Is faith a work ?

[Wayne222]

Jesus said this is the work of God that you believe in The one he sent. If only we would accept that Jesus did all the work for salvation. Our part is to trust him.

[Guest theElect777]

It's quite amazing that God gave us Faith to believe after hearing the Gospel being preached.   All we have to do is accept the invitation and begin trusting Him which comes from the Faith He has given to us.   When we look at it from an overall view, it's clearly predestination.   It was predestined for our existence, for hearing the Word of God, to have the Faith to accept His invitation, and to put our trust in Him from that Faith.   Then on top of what has been given to us to just believe, we are given Grace.

 

When we think about it, even witnessing is not a works because the Holy Spirit does all of the work.   We are drawn to those we witness to by the Holy spirit.   We speak what the Holy Spirit tells us to speak.   And the Holy Spirit does the rest.   We are just vessels allowing ourselves to be used by God for His Purpose and Will.   I cannot find works anywhere in all that I stated 

[Sower]

20 minutes ago, Wayne222 said:

Our part is to trust him.

Is trust then a work, also?
A free gift must be received, or accepted, by some action on our part.
It seems even thinking is now considered a work by some.
I do not believe when God said salvation is by grace through faith,
and not of works, that believing, trusting, receiving, would be considered a 'work'.......
 

[Wayne222]

2 hours ago, Sower said:

Is trust then a work, also?
A free gift must be received, or accepted, by some action on our part.
It seems even thinking is now considered a work by some.
I do not believe when God said salvation is by grace through faith,
and not of works, that believing, trusting, receiving, would be considered a 'work'.......
 

It is Gods work not ours. If we believe its because of him. If we trust Jesus it's because the holy spirit open our hearts.

[Ray12614]

If I believe that it is going to rain, then I will roll up the windows on my car. What I believe produces action (works). Works does not produce faith. Of course I may be too simplistic, but I like to keep it simple. Of course the thoughts and intents of our hearts factor into this self evaluation as well. Not sure I understand exactly what you are asking, but, that is my 2 cents on the subject.

Grace and Peace .  .  .  Ray . . . 

[LonerAndy]

10 hours ago, Wayne222 said:

Jesus said this is the work of God that you believe in The one he sent. If only we would accept that Jesus did all the work for salvation. Our part is to trust him.

No, faith is not a work per say, but without works you can't really have faith.  Faith involves doing works.

It's kind of like saying you love your wife, but then you refuse to do any works at all that show love.  Do you really love her then?

If you never pick her up when she falls, or buy her food, or give her clothes, or feed her when she's sick, or anything else.... do you actually love her?  It simply must show up somehow in your actions.  Or it's just empty words.

[Faithwilldo]

12 hours ago, Wayne222 said:

Jesus said this is the work of God that you believe in The one he sent. If only we would accept that Jesus did all the work for salvation. Our part is to trust him.

Yes, Christ does all the work, even the work of giving us faith so as to accept Him as Lord.  If we have "trust", then it is only because He gave it to us.  We contribute nothing.  The choice we make is the work of Christ.  If Christ has chosen a person to be saved in this age, He will do all the work to cause to them to believe and accept Him.  If He wanted to save every person in the world at this time, He could easily do it.    

Christ's plan for saving the world is broken down into two groups: 

1).   Those saved in this present age (the Elect/First Fruits/Chosen) 

2).  Those saved at the end of the final age (the rest of mankind with the Jews being last).  

Christ is in full control of His creation.  His purpose is to produce many new sons of God fully made in God's image.  He is our Savior sent by God and He knows exactly how to save each of us.   

1John 4:14   And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

1 Tim 2:3-6  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Dan 4:35  And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of the heavens, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

At the end of the final age, all mankind will be saved!  That is the Good News of Christ!  He does all the work and He will not fail.  

WE HAVE NO "FREE WILL" IN THE MATTER.  

John 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

John 1:12–13  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Eph 1:11   In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Eph 1:4-5  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Jer 10:23  I know, Jehovah, that the way of man is not his own; it is not in a man that walketh to direct his steps.

Phil 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Prov 16:1  The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

Prov 20:24  Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

Dan 4:35  And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of the heavens, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 

Joe

Edited July 13, 2020 by Faithwilldo

[Faithwilldo]

34 minutes ago, Josheb said:

I certainly agree with you that "faith" is a gift.  But you claim that using that "gift" for good works is our responsibility (stewardship).  It is not.  How we use the faith that is given to us is still the work of Christ. 

Also, Christ knows full well that the faith He gives us when He first calls us out of the world is not enough for us to remain faithful.  Our carnal nature prefers the Old Wine of "works". 

Luke 5:39  And no one having drunk old wine straightway wishes for new, for he says, The old is better.

Jam 5:7-8  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.  8  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

As James says, we must receive the early and latter rain of the Spirit in order to produce fruit.  If we are called to follow Christ (early rain), we must wait on Him to provide the latter rain (His second coming to the individual) so that we will produce the spiritual fruit He desires.  It is still all His work.  He is the husbandman and producing fruit or good works within us is His responsibility . 

Simply put, there is nothing that we can contribute towards our salvation.  If there is, then we all have something to boast about concerning why we are saved.  But since scripture says we don't have anything to boast about concerning our salvation, then the Doctrine of Hell loses its justification for anyone to be punished there.  The penalty of sin is death and not eternal torment in hell.  No where in scripture does it say that Christ came to save us from hell.  It says He came to give us life from the penalty of death that we all must pay and to restore mankind relationship with the Father. 

John 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The Doctrine of Hell is completely false and has no justification if those sent there were not responsible for whether they accepted Christ or not.  Christ made us in our carnal, sinful condition we have from birth.  He will also make us into children of God.  

Joe 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Faithwilldo]

7 minutes ago, Josheb said:

False dichotomy. Once brought from death to life and regenerate our use of faith and Christ's use of faith in us are not mutually exclusive conditions. Christ is not a puppet master and we are not marionettes. 

 

I didn't see anything in the verses you quoted that says anything different from what I stated.  Faith is a gift from Christ and the works that are produced from that gift are also His works.  

Isa 26:12  O Jehovah, Thou appointest peace to us, For, all our works also Thou hast wrought for us.

We do not have a free will.  God is the cause of all things.

Prov 16:1  The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

Prov 20:24  Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

Matt 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Though it is a crude analogy, Christ is our puppet master.  He is in full control of all things.  That is why salvation for all mankind is certain.

I assume you believe in the Doctrine of Hell.  Since Christ is 100% responsible on whether a person is saved or not, how do you justify the Doctrine of Hell?

Joe

[Guest theElect777]

What is the Doctrine of Hell?