Where Did Our Faith Come From?

[Dougcho]

Did we create our own faith … and then believe in Jesus and the Gospel?
Or, did it come from somewhere else … like from God?

Jude 3
“… the FAITH which was once for all delivered to the saints.” (NKJV)
“… the FAITH that God has entrusted once for all time to His holy people.” (NLT)
“… the truth which God gave, once for all, to His people …” (LB)
Jude says our faith was given to us, and entrusted to us.

2 Peter 1:1
“To those who have received a FAITH of the same kind as ours …” (NASB)
“This FAITH was given to you …” (NLT)
“To: All of you who have our kind of faith. The faith I speak of is
the kind that Jesus Christ our God and Savior gives to us.” (LB)
Peter says our faith was given to us, and we have received it.

Acts 13:48
“Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord.
and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” (NKJV, NASB, NIV)
“When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for His message;
and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.” (NLT)
Luke says these Gentiles were chosen first, and then they became believers.
Jesus says, “You did not choose Me; I chose you.” (John 15:16)

Acts 16:14
“… and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.” (NASB)
“… the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.” (NLT)
“The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” (NIV)
Luke says Lydia needed God’s help to respond to (and accept) Paul’s message.
Even though she was a worshiper of God … Lydia needed God
to open her heart before she could believe Paul’s Gospel message.
Does this mean that God made her OPEN to believe,
or that God gave her the faith necessary to believe?

It appears that Scripture says:
we don’t create our own faith … God gives it to us,
so we can believe in Jesus and the Gospel.

Additionally … James 3 seems to say:
regarding Abraham’s experience …
BELIEF in God comes first, followed by FAITH,
which is proven by GOOD DEEDS (works).
So, perhaps God gives us BELIEF first
before we will be able to have FAITH.

 

[JLB]

Did we create our own faith … and then believe in Jesus and the Gospel?
Or, did it come from somewhere else … like from God?

Jude 3
“… the FAITH which was once for all delivered to the saints.” (NKJV)
“… the FAITH that God has entrusted once for all time to His holy people.” (NLT)
“… the truth which God gave, once for all, to His people …” (LB)
Jude says our faith was given to us, and entrusted to us.

2 Peter 1:1
“To those who have received a FAITH of the same kind as ours …” (NASB)
“This FAITH was given to you …” (NLT)
“To: All of you who have our kind of faith. The faith I speak of is
the kind that Jesus Christ our God and Savior gives to us.” (LB)
Peter says our faith was given to us, and we have received it.

Acts 13:48
“Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord.
and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” (NKJV, NASB, NIV)
“When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for His message;
and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.” (NLT)
Luke says these Gentiles were chosen first, and then they became believers.
Jesus says, “You did not choose Me; I chose you.” (John 15:16)

Acts 16:14
“… and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.” (NASB)
“… the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.” (NLT)
“The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” (NIV)
Luke says Lydia needed God’s help to respond to (and accept) Paul’s message.
Even though she was a worshiper of God … Lydia needed God
to open her heart before she could believe Paul’s Gospel message.
Does this mean that God made her OPEN to believe,
or that God gave her the faith necessary to believe?

It appears that Scripture says:
we don’t create our own faith … God gives it to us,
so we can believe in Jesus and the Gospel.

Additionally … James 3 seems to say:
regarding Abraham’s experience …
BELIEF in God comes first, followed by FAITH,
which is proven by GOOD DEEDS (works).
So, perhaps God gives us BELIEF first
before we will be able to have FAITH.

Faith comes from God.

Faith comes to us when we hear God speaks to us.

Faith requires that we believe and therefore obey what we heard God say to us, in order for faith to be complete and therefore produce the intended divine result.


Example:


By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Hebrews 11:7


God warned Noah of His intention to flood the earth and wipe out the ungodly and instructed Noah to build the Ark to saved his household of eight people.

Noah moved with godly fear and prepared the ark and saved his household.

Noah heard God and did what He said.

That is what “by faith” means.

 

[electedbyHim]

Faith come from God not sinful man.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

 

[Fastfredy0]

Romans 9:16 So then God’s choice is not dependent on human will, nor on human effort [the totality of human striving], but on God who shows mercy [to whomever He chooses—it is His sovereign gift] AMP

John 1:12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name— 13 who were born, not of blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth—they are born of God—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].

Simple as that

 

[JLB]

Faith come from God not sinful man.

 

[JLB]

Romans 9:16 So then God’s choice is not dependent on human will, nor on human effort [the totality of human striving], but on God who shows mercy [to whomever He chooses—it is His sovereign gift] AMP

Yes God choose a specific lineage for the Messiah which is the context.

