Is faith God's gift?

[mbkjpreacher]

What do you think? Just like wisdom, is it a gift of God?  

[TheGloryLand]

48 minutes ago, mbkjpreacher said:

What do you think? Just like wisdom, is it a gift of God?  

Not sure if faith is a gift, but life and the power of choice, is a gift.

[BrotherTony]

"Faith is a gift" is a common theme amongst Calvinist/Reformed in theology. My argument with the Calvinists is the "For by grace are you saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves; It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast." EPH 2:8 Grace would seem to be the gift, which we accept through faith. Faith isn't a work as the Calvinist would have us believe. It's a reaction to the grace of God presented to us, an acceptance of the Lords ability and willingness to save any individual who will accept that gift of grace.

[TheGloryLand]

Heb.11

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

[Jerry]

Faith is not a gift, sovereignly given by God to some and not to others.

Romans 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.

The gift being spoken of (taking all passages together that speak of it) is salvation, grace (which means undeserved favour).

Also, the "word of wisdom" in 1 Corinthians 12 is a spiritual gift - one of the temporary gifts that was given to the early church before the New Testament was written - however, wisdom itself has been available to mankind since OT times. Job, Proverbs, Psalms and Ecclesiastes refer to it, as well as James. (Just referring to what comes off the top of my head - I am sure there are many passages that refer to wisdom).

[mbkjpreacher]

The Gift of Faith


The Calvinist says, “Faith is a gift. Thus, election is unconditional because man cannot have it unless God gives it”. Yes we believe that faith is a gift but not as how the Calvinist interpret it.  Our question is, “To whom will God give the gift of faith, to the proud or to the humble?” The Calvinist will then say, “All men are totally depraved and proud, so God gives faith to whosoever He wills”. But faith comes by hearing, so God gives faith to those who hear and listen humbly to the word, Rom.10: 17.  A man will not listen unless he has humility, and when he hears the gospel, he will not accept the message unless he has humility (Prov.9:7-9; 13:1, 10; 11:2).  God’s grace is extended to all, but men do not have the same response to the Spirit’s reproof (Titus 2:11; John 16:8; 12:47-48).  When a person humbles under the word and the Spirit, he is given more grace by the Spirit for him to understand more (Jam.4:6; Prov.9:9; 17:10; Prov.3: 34). And God gives him more grace, strength, and ability to exercise faith (Eph.2: 8). Mark 9: 24 tells us of a man who cried, “Lord I believe; help thou my unbelief”.  It is God who helps us to believe.  Faith is not a function of God, rather it is a function of man directed towards God through the aid of the Holy Spirit (John 6:44).  God gives man the ability to believe when he repents under the enlightenment and conviction of the Spirit and the Word.  God gives man the ability or strength to repent when he realizes his sins (convicted) and felt sorry for them (Acts 11:18; II Cor.7: 8-10).  Man realizes his sins through the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the hearing of God’s word – that is, when he hears and humbles himself under the reproofs of the Spirit and the word.(Prov.29:1).    God’s word is effective to those who humbly hear and accept it (Isa.55: 11; I Thess.1: 5,13; Rom.1: 16; 10:17).  The sequence is:

Holy Spirit’s call and influence — hearing of the gospel preached – intellectual belief --- humility and enlightenment – realization and conviction – godly sorrow – repentance – saving faith – regeneration – salvation.

My point here is that there is an increasing grace accompanied by gifts (ability) to a person who responds in humility to God under His common grace (Jam.4: 6; Rom.10: 17). There is a decreasing grace on those who respond in pride and resistance to the influence and call of the Spirit being extended to all. (Rom.1: 21-28).  This is true even in our Christian life. When we humble and yield to the leadership of the Spirit and meditate upon God’s word, we feel that His guidance and influence increase, and the more we are encouraged. But when we sin and do not meditate upon God’s word, the guidance of the Spirit becomes less and less. (Psa.51: 9-13; 119:1-16, 97-105).

Questions to the Calvinists 
 
 

•  Is God pleased that others will not believe in Jesus? Heb.11:6
• Is God pleased with faith? Heb.11:6
• Is God pleased with a carnal mind? Rom.8:7-8
• Is the giving of faith according to God’s pleasure?
• If the giving of faith is according to God’s pleasure and it is without condition, then why won’t God give faith to all men?
• To whom is God pleased to give more grace, to the proud or to the humble? Jam.4:6

Therefore, God has some conditions before he bestows more  grace and ability in man to exercise faith in Christ.  He chooses to bestow more of His graces to the humble (Prov.3: 34; Jam.4:6; I Pet.5: 5-6; Isaiah 57:15). 

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What do you think of this explanation in dealing with the Calvinist if we accept that faith is a gift?  

 

[Joe Chandler]

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 

It seems to me that faith can be had by anyone who will hear the word of God.

[BrotherTony]

2 hours ago, Joe Chandler said:

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 

It seems to me that faith can be had by anyone who will hear the word of God.

The Calvinists try to make faith the gift in their "doctrines of Grace."