Featured Faith? Where does it come from?

Yep. Goes back to the Calvinist's misinterpretation of Ephesians 2:8-9. They have faith as the gift. I believe as you do, that salvation is the gift.

 

Yea you have to play some mental gymnastics to make faith the gift.

 

Well, "faith is faith" as in its nature or definition. It is confidence, trust, belief, in the word of another. We all practice faith in one way or another every day, but not always spiritual faith.

If I enter into a plane and hope it takes me from some city in America to London, do I not put my faith in:
1. The word of the Airline that promised me that that's what they said they will do.
2. The ability of the pilot to get me safely there.
3. The capability of a designed invention much heavier than air or gravity to lift over a couple of hundred people high into the air and get them all the way across the ocean safely.
4. The "hope" that I will not be shot down by terrorists.

My faith is initially in the airline because that is who I paid the money to, and they are the ones that made the promise to get me where I want to go.

A good definition of faith:
Romans 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
--Abraham was fully persuaded that what God had promised God would perform.

In the secular world, am I fully persuaded that what the airline promised they will do?

In regards to salvation:
Is the unsaved person fully persuaded in the message of salvation that what God has promise is true? Will God perform what he said he would--save that person? (not discounting the work of the Holy Spirit). If he is fully persuaded, confident of that message, then he believes it, not just academically, but acts on it, accepting by faith Christ as Savior, just as Abraham acted on the promise given to him.

Faith in the Christian life does not change in its nature: Belief, trust, confidence, etc.
We now have a relationship with Christ. As the relationship grows so does faith, as does love, joy and the other fruits of the Spirit. They are given "without measure." As the song writer put it: "Count your blessings, name therm one by one..." They are numerous. The capacity for the believer to exercise both faith and love is intensified so much the more. And still it can grow, as the disciples demonstrated: "Lord, increase our faith."

 

The verse is saying that Jesus is the reason we have saving faith. He is the author of our faith and he completes it.

 

Brother DHK,

I will ask one final time, scripture teaches there are two men living inside our earthly vessels after we become born again. Tell me, which man elects to walk in the Spirit by faith, the outward man (i.e the flesh, also called the "natural man") or the inward man (i.e. the Spirit of God living in us)?

 

Brother IntheLight,

Why would Jesus have to "complete" our faith if we could start it as you believe?

 

Yes, however I would simply call it natural faith. I think the primary difference between us is at the point of salvation. You believe that before a person is saved God must give him the faith to believe. Correct?
Whereas, I don't find that concept in the scriptures. Jesus consistently condoned those that came to him: "Be it according to your faith." "Great is your faith." He referred to "their faith," never referring to any "God-given faith."

 

Romans 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

YOU make that choice.
The battle is in the mind. You can decide in your mind to serve the law of God.
You can decide in your mind to give into the flesh and serve the law of sin.
YOU decide. What are you going to give yourself to. There are two natures. YOU decide which one you give yourself to.

 

I never said we "could start our faith". Stop putting words in my mouth.

As for why Jesus completes our faith, it's because the Bible says he does so.

 

Only the redeemed born from above child of God has the ability to choose.

 

Ok great how is Jesus the pioneer of our faith. Is it that Jesus just places it in our hearts when we are not looking or is Jesus the pioneer of our faith because He is the object of our faith? All of these verses you have provided show the latter not the former.

 

Those verses do not say that so help me out where do you get your position from.

 

Brother DHK,

Ok I agree it is the mind that decides, but according to scripture there are two minds for one who is born again. There is the "carnal mind" of the "outward man" that we inherit from Adam that is at, " enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Romans 8:7) and we also have the "mind of Christ" mentioned in 1 Corinthians 2:16 in our "inner man" of which we read, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." (1 Corinthians 2:12), so which mind is it within a believer that you contend decides to walk in the spirit by faith, the "mind of Christ" or the "carnal mind"?
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Sorry if I put words in your mouth brother, do you believe Jesus starts our faith?

 

No, brother, we just have one mind. Paul made the decision to yield his mind to the law of God.
Then he commanded the Ephesians to yield themselves (their minds) to the Holy Spirit.
It is an active decision of the will or mind.
Dare I ask, next Sunday will many believers decide to watch the Superbowl instead of doing something like reading their Bibles, will they be making a carnal or spiritual decision? I am not saying that watching sports is wrong unless it takes one away from what they should be doing. But this is a decision of the mind. There is nothing spiritual to gain from a football game. It is just an example.

 

Brother DHK,

We have an "inner man" and an "outward man", but you believe there is only one mind that both the inner and outward man share? Is the "carnal mind" and the "mind of Christ" somehow merged together when one becomes born again? If you only have one mind, what "mind" is it you have the "mind of Christ" or the "carnal mind"?

 

I believe the mind and the heart are the same thing. They are used somewhat interchangeably. The one mind (the brain) controls the body. We purpose to yield it to the Spirit or the flesh, one of our two natures. That is why there was such a struggle going on in Paul that he describes.

Romans 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
--Notice the use of the first person singular, "I". There is only one "I". There is only one mind. He has to fight to control which nature he yields the mind to--the flesh or the Spirit. The flesh is at constant war with the Spirit. They don't each have their own mind.

2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
--It is spiritual warfare, and it is I that must bring every thought to the obedience of Christ. I must cast down the imaginations of my mind. They enter my mind. What will I do with them, those vain imaginations? Dwell on them and sin? or cast them out and have the victory? Bring them into obedience of Christ. It is spiritual warfare--a battle of the mind: not the "minds" but of the "mind." We only have one.