Where Did Our Faith Come From?

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D

dougcho

Member
#1
Oct 28, 2024
65
24
8
#1
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.” (Luke)

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.
 
C

ChristRoseFromTheDead

Well-known member
#2
Nov 1, 2024
1,145
372
83
#2
Faith means to be persuaded. God's still, meek voice persuades his children to trust him

G4102 πίστις pistis (piy'-stis) n.
1. a trust.
2. a firm persuasion, a confidence.
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#3
Jul 3, 2015
61,100
30,223
113
#3

1 Corinthians 4:7b; John 3:27; Romans 9:15-16 What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did also receive it, why do you boast as not having received it? John replied, "A man can receive only that which is given him from heaven." "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So then, it does not depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
:)
 
C

ChristRoseFromTheDead

Well-known member
#4
Nov 1, 2024
1,145
372
83
#4
"The faith" can refer to the gospel, ie Christian doctrine. For example:

And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. Acts 16:5​
​
 
Pilgrimshope

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
#5
Sep 2, 2020
14,628
5,897
113
#5
dougcho said:
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.” (Luke)

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.
Click to expand...
“Did we create our own faith … and then believe in Jesus and the Gospel? “

who preached and lived the gospel offered salvation to anyone who believed ?

God right ? So us taking him at his word is where faith comes from

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

If we don’t find faith in what he said will save us we won’t find it
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#6
Jul 3, 2015
61,100
30,223
113
#6

Jesus' words in Matthew 17:20-21
Faith the size of a mustard seed moved the mountain of my unbelief .:)
 
p_rehbein

p_rehbein

Senior Member
#7
Sep 4, 2013
30,739
6,906
113
#7
Man is born with a "natural/earthly" faith. Supernatural/heavenly faith comes from God. All unbelievers place their "faith" in one thing/person or another. Christians are given supernatural faith upon salvation that is the only faith that will prevail IMO.

The New Covenant is the Law of Faith!

Romans, Chapter 3:

20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

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

25Whom 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;

26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

29Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

30Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
 
NewLifeInChrist

NewLifeInChrist

Active member
#8
Apr 7, 2024
101
43
28
66
#8
dougcho said:
Did we create our own faith … and then believe in Jesus and the Gospel?
Or, did it come from somewhere else … like from God?

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.
Click to expand...
It does not appear that you understand the different ways "faith" is used in the NT. According to the Louw-Nida Greek-English lexicon, it has these senses...

πίστις, εως f​
a. what can be believed: 31.43​
b. trust: 31.85​
c. trustworthiness: 31.88​
d. Christian faith: 31.102​
e. doctrine: 31.104​
f. promise: 33.289​
​
Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 2, p. 198). United Bible Societies.​

Concerning sense b, Reformed Theology wrongly tries to argue that lost people lack the ability to "trust" the gospel of Christ until they are saved. Somehow, they are able to rationalize that lost people can trust all sorts of things thoughout their lives, but they have no ability to trust God's testimony that they are sinners in need of a Savior and that Christ is willing and able to save them.

To say that some people are gifted the ability to believe the gospel and others are prevented from believing the gospel because they lack the gift is to put the cart before the horse. God decided on His own, with no counsel from man, that He would save people who believe the seemingly foolish gospel that Jesus died on the cross to save them from their sins (1 Cor 1:21). He did not liven them first to enable them to believe then save them from His wrath after they believed. No, He preaches the gospel to all and saves those who believe.
 
M

MeowFlower

Well-known member
#9
Aug 25, 2024
883
406
63
youtube.com
#9
dougcho said:
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.” (Luke)

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.
Click to expand...
The first people,cave dwellers, were found to have faith in a higher power than themselves. Understandable when everything around them was extraordinary to primitive minds. Lightening,storms,birth,etc...

As to our faith much of it is generationally ingrained. Our ancestors in our family line believed and we believe. Some believe because they're afraid not to. Hell is a great motivator.

