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The Gift of Saving Faith

Salvation is by faith, not by works.  Faith is not a work.  In Romans 4:16, Paul writes:  “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace.”  Grace and works are mutually exclusive, and since salvation is by grace alone, faith and works are also mutually exclusive.  Paul then writes in Romans 11:6:

And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

If it is works, it isn’t grace.  If it is faith, then it is grace.  In Philippians 1:29 Paul writes:

For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.

There you see “it is given . . . to believe on him.”  In the very first verse of 2 Peter, Peter writes:

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Justification By Faith Because It Is Not a Work

Peter says that people obtain like precious faith.  In other words, it is given to them.  This is saving faith.  Galatians 2:16 communicates this same truth in a different way:

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.

This is explicit.  We believed that we might be justified by faith and not by works.  Faith can’t be a work, so it must be a gift.  Since it is a gift, how do men receive that gift?  The way God explains it through scripture is that the reception of the gift of saving faith starts with general revelation for everyone.  Since general revelation is enough to vindicate God in his wrath against men (Romans 1:18-20), receiving general revelation will facilitate the provision of God’s Word, special revelation, to the one receiving His general revelation.

The Power of the Word of God and the Work of the Holy Spirit

Saving faith comes by hearing the Word of God.  This specific Word of God that saves is scripture that proclaims the gospel.  The Holy Spirit works through the Word of God toward the provision of saving faith (Ephesians 6:17).  He uses the Word of God to reprove or convict the world of sin, or righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:7-11).  A man is born again through the Word of God and by the Spirit of God (John 3:5-8, Acts 10:44, 1 Thessalonians 1:5, James 1:18, 1 Peter 1:21-25).

Is everyone saved upon the work of the Spirit of God through the Word of God toward salvation?  No.  In his sermon in Acts 7, Stephen says,

Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

People can and do resist the work of the Spirit through the Word of God.  This is again akin to hard heartedness and a worldly heart in line with the parable of the soils (Matthew 13).  This is where a mystery lies.  Faith comes from God, but not everyone receives it.  Some resist this precious gift

Spiritual Warfare

The New Testament gives other descriptions to this work towards saving faith.  The Apostle Paul to the Corinthians calls it spiritual warfare in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5:

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Strongholds (verse 3) like imaginations (verse 5) are in people’s minds.  The preacher or evangelist does not war after the flesh, so he uses spiritual weaponry.  The strongholds are arguments that bring confusion and doubt against saving faith and salvation of the soul.  These deterrents to salvation are cast down with the proper use of the sword.  That is how imaginations are cast down.  Then comes alignment with the knowledge of God and the obedience of Christ.

Not in the Wisdom of Men, But the Power of God

The evangelist does evangelistic work using the Word of God.  He must diagnose the particular perverse imagination or false doctrine that impedes saving faith.  He uses scripture incisively to remove the barrier to saving faith.  Scripture is spiritual, so powerful at doing this, like Hebrews 4:12 says:

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

When one peruses all the evangelism examples in scripture, different approaches are taken to varied people and their situation.  It’s all the gospel, but it customizes its dealing for each unique stronghold.  Every time the evangelist uses scripture.  Saving faith does not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:5).