FAITH & FAITH OF GOD

FAITH & FAITH OF GOD Concerning the term “God’s faith,” I offer the following.

Ephesians 2:8-9has reference to eternal salvation. The faith spoken of in the text is that which is “implanted” in the heart of every elect child of God somewhere between conception and death. Both the grace and the faith are the gift of God, spoken of in the text.Romans 12:3is teaching that every child of God will receive “the measure of faith,” and that is the same usage of the word faith that is used inEphesians 2:8-9. He is the originator of faith and the work of grace that is done in the inner man (soul and spirit, commonly referred to as the heart) will not be made ineffectual by the temporal unbelief of the Jews, (or Gentiles either, for that matter).

“Faithfulness” and “having faith” are not the same thing. The text inRomans 3:25is indeed worthy of serious consideration. However, the faith spoken of there is the same as that spoken of inEphesians 2:8-9, andRomans 12:3. The faith received in regeneration is “faith in His blood.”Galatians 2:16seems to be against me. “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” No man is justified without faith. Thanks be to God, He has supplied that faith to His elect as a free gift.

There IS a usage of the word faith as pertains to “the body of truth contained in the Scriptures.” It seems that when the words “the faith” are used that it most often speaks of the Body of truth contained in the Scriptures. This is seen inGalatians 1:22-24, and inJude 1:3, as well as other places. However, I am not convinced that this is the case withRomans 3:3. The just live by the faith that was implanted in regeneration and by the exercise thereof throughout their lives. That faith is enhanced, guided and instructed by the Scriptures, the gospel etc. In speaking of the work of God through Christ with respect to the eternal covenant, I would not say that “God had complete trust and confidence in the Son with which He covenanted...” but rather that he had complete knowledge and therefore, I would not use the word faith in connection with this.

There are texts which speak of the “faith of God,” or the “faith of Christ.” The terms “faith of God,” and “faith of Christ” ARE biblical terms. The words “through faith” inEphesians 2:8do not refer to “God’s faith in His Son,” but rather, to the faith given as a gift of God to every elect child of God in regeneration.

FAITH The gift of faith enables the newborn soul to function in the spiritual realm, an ability he did not have prior to his quickening. {John 3:3;John 3:5;1 Corinthians 2:14} It also gives the individual the ability to believe, or, if you please, “ears to hear.” {Revelation 2:7;Revelation 2:11;Proverbs 20:12;Matthew 11:15}