. I'm sure your translation claims the righteousness of God is revealed by our faith in Christ, but that's what this thread is all about, isn't it?

You are going to have to prove by other means than a circular argument, right??? The context of even those verses do not allow this. They undermine the whole point of man repenting and accepting Jesus in the first place...

 

[francisdesales]

He's been addressing hypocrites, after all. Those who put on a show of righteousness, but have an uncircumcised heart...no fruit...no good deeds...nothing.

They have faith, but it is dead. that is the REASON why faith WITHOUT works is dead!!!

Dead faith is faith with a descriptor.

There is NO son of God that has dead faith.

Scriptures, please...

Christ imparts life when He takes up residence in our heart. Whoever has the Spirit has life...plain and simple.

I agree with that.

You're confusing the natural man with the spiritual man. There is no "mixing or losing" or condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

I think you are confusing "sin" with an act, when Paul (refering to the natural/spiritual man) is refering to a life choice, one's fundamental disposition. Thus, you require perfection to prove to everyone that you are a son of God. That is reverting back to the Law.

Faith...being alone...no Spirit = no fruit (which is what James is talking about here...not the works of the law which do not have life).

No, that's not so. Faith, being alone does NOT mean that the Spirit is not present. The Spirit grants gifts to us, but WE make the decision whether to implement those gracious promptings. The Spirit is present within us, but may not be "seen" by others while we commit A sin or ignore a commandment of God. But as long as we are not willfully sinning, committing the sin onto death, He is still there.

James 2:17" Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Here James is comparing the body without the spirit to faith without works.

No he isn't. Why are you adding what is not there? The Spirit is not mentioned!!!

What is happening here is that the Spirit is giving these guys promptings, as HE ALWAYS does, but they are being ignored. Thus, their faith is alone, without works...

So man, without the spirit, has dead faith. No Spirit...no life. James 2:26

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

James is not refering to the Spirit of God, here, but the vivifying force within a body. A body is still a body, albeit dead, just as faith is still faith, albeit a dead one. THAT is his point. He is not saying the Spirit is absent from Christians. What sort of pastoral advice is that? James is telling them to UTILIZE what they have been given and still have - unless you suggest that people can do works of love without the Spirit.

 

[savedbygrace57]

Where does Saving Faith come from ?



When I say saving Faith, I do not mean to imply that Faith is the cause of one getting saved as in being saved from the penalty of ones sins because of it, but simply that Faith which accompanies salvation. heb 6:

9But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

This is a extremely important matter, in that many misguided souls have made Idol out of Faith, and render it, what rightfully belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. One of the main verses of scripture that gives many a huge problem is eph 2:

8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Wherein so many have used this verse and forced upon it to teach that one is saved [from the penalty of sin] because of their Faith.

But the verse is teaching no such thing, in fact it teaches just what the rest of the scripture teaches, and that is one is saved by Grace acts 15:

11But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

eph 2:

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved )

However in being saved by the Sovereign Grace of God, we are then given to believe through Grace, that is by means of the Grace we are being saved by. acts 18:

27And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:

The word dia is the same prep used here as in eph 2 8..and so this explains what eph 2 8 means, we that are saved believe through Grace, so Faith or believing is by Grace, for Faith and Grace are the Gift of God..

rom 5:15

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

 

[Sam21]

Of course it is the gracious kindness of God that saves us, if someone could be saved simply because of their faith then the world could be saved apart from Christ because most people of the world have faith in something. If you attend the funeral of the worst guy in the county, his family and friends will tell you he went to heaven,by faith they believe that. So faith of itself is nothing.
You are missing a vital point, the grace of God for salvation only works for those who have faith in the sacrifice of Christ to take away their sins. The gracious hand of God is reaching down to save,however only those with the faith to believe and reach up to the hand are actually being saved. God is offering salvation, however we have to believe His offer and act on that belief.

 

[savedbygrace57]

sam:

You are missing a vital point, the grace of God for salvation only works for those who have faith in the sacrifice of Christ to take away their sins.

You are mistaken, its the sacrifice of Christ that is responsible for having Faith. Faith is given to those whose sins have been taken away by the sacrifice of Christ..