How many rationally consider what they're asked to believe is true?
 
homwardbound

homwardbound

Senior Member
#10
Oct 24, 2012
16,705
542
113
#10
Magenta said:

1 Corinthians 4:7b; John 3:27; Romans 9:15-16 What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did also receive it, why do you boast as not having received it? John replied, "A man can receive only that which is given him from heaven." "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So then, it does not depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
:)
Click to expand...
Oh Lord have mercy on me

Luke 18:9-14

Authorized (King James) Version



And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
 
G

GWH

Groovy
#11
Oct 19, 2024
1,741
441
83
#11
dougcho said:
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.” (Luke)

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.
Click to expand...
Yes, and we should note that faith/volition is given to everyone, but atheists choose to believe God does not exist and Jesus is not Christ. (DT 30:19, MT 13:14-15, 23:37)
 
K

Karlon

Well-known member
#14
Mar 8, 2023
2,695
1,233
113
#14
homwardbound said:
Oh Lord have mercy on me

Luke 18:9-14

Authorized (King James) Version



And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Click to expand...
a reminder to Psalm 25:14.
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#15
Jul 3, 2015
61,100
30,223
113
#15
Karlon said:
hearing! Romans 10:17!
Click to expand...

Romans 10-13 + Galatians 3:5~ Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you obey the law, or because you hear and believe?
:)
 
Dino246

Dino246

Senior Member
#16
Jun 30, 2015
25,587
13,857
113
#16
MeowFlower said:
The first people,cave dwellers, were found to have faith in a higher power than themselves. Understandable when everything around them was extraordinary to primitive minds. Lightening,storms,birth,etc...
Click to expand...
The first people were garden dwellers, not cave dwellers. If you believe the evolutionary timeline for human development, you aren't believing the Bible
 
HeIsHere

HeIsHere

Well-known member
#17
May 21, 2022
6,329
2,460
113
#17
NewLifeInChrist said:
It does not appear that you understand the different ways "faith" is used in the NT. According to the Louw-Nida Greek-English lexicon, it has these senses...

πίστις, εως f​
a. what can be believed: 31.43​
b. trust: 31.85​
c. trustworthiness: 31.88​
d. Christian faith: 31.102​
e. doctrine: 31.104​
f. promise: 33.289​
​
Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 2, p. 198). United Bible Societies.​

Concerning sense b, Reformed Theology wrongly tries to argue that lost people lack the ability to "trust" the gospel of Christ until they are saved. Somehow, they are able to rationalize that lost people can trust all sorts of things thoughout their lives, but they have no ability to trust God's testimony that they are sinners in need of a Savior and that Christ is willing and able to save them.

To say that some people are gifted the ability to believe the gospel and others are prevented from believing the gospel because they lack the gift is to put the cart before the horse. God decided on His own, with no counsel from man, that He would save people who believe the seemingly foolish gospel that Jesus died on the cross to save them from their sins (1 Cor 1:21). He did not liven them first to enable them to believe then save them from His wrath after they believed. No, He preaches the gospel to all and saves those who believe.
Click to expand...

Amen and Amen!!!

So tired of all the false doctrine on here.
This is exactly right.

NewLifeInChrist said:
Somehow, they are able to rationalize that lost people can trust all sorts of things thoughout their lives, but they have no ability to trust God's testimony that they are sinners in need of a Savior and that Christ is willing and able to save them.
Click to expand...
The Gospel is believable and yes no one is born inherently unable to believe the Gospel!
Every proof text is out of context and simplified down to something Paul was not saying at all.
 
HeIsHere

HeIsHere

Well-known member
#18
May 21, 2022
6,329
2,460
113
#18
dougcho said:
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.” (Luke)

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.
Click to expand...
Faith is believing, scripture does not teach salving faith is gifted.
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#19
Jul 3, 2015
61,100
30,223
113
#19
No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

There are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord.
There are different ways of working, but the same God works all things in all people.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given
through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another the working
of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in
various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one
and the same Spirit, who apportions them to each one as He determines.

Some claim if God does something for one person and not another He is unfair. However it is clear from
many many Biblical passages that God does something for one person that He does not do for another.
 
PennEd

PennEd

Senior Member
#20
Apr 22, 2013
13,612
9,127
113
#20
HeIsHere said:
Faith is believing, scripture does not teach salving faith is gifted.
Click to expand...
It absolutely does.

Ephesians 2:8

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Jesus Himself affirms this:
Matthew 16 NKJV
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Peter’s faith confession, of who Jesus is, didn’t come from his brain or from being “persuaded”or from any other source than God.

It is fleshly pride that people believe their faith comes from themselves and THEIR ability and intellect and thereby taking Glory from God, who gave it to them.
 
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