Is God Faith?

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

It has been stated salvation is all of God, yet in another breath it is said to be ‘by faith alone.” So my question is: are God and faith one in the same?

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

So, no takers so far. Let me ask it in another way. Is our salvation 'all of God' or is it by 'faith alone?' Is our faith simply a results of the necessitated impulse of God or must mans will be involved?

 

[canadyjd]

So, no takers so far. Let me ask it in another way. Is our salvation 'all of God' or is it by 'faith alone?' Is our faith simply a results of the necessitated impulse of God or must mans will be involved?

I'll only speak for myself and my understanding of scripture.

When I say salvation is 'all of God", I am saying it is a work of God from beginning to end. God is involved in all aspects of salvation. Without God's involvement, man is not able to come to salvation. When God is involved (regeneration/drawing/convicting), man will always respond with repentance and faith.

Salvation must be appropriated by faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is by "faith alone" (it is always, I think, contrasted with salvation by "works"). That is man's response to God's work in his life and it involves his human will, intellect and emotions.

So, to answer your question directly, God is not faith.

peace to youraying:

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

So, in reality, faith is nothing other than a necessitated impulse from God, man simply playing the part of a receptor, a puppet on a string so to speak, corrrect?

 

[canadyjd]

So, in reality, faith is nothing other than a necessitated impulse from God, man simply playing the part of a receptor, a puppet on a string so to speak, corrrect?

Well, I really don't know what you mean by "necessitated impulse from God" and I disagree with the analogy of a "puppet" on a string, since a puppet doesn't have human will, intellect and emotion.

However, I'd much rather be a puppet on a string in the hands of Almighty God than to be the master of my own destiny.

peace to youraying:

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

By a necessitated impulse I am just speaking to man being a passive receptor of faith from God, at least that is the way some believe, and I thought you presented your ideas consistent with that view. What good does a will, intellect, or emotion do if in fact we are passive in the receiving of faith? If God is the source of our faith, and God has faith ready to bestow on someone, can that someone resist? If one can resist, why is not man responsible for either having or not having faith? Can man's will resist the predetermined actions of God, or does God wait to grant faith until man acts?

Do you believe one can resist necessitated fate, God chosing to grant certain chosen recipients (the elect) salvic grace? Could one decide not to be one of the elect God chose to be one of the elect?

 

[canadyjd]

By a necessitated impulse I am just speaking to man being a passive receptor of faith from God, at least that is the way some believe, and I thought you presented your ideas consistent with that view.

The passive state of a person simply means the action is being done to them.

"The pastor baptized the man".

The man was passive in that the action was performed by another to him. However, there are consequences to those actions and responses by the man. He may have experienced a feeling of peace or euphoria or joy.

Any response of a person to God's work in regeneration, drawing, conviction, (repentance and faith in Jesus Christ) I see as the natural result of God's work in his/her life.

What good does a will, intellect, or emotion do if in fact we are passive in the receiving of faith?

God engages our our wills, intellect, and emotion during regeneration/drawing/convicting. It is part of His plan to bring us to salvation.

If God is the source of our faith, and God has faith ready to bestow on someone, can that someone resist?

I believe the salvific grace of God toward His elect is always effective to accomplish His will in bringing that person to salvation.

Could one decide not to be one of the elect God chose to be one of the elect?

I don't believe mankind has "free-will", although we do have human will. The will of man is enslaved to sin and prone to the deception of sin and satan.

Once God frees us from the effects of sin at regeneration, we are capable to seeing the truth of Jesus Christ (who He is and what He has done), and we respond with repentance and faith. Everyone so freed, without fail, will come to Christ in faith.

peace to youraying:

 

[billwald]

Why would a "son of Satan," i.e. every unregenerate person, "invite Jesus," or whatever? The "accepting" is the human response to the Holy Spirit's regenerating. The acceptance welcomes one into the "church militant." It doesn't cause membership in the "church triumphant."

 

[canadyjd]

Why would a "son of Satan," i.e. every unregenerate person, "invite Jesus," or whatever? The "accepting" is the human response to the Holy Spirit's regenerating. The acceptance welcomes one into the "church militant." It doesn't cause membership in the "church triumphant."

I guess you need to define what you mean by "accepting" and "church militant" and "church triumphant".

peace to youraying:

 

[billwald]

"Church militant" - standard phrase for the physical church on this physical earth.

"Church triumphant" - standard phrase for the church in Heaven.

"Accepting" - responding to one's regeneration by having faith in or believing in Jesus as the Christ. More crudely, "inviting Jesus into one's heart."

 

[canadyjd]

"Church militant" - standard phrase for the physical church on this physical earth.

"Church triumphant" - standard phrase for the church in Heaven.

"Accepting" - responding to one's regeneration by having faith in or believing in Jesus as the Christ. More crudely, "inviting Jesus into one's heart."

I see, "accepting" is faith in Jesus Christ.

So having salvific faith in Jesus Christ makes you part of the physical church on the earth, but that doesn't necessarily mean you will be part of the church in heaven? Is that what you are saying?

peace to youraying:

 

[billwald]

>So having salvific faith in Jesus Christ makes you part of the physical church on the earth, but that doesn't necessarily mean you will be part of the church in heaven? Is that what you are saying?

No, because regeneration precedes conversion. One can't have salvific faith in Christ Jesus without being regenerate.