 

[Sam21]

sam:



You are mistaken, its the sacrifice of Christ that is responsible for having Faith. Faith is given to those whose sins have been taken away by the sacrifice of Christ..

Don't think so, faith has to come first before the sins can be taken away, otherwise there would be universal salvation.

 

[savedbygrace57]

sam:

Don't think so, faith has to come first before the sins can be taken away,

Thats error of the worst kind, The blood of Christ took away the sins of the world, the elect world that is Jn 1:


29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

He made a end to sin for His chosen People dan 9:

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

And Faith is given to those that Christ made a end of sin for, so they can receive [in their consciousness] the forgiveness of their sins..

 

[savedbygrace57]

Where does Saving Faith come from ?



The word dia is the same prep used here as in eph 2 8..and so this explains what eph 2 8 means, we that are saved believe through Grace, so Faith or believing is by Grace, for Faith and Grace are the Gift of God..

rom 5:15

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Now with this in mind,we will show the error in how now present day professors have misused this precious gift of Faith by the Holy Ghost of God, and set forth scripturally it's God Honoring origin.

The first thing that needs to be pointed out about this Faith, is that it is not given to all men without exception 2 thess 3:

2And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

So all men do not have it, but its given exclusively to God's elect titus 1:

1Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

And so God gives the Faith, and so the Triune God is involved, the Father, The Son, The Holy Ghost, who each in their several roles carry out the Eternal Purpose of God, and without this God given Faith,its impossible to draw near to God in believing..

Faith or believing in regards to salvation is the effect of the Power of God, the same Holy Ghost Power that raised Jesus Christ from the Dead, this is seen in a couple of scriptures #1. eph 1:


18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

Paul says who believe according to the working of His Mighty Power, so what can be more plainer ?

Believing in Christ or His Gospel takes the destruction of the power of the devil, the God of this world, from over ones Life, for it [ unbelief] is a work of the devil that hides and blinds men by nature from the Glory of the Gospel, and keeps them in unbelief or to believe not 2 cor 4:

3But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

People do not believe because they are in a lost state, under the dominion of satan, and so , nothing short of God's effective operating energy or power, in destroying the works of the devil can cause one to believe. So we believe according to the working of His Mighty Power, not because of freewill or choice.

 

[savedbygrace57]

Those of us who have been given Faith, which again, is the Faith of God's elect to the acknowledging of the Truth, as it is in Christ Jesus, we are in a permanent state of believing, being kept therein by the Power of God 1 pet 1:

5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Both the Individual and the Faith are being kept by the power of God.

The word kept is the greek word phroureo:

to guard, protect by a military guard, either to prevent hostile invasion, or to keep the inhabitants of a besieged city from flight

metaph.

under the control of the Mosaic law, that he might not escape from its power

to protect by guarding, to keep

by watching and guarding to preserve one for the attainment of something

I believe the Power of God is Christ Himself 1 cor 1:24

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

We are said to be preserved in Christ Jesus Jude 1:1

Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

Now the word for preserved here is the greek word tēreō:


to attend to carefully, take care of

a) to guard

b) metaph. to keep, one in the state in which he is

c) to observe

d) to reserve: to undergo something

And the word is in the perfect Tense meaning this is a once and for all completed act in the past, with results into the present.

Jesus Christ will keep His Sheep in Faith by His Power. Remember when He was yet on earth and peter faith was sorely tried, Jesus said:

lk 22:32

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Now that He is the Glorified Christ with all power in His Hand, He keeps His Sheep by His Power.

For He is the author and Finisher of our Faith. He caused it. Heb 12:


2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

This word author is the greek word archēgos:

the chief leader, prince

a) of Christ

2) one that takes the lead in any thing and thus affords an example, a predecessor in a matter, pioneer

3) the author

Jesus is a predecessor of our Faith, which is a progenitor. He has a seed, or descendants, so He causes others to be of Faith as His example displayed. He makes people of Faith.

Remember He says of His Trust and that the Children [ progeny] He has been given will to Heb 2:

13 And again, I [Christ] will put my trust in him[God]. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

So He is the Author and Finisher[perfecter] of our Faith

 

[savedbygrace57]

Something to know about God given Faith !

