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Where does Faith come from?

Van

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I would expect @Van to say that faith comes from God as a gift. That is not where the disagreement lies.
The question is whether God gifts all humans with the opportunity to activate faith when He creates humans or whether faith is a gift given only to the elect, after the elect are made alive with Christ.
Van seems to believe that God has given faith to all humanity. It is up to each person as to whether they will use that faith to activate God's gracious work of salvation.
Ultimately it is similar to the view I once held, which is that the only sin that keeps us out of heaven is the sin of unbelief. God gives us the opportunity to activate faith and we either do so or we reject such faith. Rejection leads to damnation. Van then declares that the person who chooses to activate faith can never undo it. Faith is turned on forever and salvation is secured unto eternity. (OSAS)

So, in both views, God is gifting faith. The questions are:
When?
With whom? (all or just some)

More nonsense, with no quote. This is all they do, misrepresent the views of others to change the subject from their bogus doctrine.
 

Reformed1689

Well-Known Member
That question has been asked and answered dozen of times. Just quote the answer then actually address the answer. Stop repeating the question.
Don't derail my thread. You have not answered it in this thread so if you are just going to say you aren't answering it is off-topic.
 

1689Dave

Well-Known Member
Scripture shows two types of faith. Sight faith which Jesus ignored when people believed in him having seen the miracles.

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” John 2:23–25 (KJV 1900)

And Holy Spirit faith which occurs naturally in the born again who experience the Holy Spirit in their hearts. This is not blind faith but believing as a result of experiencing the fruit of the Spirit.

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God,” Romans 8:16 (MEV)
 

tyndale1946

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Scripture shows two types of faith. Sight faith which Jesus ignored when people believed in him having seen the miracles.

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” John 2:23–25 (KJV 1900)

And Holy Spirit faith which occurs naturally in the born again who experience the Holy Spirit in their hearts. This is not blind faith but believing as a result of experiencing the fruit of the Spirit.

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God,” Romans 8:16 (MEV)

So Dave as you understand doctrine is regeneration and change of heart by God immediately, or by progression?... Brother Glen:)
 

Jerome

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Is there a term for when Calvinists have gone beyond what even Calvin taught? When did Calvinists start in with this 'regeneration precedes faith' contrivance?

because...

Timothy George, Theology of the Reformers:

"being placed into Christ (insitio in Christo) occurs in regeneration which, Calvin was careful to point out, follows from faith as its result"

John Calvin, Commentary on Jn 8:32

"when the Lord regenerates us by his Spirit, he likewise makes us free, so that, loosed from the snares of Satan, we willingly obey righteousness. But regeneration proceeds from faith"

John Calvin, Commentary on Rom 4:16:

"Here, in the first place, the Apostle shows, that nothing is set before faith but mere grace;...Hence, also, we may easily learn, that grace is not to be taken, as some imagine, for the gift of regeneration,"

So too in his Catechism of the Church of Geneva (Q126):

"For when by faith we receive Christ as he is offered to us, he not only promises us deliverance from death and reconciliation with God, but also the gift of the Holy Spirit, by which we are regenerated to newness of life; these things must necessarily be conjoined so as not to divide Christ from himself."

Ever heard of the Belgic Confession ?:

"We believe that this true faith being wrought in man by the hearing of the Word of God, and the operation of the Holy Ghost, doth regenerate and make him a new man"
 

Jerome

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Circa late 1700s Particular Baptist Abraham Booth:

"Glad Tidings to Perishing Sinners"

"the page of inspiration does not warrant our supposing, that any one is born of God, before he believes in Jesus Christ....To contend, indeed, that regeneration must be prior to faith, and to justification, is like maintaining, That the eldest son of a nobleman must partake of the human nature, before he can have that filial relation to his father, which constitutes him an heir to the paternal estate, and entitles him to those honours which are hereditary in the family. For the human nature, derived from his parents, and the relation of a son, being completely of the same date; there is no such thing as priority, or posteriority, respecting them, either as to the order of time, or the order of nature. They are inseparable; nor can the one exist without the other---Thus it is, I conceive, with regards to regeneration, faith in Christ, and justification before God. For, to consider any man as born of God, but not as a child of God; as a child of God, but not believing in Jesus Christ; as believing in Jesus Christ, but not as justified; or as justified, but not as an heir of immortal felicity; is, either to the last degree absurd, or manifestly contrary to apostolic doctrine."
 

Yeshua1

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Circa late 1700s Particular Baptist Abraham Booth:

"Glad Tidings to Perishing Sinners"

"the page of inspiration does not warrant our supposing, that any one is born of God, before he believes in Jesus Christ....To contend, indeed, that regeneration must be prior to faith, and to justification, is like maintaining, That the eldest son of a nobleman must partake of the human nature, before he can have that filial relation to his father, which constitutes him an heir to the paternal estate, and entitles him to those honours which are hereditary in the family. For the human nature, derived from his parents, and the relation of a son, being completely of the same date; there is no such thing as priority, or posteriority, respecting them, either as to the order of time, or the order of nature. They are inseparable; nor can the one exist without the other---Thus it is, I conceive, with regards to regeneration, faith in Christ, and justification before God. For, to consider any man as born of God, but not as a child of God; as a child of God, but not believing in Jesus Christ; as believing in Jesus Christ, but not as justified; or as justified, but not as an heir of immortal felicity; is, either to the last degree absurd, or manifestly contrary to apostolic doctrine."
One must have a new heart and mind from God first, and then can exercise their gift of faith!
 

MartyF

Well-Known Member
There are 2 types of rich people.

1. The ones who will not humble themselves and believe that everything they have is due to their own hard work, aptitude, and risk-taking.

2. The ones who will humble themselves and believe that everything they have is due to kindness of God.

One group will put faith in themselves and eat from the tree of the knowledge between good and evil. The others will put their faith in God.
 

Marooncat79

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Romans 10:14 “How can they call upon one they have not believed in”

Begore we can call upon the name of the Lord, we must have true saving faith
 

tyndale1946

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
One must have a new heart and mind from God first, and then can exercise their gift of faith!

So then one must be regenerated before they believe or is the believing the regenerator or the evidence that it has already happened?... Brother Glen:)
 

Revmitchell

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
We are not arguing against grace through faith. What I am arguing against is the idea that faith is not also a gift and that somehow we accomplish that faith on our own.

So I ask @Van, and others, this simple question. Where does faith come from? Does faith come from God or does it come from within ourselves?

It comes from the word of God. Romans 10:17
 

kyredneck

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Christ says he who has ears to hear let him hear, so who can hear?

12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God.
14 Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged. 1 Cor 2
 

Jesus Saves!

Active Member
Romans 12:3 KJVS
[3] For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Romans 10:14-17 KJVS
[14] 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? [15] 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! [16] But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? [17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
 

Calminian

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
We are not arguing against grace through faith. What I am arguing against is the idea that faith is not also a gift and that somehow we accomplish that faith on our own.

So I ask @Van, and others, this simple question. Where does faith come from? Does faith come from God or does it come from within ourselves?

Classical Arminians believe faith is a gift, and impossible without God's forerunning grace. And while some believe there is synergism in regard to faith, the decision by God to save (reckon) believers is 100% his decision and therefore monergistic.
 
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