Brother, I am not deliberately confusing this, it's just we're coming to this from differening angles.
I'll accept that for now, but if I disagree you will know why.
But this faith, Monsieur, can fail. Here's what I mean. People have faith in their spouse that they will be faithful, yet many cheat and causes the one that placed their trust in them to divorce them. Many have put faith in a car or plane to get from point A to point B, only to die in a crash. Many put faith in family and friends only to have that faith crushed. This is the carnal/fleshly/natural/physical faith all mankind possesses. Many have put their faith in idols only to die lost. Again, this source is from man.
The faith for the unsaved man is always from man. The object of the faith is also human. Human people and things fail. We are not perfect and the things we make are subject to deterioration and decay. They indeed will fail. But there is One who will never fail. His promises are sure and secure. He never changes and His word endures forever. One can put "his trust" or faith in Him and His promise to be saved and be absolutely confident that "what he had promised, he '
is' able also to perform." (Rom.4:21).
Yes, my car failed some weeks ago. At minus 31 that is to be expected once and a while. Did my faith fail or my car fail. It was more my car than my faith. But I know that man-made things fail so I was not unduly disappointed. It is the object of our faith that is important
Faith is faith. Abraham had faith. His faith was in God, and in his promises, and God never failed him.
Now, the faith the regenerate have is from God. This faith is tested many times, yet it never fails. This faith in Christ is a bond that will never be broken. This faith binds us to Christ and He "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.[Hebrews 6:19,20]
I agree. And that faith will grow as our relationship with Him grows.
This faith, even when tested in dire times, will never fail. As it says “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who puts their trust in Him shall never be put to shame."[2 Peter 2:6]
That should be true as long as one keeps his eyes on Christ. But it isn't always true. Take John the Baptist for example. His faith wavered so much he began to doubt if Christ was the Messiah.
So putting your faith in an inaminate object(plane, boat, car, idol, &c) can, and does many times, fail. Placing faith in Christ never does. Two faiths from two sources.
Not for the unsaved person. The objects of his faith change. The nature of the faith is the same. Faith is belief, confidence, trust.
This faith has had many children kidnapped by strangers and killed. Innate faith, that which resonates from man, does fail. Saving faith, that which resonantes from God, never fails.
Jesus used this example because of the simplicity of their faith. That is the kind of faith one needs when they come to Christ. Obviously, when one has that simple faith and puts that faith in some other object, such as an idol or a thief, there will be a wrong outcome. But put your faith in Christ will a child-like faith and one will be saved. Jesus was not speaking of a regenerated faith which children do not have.
I know you never said this, mon ami. I am showing you how you are juxtaposing faith. You're saying all men have faith, yet faith comes by hearing, and also faith is a fruit of the Spirit.
Not among the unsaved it does't, and you know that.
If there is only one faith, and this faith is innate, then how can it be also a fruit of the Spirit, and also coming by hearing God's word, the gospel?
You are making an assumption based on a false premise.
There is not just one true faith.
1. There is innate faith.
2. There is the gift of faith.
3. There is faith as the fruit of the Spirit.
4. There is "the faith," that body of truth which we believe.
5. There is the spiritual faith given to believers even when they are mature as demonstrated by the disciples. It was when they were coming down from the Mount of Transfiguration, later in his ministry when the disciples said "O Lord increase our faith."
--So faith must be defined by its context. There is not just "one faith."
If it's innate, it already resides within the sinner, so there's no need for it to come by hearing the gospel.
That is why he needs the gospel. He needs to put his faith in the correct object, that being the Christ of the gospel.
1Pet.1:23 "Being born again...by the Word of God. (the gospel). Without the word of God there is no regeneration.
This is why I am contending there is more than one faith, from two different sources. One from man and one from God. I am sure you will disagree, but I am trying to un-muddy(if that's even a word
)the H2O.
Yes, more than one faith. But Jesus said that it must be your faith (innate) in order to be saved. God does not give spiritual gifts, etc. to the unsaved. One does not believe with God's faith to be saved.