Heb 11:

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.kjv

1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of(A) things not seen.esv

1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. niv

1NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, [a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].amp

Now, Faith makes the promises of God a reality to the mind, based upon what God has said, because its a reality to God already who made the promise, before the foundation of the world. Faith embraces things unseen and not actually existing, as though they actually exist.

 

[TRUTH over TRADITION]

If I understand the OP correctly, it sounds as if he's putting forth the idea that we, meaning all of mankind, are saved by the grace of the Father through, that is BECAUSE OF, the faith OF Jesus, the Anointed One as opposed to being saved by God's grace through OUR faith.
Interesting idea.............I can actually see how it would make sense on the surface, but I can also see that many may feel this idea promote universal salvation. I'd point out to those who feel as such that the scriptures do tell us that God is the saviour of ALL MEN (1 Tim 4:8-10) and that ALL who are in the graves will hear the voice of the lifegiver and be raised (Jn 5:28-29).
What we must focus on is exactly WHAT it is that this salvation is speaking of. If we understand it as being saved from death, then it makes sense to nelieve that that is attributed solely to God's grace and the faith of His Anointed One as opposed to our faith since Jesus defeated death so that all can and will one day be raised to live again.

 

[Elijah674]

The only one that has any 'REAL' saving faith is a Genuine Born Again person. And NO one know's who that one IS! NO ONE!

But the ones who constantly boast of such, are surely lost + 'ignorant'!

And Inspiration DOCUMENTS that the Holy Spirit is given ONLY TO A PERSON WHO WILL OBEY HIM! And that is an Eternal CONDITION! Acts 5:32

And most do not even OBEY the 4th Eternal Command, let alone the other 9. James 2:8-12 finds them Judged by this Law, + the LIARS as well, in 1 John 2:4.. while there is no turning in repentence!

--Elijah

 

[savedbygrace57]

A Spiritual disposition !

God given Faith is a spiritual disposition in the renewed mind, by which a person becomes assured that Jesus Christ is their Saviour, Hence "everyone believing that Jesus is the Christ has been born [perfect, passive,indicative] of God, and everyone who loves the one who begot [God] Loves the one who has been born [perfect passive part] of Him. Now this Teaches New Birth before Faith and Love. One cannot Love their Brother in Christ before they are born of God, and no more can one believe in Christ before they are born of God.

When the word of Christ or the gospel reaches the consciousness of the one who has been born again, they believe..

 

[taromina2003]

Of course it is the gracious kindness of God that saves us, if someone could be saved simply because of their faith then the world could be saved apart from Christ because most people of the world have faith in something. If you attend the funeral of the worst guy in the county, his family and friends will tell you he went to heaven,by faith they believe that. So faith of itself is nothing.
You are missing a vital point, the grace of God for salvation only works for those who have faith in the sacrifice of Christ to take away their sins. The gracious hand of God is reaching down to save,however only those with the faith to believe and reach up to the hand are actually being saved. God is offering salvation, however we have to believe His offer and act on that belief.

Just a simple scripture to remind us all (have not read all this thread so pardon if this has been posted) James:14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,†but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.†Show me your faith without your[a] works, and I will show you my faith by my[b] works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?[c] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.â€[d] And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also

 

[savedbygrace57]

The Perversion of Faith, Beware !

Many false religions these days teach us by a perversion of God's word, that one is Justified before God, on the basis of their faith, be it God given or human, whereas scripture affirms that sinners are Justified freely before God by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom 3:

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Now vs 25 is speaking of God's Faith in His Son's Blood, that is, God was able to Justify guilty sinners by the Blood of Christ, Slain from the foundation, because God had assurance in the Faithfulness of His Son to come in time to shed His blood for all those God freely Justifies by His Grace, particularly the OT Saints who were Justified before the Cross.

God set forth, that is purposed or determined beforehand, to be propitious to chosen guilty sinners through [because of ] Faith or assurance of Christ blood. God was able to forebear any punishment of sins regarding His People based upon Christ's blood, though He had not yet shed it in time, because God counted on the reliableness and Faithfulness of His Son, Yes God had Faith in His Son's Faithfulness.

Yet unlearned men have made instead of Christ and His blood being the basis of Justification before God, Alone, have made it that an act of believing by man is what Justifies them before God, beware of this perversion of Faith, its deadly !