Faith is a gift from God

[Stewardofthemystery]

We know “Gods grace”, or “Gods favor” is a gift, but what about faith?

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Faith is also shown as a gift from God…

Romans 12:6
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

1 Corinthians 12:7-9
King James Version
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;”

So truly a man can receive nothing except it be given to him from heaven-John 3:27

Peace

[Brightfame52]

Children or Sons of God by Faith in Christ !


Gal 3:26

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Understand this, the evidence that one is a Son of God by Creation, it is that they shall be manifested to be one by regeneration and consequently Faith in Christ, which has been the case since the beginning of time or the world. Adam the first man was a Son of God in the beginning Lk 3:38

Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

No Adam did not have Faith in Christ immediatelty at his creation, but because he was the Son of God by Creation, Faith in Christ had been predetermined through his sin, For the Law / Commandment was given to bring him to faith in Christ, [The Seed of the Woman] Gal 3:24

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

The Command not to eat of that tree was in reality a schoolmaster to bring him a Son of God to Faith in Christ the Messiah, the Seed of the Woman. Them also in Gen 6:1-2

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

Are called the Sons of God were believers in Christ, the coming seed of the women, or else they could not have been Sons of God.

In fact, all mankind that was first Created in Adam, are as Adam a Son of God Lk 3:38

38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

And as such they must be born again and given the Gift of Faith in Christ, for we are manifested Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus Gal 3:26 !10

[Brightfame52]

Rom 10:17 ; 2 Cor 2:14-16

Rom 10:17

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

2 Cor 2:14-16

14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

Faith comes by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God /Christ ! Now whenever in the purpose of God, the Gospel is to be a Savour of Life unto Life, its when it [The Gospel] is being heard by them which are Spiritually Alive, who have quicken and opened ears, so then by the Gospel, immortailty and Life are brought to Light as Per 2 Tim 1:10-11

10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

In the economy of Salvation, the Gospel Preacher has been appointed to Preach and teach the Gospel to the Spiritually alive that Life Spiritual may be brought to Light /made evident !

Now to them, the Spiritually alive, the Gospel works in them both Faith and Repentance; Yes the Gospel to the Spiritually alive works Faith, Paul writes 2 Thess 2:13-14

13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Its only when one has God given Faith, a fruit of the Spirit Gal 5:22, that one then believes the report of the Gospel, for the Prophet asked Isa 53:1

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

Jn 12:38

38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Rom 10:16

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

This by nature indicates that men by nature alone, they cannot believe the Gospel, the Doctrine ! When Paul makes an appeal such as this one recorded in Acts 20:21

21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

It can only be unto them that have been already made alive, so that Life and immortality can be brought to Light by the Gospel. Thats what those duties[Faith/ Repentance] do, bring to Light the New Spiritual Life they have been given in Christ ! 10

[Brightfame52]

Faith is the Gift of God !


Most religionist believe that Faith is something the natural man has or has the ability to do, but they are dead wrong and deceived ! See, Christ has been the author of a believers Faith Heb 12:2

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The writer here is very precise in stating to believers of like precious Faith, that it was not of themselves, but Christ was the Author of it. Now what does this word Author mean ? Its the greek word archēgos and means:


I.the chief leader, prince

A.of Christ



II.one that takes the lead in any thing and thus affords an example, a predecessor in a matter, pioneer


III.the author

That word predecessor denotes that He is the Father of Our Faith, much like it is said of Abraham regarding believers, that he is the Father of the Faithful Rom 4:11,12,16

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:


And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Gal 3:7,9

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

But what Abraham could not do, he could not produce Spiritual Children with Faith,

But Christ could, so He is the True Father of the Faithful, which He produced in Abraham's stead.

Another definition for that word author in Heb 12:2 which is neglected is :


I.beginning, origin


II.the person or thing that commences, the first person or thing in a series, the leader


III.that by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause


IV.the extremity of a thing

A.of the corners of a sail



V.the first place, principality, rule, magistracy

A.of angels and demons

Christ is the active cause of our Faith if we believe in Him. Our Faith begin to be because of His causation !

See, the natural man wants to take credit for faith as being of his ability, which is a lie, and it steals credit due to Christ !10

[Brightfame52]

Faith is the Gift of God ! 2


So Faith is the Gift of God in that Christ, the Gift of God Jn 4:10

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

Because Christ, who is the Gift of God, is its Author causer , the effectual producer of it, and thats why, all who Live by Faith, do so because they live by the Faith of the Son of God, who Loved them and gave Himself for them Gal 2:20

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Christ as the Head does communicate His Faith to each of His Members of His Body Rom 12:3

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.

He does this by giving them His Spirit Rom 5:5;Titus 3:5-6 and of course Faith is the fruit of His Spirit Gal 5:22

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

So its the work of Christ's Spirit in us that effects Faith in Christ and our beginning to Live by Faith, hence we Live by the Faith of the Son of God, So are believing is not of us, but of Christ that by His Spirit now lives in us ! And its all the Gift of God ! 10

[Brightfame52]

Faith to believe on Christ is not our own, but the work of God!


