The Meaning of Faith

HP: If Scripture did that plainly enough for all to agree upon there would be no need to have any discussions and the world could not contain the volumes it would take to insure no false interpretations. I take that back. There are some that would disagree if it said the sun rises in the east.

HP: Context is NOT always certain simply because of who is being addressed. That is a most misused notion in certain circles.

Pastor, the text is the text and what you call context is only those being addressed. That is NOT enough info to establish any such inference as you make from the passage. You conclude that all men does not mean all men. That is an assumption on your part simply not established by the text itself nor anything you call "context" that you have established.

 

Lord, help us.

 

Thanks Biblicist. I trust He will. :thumbs:

 

HP: That is always good to do, but so often it is not. Just as on this list Biblicist has stated that 'Every man' does or recognizes such and such, I have to remind him that I am a man and do not agree. I am not being too hard on Biblicist here for I think we all do that in common parlance at least from time to time. My children sure used 'everybody else' a lot! Scripture is written in common parlance.

HP: I agree that that is what it said. I do not see how you are establishing the 'context' of it to in any exclude the notion that the 'all' mentioned in this passage is not universally so. Faith given to all men I believe consists in the following. First, God is eternal. He is,by His own existence, the substance of our faith. All men have been given in measure knowledge of God and what God requires of them via conscience and nature (Romans, the Ps etc. make that point clear) so none are without excuse. Such knowledge is the substance of that measure of faith given to all. God has granted to every man the ability to yield themselves to Him via faith, even those that do not know Him via His Son, Jesus Christ. In this manner is the measure of faith granted to all. Certainly faith in such a measure in no way insinuates that saving faith is accomplished in all. Saving faith only comes as we hear the gospel, and willingly yield our members unto God in repentance and again in faith, that He is and is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.

In no way do I limit the measure of faith granted to all men as testified by this verse, to believers alone. In no way do I believe that faith is all of God, for God calls on man to exercise his own will in agreement to the measure of faith and light we have received. Yes, God is the source of all faith by virtue of Him being the very essence and substance of our faith, but such a measure of faith will never bring salvation or please God until we willingly, without force or coercion, voluntarily exercise faith by an act of our will.

Again, God is the Sole Author and Finisher of our faith by virtue of His Eternal Existence and the Sole Rewarder of our faith and the plan of salvation. Still yet, saving faith will not be accomplished apart from our forming of voluntary intents consistent with His commands to repent and believe. Faith is a condition man must fulfill in order to be saved. It is a work to be performed by man via the formation of trust and obedience to His stated conditions. Our faith is not a meritorious act, but rather a simple fulfilling of a stated condition, without which, no one shall inherit eternal life.

 

HP: IF they believe something, they trust something to be true. If they trust something to be true, that is a clear indication of having faith in the validity of the knowledge or impression, and is therefore is a clear indication of a measure of faith.