What does "Faith is a Gift" mean?

[37818]

All Biblical God-given faith comes after regeneration of God's elect(chosen before the world began . . .

Not Biblical.

Faith is per,
Psalms 19:4, Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

Per Romans 10:17-18, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

 

[Paleouss]

Good morning Ken. Blessed to speak with you again.

I prefer to not be called "Reformed" nor "Calvinist".

Got it. I'll try and remember that if my memory holds up.

In an article on "Reformed Baptists" on Wikipedia, there is a section entitled, "Sovereign Grace Baptists". Here is some of what it says:

' Sovereign Grace Baptists in the broadest sense are any "Calvinistic" Baptists that accept God's sovereign grace in salvation and predestination. In the narrower sense, certain churches and groups have preferred "Sovereign Grace" in their name, rather than using the terms "Calvinism", "Calvinist", or "Reformed Baptist". '

Also, it says:

' All of these groups generally agree with the Five Points of Calvinism - Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints. Groups calling themselves "Sovereign Grace Baptists" have been particularly influenced by the writings of John Gill in the 18th century. Among American Baptists who have revived such Calvinist ideas were Rolfe P. Barnard and Henry T. Mahan, who organised the first Sovereign Grace Bible Conference in Ashland, Kentucky, in 1954, though groups designated as Sovereign Grace are not necessarily connected to them. '

Sounds good to me. I would think that there are a few nuances besides just the name. But that's another thread.

The mention of Henry T. Mahan strikes home with me as the preacher at Grace Baptist of Ruston, Richard Warmack, heard the gospel of Christ from Henry T, Mahan back in the 1980s, and then I heard the gospel of Christ from Richard in mid-2021.

Nice

Of course, I prefer reading God's Word most of all.

Amen

So what I am reading here in your quote is that you are saying that 'faith' is not technically given but it is technically something that follows from some initial work of the Spirit. I am splitting hairs here and distinguishing between some other position that forwards that 'faith', whatever it is, is given (literally and directly). That is, that faith is the direct gift (something John Calvin says is not correct, Calvin quote below).

I think that is a distinction without a difference.

Is it really a distinction without a difference?

1) God sends the Spirit that brings light (grace) to a man. The man, being enlightened and freed from his blindness now sees his sin and need for salvation. Then (emphases on a transition of rolls), the man submits or rejects this.

I do understand that in the Reformed thought that one might need to distinguish between the General call (will never accept) and the Effectual call (cannot deny). However, assuming an Effectual call, in my #1 above, the man can be said to 'freely' come before good in faith. Especially if one holds as Calvin does that faith is coming 'empty' before the Lord. The #1 above establishes that there is a part for man, i.e., faith (which scripture frequently says this is so). And we have also upheld the phrase 'by grace through faith and not of works'.

2) God sends the Spirit to give light and faith to a man.

In the #2, God gives both light and faith. Faith now is 'given' and not simply man's part that has been actualized by the enlightenment of the Spirit so then he can freely come to Him. This formulation, that has no distinction from #1 in result, does have a distinction in roles. In #1 God's call might be said to be irresistible, yet the man still is said to be free to choose (for it is his part). In #2, man has no part. Not logically anyway. #2 is a formulation that ends logically by saying that any theology saying man brings faith is works based.

It seems that John Calvin, the very foundation of Reformed thought, thought the distinction was worth making. The very foundation in which John Gill stood to do his work.

Great conversation friend.

Peace to you and your family

 

[Paleouss]

Salvation is 100% by God's grace, and 0% by man's efforts or contribution. Period. To say that salvation is not 100% by God's grace, and that man contributes to his own salvation by his own efforts, is to teach a false gospel in which there is no salvation.

Greetings again Ken.

First I would like to agree with you that all the Glory and Honor of salvation goes to God. Mankind can claim none of it.