Faith to believe on Christ is not our own, but the work of God! Its the Work of God the Holy Spirit in us to Truly Believe on the Son, who died for us, if indeed He did die for us Jn 6:29

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Christ was sent to save some Jn 3:17

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

This World is not all without exception, but all of God's Elect without distinction, the World of Spiritual Israel, the Church ! The Body of Christ, for God has only Promised to save one world of people, Israel Isa 45:17

17 But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

Here again Jn 6:40

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The End result of God the Father sending His Son was for the purpose of them believing on Him who were seeing Him spiritually, with a God given spiritual sight ! Now their seeing and believing on Him was not their own natural ability, credit is given to it being the Work of God Jn 6:29, God the Holy Spirit, He produces that Faith which is of the operation of God Col 2:12

12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

That word operation is the greek word energeia and means:

working, action, productive work, activity; in the NT, confined to superhuman activity.

This describes that its of the power of the Spirit that produces our act of believing or Faith in Christ, its His operation or working in us both to will and to do of God's pleasure which in this case is to Believe on the Son whom He has sent to seek and to save !

Again believers believe by the working of His Power Eph 1:19

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working or operation of his mighty power,

Believe it or not the Mighty Power is the Spirit of God, See Believers are but building materials for Gods Spiritual Temple being Built by Christ, and a Type was that Temple to be built that was prophesied in the OT Zech 4:6

6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

I quote John Gills comments on this verse Zech 4:6:


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then he answered, and spake unto me, saying,.... In great condescension, in order to instruct him into the true meaning of the vision:

This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel; this signifies what was said by the Lord to Zerubbabel, by some one of the prophets sent unto him:

saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts: that is, that as the candlestick was supplied with oil, from the two olive trees by the side of it, without the help of any man, to pour in the oil, and trim the lamps; so the temple should be built by Zerubbabel, not through the multitude and strength of men, but through the Spirit of God, animating, exciting, encouraging, and strengthening them to go through the work. The temple was a type of the church, and Zerubbabel a type of Christ; he was so in the high esteem he was had in by the Lord; he was chosen by him; made as a signet, and was precious to him, Haggai 2:23 in his titles and characters, a servant of the Lord, and governor of Judah, Haggai 1:1 and in his work, in bringing the Jews out of captivity, and in rebuilding the temple: so Christ is the chosen of God, and exceeding dear and precious to him; is his righteous servant, and Governor of the church, or King of saints; and who has redeemed and delivered his people from the captivity of sin, and Satan, and the law; and is the builder of his church; who has laid the foundation of it, and will bring in the headstone; and which church is built up in all generations through the conversion of sinners; and that is done, not by external force, by carnal weapons, or moral persuasion; but by the sword of the Spirit, the word of God; and not by the power of man's free will, but by the efficacious grace of the divine Spirit: it is indeed done by power and might, but not of the creature: man, whatever power he has to do things natural, civil, outwardly religions, and materially moral, or however in appearance, has no power to do anything spiritually good; not to think a good thought, nor do a good action, in a spiritual manner; much less to work such a work as the work of regeneration, conversion, and sanctification; since he is dead in sin, and can not quicken himself; his understanding is darkened, yea, darkness itself, and he can not command light into it; his will is stubborn and obstinate, and he can not bend it, and subdue it; his heart is hard as a nether millstone, and he cannot soften it, and repent of his sins, in a truly spiritual, gracious, anti-evangelic manner; his affections are inordinate; and he is a lover of sinful pleasures, and not of God, nor of anything divine, to which his carnal mind is enmity; he cannot believe in Christ of himself; faith is not of himself, it is the gift of God, and so is repentance, and every other grace. The work of grace on the soul is expressed by a regeneration, a resurrection from the dead, a creation, and the new man, or a transformation of a man into another man; all which require almighty power to effect: regeneration is not of the will of man, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God, of Jehovah the Spirit: sanctification is called the sanctification of the Spirit, and every grace of it is a fruit of his; it is he who is the Spirit of life from Christ, that quickens men when dead in trespasses and sins, and enlightens their dark minds with spiritual light, in divine things; it is he that produces evangelical repentance in them, and faith in Christ is of his operation; it is he that begins the work of grace on the heart, and carries it on, and causes to abound in the exercise of every grace, and performs the work of faith with power. The Targum, instead of "by my Spirit", renders it "by my Word".

When we believe, its just the manifestation of us being of those chosen building materials God has Chosen in Christ to construct the Building of His Spiritual Temple 1 Pet 2:5

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

A Spiritual House is another way of saying a Temple or habitation of God Eph 2:20-22

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

So by understanding this, Faith is not of our own by nature, but its a work or production of the Spirit of God in us, to manifest our lively stone status in the building of the Spiritual Temple of the Lord ! 10