 

[electedbyHim]

Yes God choose a specific lineage for the Messiah which is the context.

The text is about God's sovereign choice of individuals to eternal life.

God's salvation has nothing to do with humans choosing.

 

[for_his_glory]

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Rom 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

[Dougcho]

God opens people’s eyes

“But God has opened the eyes of those called to salvation,
both Jews and Gentiles, to see that Christ is the mighty power
of God to save them …” (1 Corinthians 1:24, Living Bible)
The translators stand against Arminian theology …
when they write that God opens the eyes of those who are “called”.
People are called after their eyes have been opened ... so they can believe.

God alone saves

“God has chosen a plan despised by the world, counted as nothing at all
… so that no one anywhere can ever brag in the presence of God.
For it is from God alone that you have your life through Christ Jesus
… As it says in the Scriptures, “If anyone is going to boast, let him boast
only of what the Lord has done.” (1 Corinthians 1:28-31, Living Bible)
The translators stand against Arminian theology …
when they write that God alone is responsible for one’s salvation!

But, it is God’s mercy and grace (unmerited favor)
that is the underlying reason for all of it.

 

[Dougcho]

Let’s summarize this business about the necessity of God having
to intervene and give man belief-faith in Jesus and the Gospel:

● Man is totally unable to believe on his own, primarily because of
-- his inherited sin nature (e.g. he is slave of sin, Romans 6)
-- his being a captive (slave) of Satan
(A long list of man’s many spiritual hindrances may be seen in
the OP of the thread, “Unable to Believe the Foolish Gospel“)

● God’s intervention fits with NT verses about His grace (unmerited favor),
e.g. Ephesians 2:8-9 “God saved you by His grace when you believed
(when you were given the necessary belief-faith)”

● God’s intervention fits with NT verses about believers have eternal life,
e.g. John 3:16 “anyone who believes (who was given the necessary
belief-faith) has eternal life”

 

[Dougcho]

Usually, I present my case with solid NT verses, but here I will relay
a very personal experience (which, I believe, is in line with the NT).

On November 28, 2024, at about 3 am, the Lord reminded me
of a tremendous experience I had in the Fall of 2012 …

I was evangelizing in Eastern Europe when my wife was having all
kinds of problems at home, and it was obvious that she needed me!
I immediately flew home … and a week later, my sister phoned to say:
our father was on his death bed and I should come immediately!
So, I flew to Toronto, took the 3-hour bus ride to my parents’ home,
arriving late that night. The following morning, I was alone with
my father in his private room at the hospital. As far as I can recall,
he was barely coherent … so we really couldn’t converse much at all.
I must have felt led to clear all demons out of the room … while I praised
the Lord for dying for us on the Cross to save us from going to hell, etc.
That evening my father died with most of our family at his bedside.

I believe it was 2 days later when my wife called to say:
the Lord told her that my father was in heaven!
We believed (and still do) that this was because of my time with him.

IMO, this was a case of God electing a person for salvation
and making sure that His will was accomplished. Surely,
the Lord confirmed to my father that what I was saying was true!

Also, I believe this experience ties in with the parable of the 4 soils.
Re: the first soil, ”When they hear, Satan comes immediately
and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.” (Mark 4:15)
In our case, Satan was NOT able to interfere with the Truth I was sharing.

“The faith I speak of is the kind that Jesus Christ
our God and Savior gives to us.” (2 Peter 1:1)

“… and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.” (Acts 13:48)

 

[JLB]

So, does that mean that you can believe something, i.e., be convinced that someone or something exists or is true, and not have faith in it?

Faith comes from God.

• We don’t have faith apart from God speaking to us.

When we do (obey) what we hear God say, then our faith that we received from God produces the intended divine result.

That’s why it’s called the obedience of faith.

Without the corresponding act of obedience, faith remains dormant, dead, inactive and unable to produce (or become) the intended divine result.


And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. Matthew 9:20-22


So the key action required to activate the faith she received from God as He moved upon her, was to “touch the hem of His garment”.


The obedience required of her was to move through the crowd even though the law of Moses declared her to be unclean and strictly prohibited her from touching a rabbi, she was empowered (grace) to move forward and touch the hem of His garment, which activated her faith to produce the intended divine result of healing her twelve year old condition.


Faith does not come from us, but comes from God, and is divine substance that becomes what we need when we act upon what God speaks to us to do.



But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: Romans 16:26 KJV


Can we discuss how this operates in salvation?

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

Faith is counterintuitive, it's like skydiving, literally a leap of faith, not a blind, reckless or suicidal leap, but an informed, trained and brave leap.