I would like to point out the points that you may be talking past what others (or I) am saying (not speaking for everyone). John Calvin, I keep bringing him up because I think he has it right here and he IS Calvinism. Calvin says that the man has a part and that it is faith, and that faith is to "come before God empty" (Calvin). Thus, Calvin says that God has his part 100% and mankind has his part which is coming empty (which means he contributes 0%). Thus, it's all God.

Notice Calvin says something similar but with a huge difference. That is, he claims there is a 100% and 0% ratio also. But at the same time upholds those parts of the scripture that say man must have faith, man receives by faith, etc. Calvin, who is Calvinism at its roots, says man has a part which by his formulation of faith being an 'emptiness', makes man's part 0%.

Peace to you brother.

 

[Van]

Since individuals are chosen for salvation through faith in the truth, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, then our faith in Christ provides our access to God's grace, Romans 5:1-2. We are made alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:5) thus we are regenerated, made alive, after God credits our faith as righteousness and transfers us into Christ, Colossians 1:13.

 

[KenH]

The #1 above establishes that there is a part for man

Only after being enabled to do so by the power of God after the Holy Spirit regenerates God's elect under the preaching the gospel of Christ, such as when I heard Richard Warmack preach the gospel of Christ in mid-2021.

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Psalm 110:3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power,
In the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: Thou hast the dew of thy youth.

Romans 10:13-15 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

 

[KenH]

But at the same time upholds those parts of the scripture that say man must have faith, man receives by faith

Per Romans 10:17-18, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

The issue is not that God's elect after the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit come to have to faith in the finished work of Christ as the LORD their Righteousness and repent of their dead works, the issue is that man will not have faith in the finished work of Christ as the LORD their Righteousness and repent of their dead works unless the Holy Spirit first regenerates them and make them a new creature by giving them spiritual life.

 

[Van]

Since individuals are chosen for salvation through faith in the truth, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, then our faith in Christ provides our access to God's grace, Romans 5:1-2. We are made alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:5) thus we are regenerated, made alive, after God credits our faith as righteousness and transfers us into Christ, Colossians 1:13.

Sometimes false teachers call their doctrine of Irresistible Grace the "Gift of Faith" referring to a pre-salvation instillation of God given faith in the individuals supposedly chosen unconditionally before creation. This claim is of course false six ways from Sunday.

1) God's general and special revelation are gifts which we, as lost people, either rejected in whole or in part, or fully embraced. Thus the opportunity to place our faith in Christ is indeed a gift that not all people receive. For example, aborted babies.

2) Once saved (and born anew and indwelt) the Holy Spirit may bestow the "Gift of faith" upon some believers. But this post salvation gift cannot be conflated with our choice to believe to gain access to God's grace, Romans 5:1-2.

3) When are individuals chosen for salvation, before creation or after they have lived not as a people chosen for God's own possession? After, see 1 Peter 2:9-10. So there is no actual support for "unconditional election for salvation before creation of individuals. Rather Ephesians 1:4 refers to God choosing His Redeemer before creation, and therefore, God corporately chose those His Redeemer would redeem.

4) When God chooses individuals, during their physical lifetime, He chooses them "through faith in the truth" thus a conditional election for salvation. 2 Thessalonians 2:13

5) When God chooses individuals, during their physical lifetime, He chooses individuals some of which were poor in the eyes of the world, yet rich in faith and heirs to the kingdom promised to those who love God. James 2:5

6) God chooses individuals whose faith He credits as righteousness, so it is our faith, as flawed or imperfect as it may be, that God deems sufficient for His purpose, thus salvation does not depend on the person who wills or works to be saved, but upon God alone who determines who actually believes for the purpose of salvation.

 

[Wesley Briggman]

Greetings all. So as the title says, what is meant by the position "faith is a gift from God"? Looking for more of an unpacking of the statement. It seems to me that many say the phrase but there is some theological unpacking that needs to go on to understand what they are saying.

How about you?

(Eph 2:8 KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

I am thankful for "the gift of God", I didn't earn it and I don't deserve it. I gratefully accept it!