Is faith a work?
Discussion
13 comments
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No.
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Yes, faith is a work. It’s God’s work.
Faith – the work of God
“This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” John 6:29
This verse is seen and understood in two very different ways. One way ends up contradicting the other Scriptures, and the other way confirms them in a surprising manner.
John chapter 6 is full of very interesting and controversial statements our Lord Jesus Christ made. In fact, in this chapter in John 6:66 (interesting numbers;-) we read: “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”
What were some of these “hard sayings” our Lord uttered that resulted in the “many” who had once followed him, now went back?
He told them in v.36 “ye also have seen me, and believe not.”
He then goes on to say: “ALL that the Father giveth me SHALL COME to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37
“And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of ALL WHICH HE HATH GIVEN ME I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.” John 6:39
“NO MAN CAN COME TO ME, EXCEPT the Father which hath sent me DRAW HIM: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:44
Notice that the verse teaches that the individual man that the Father has given to the Son and draws to him WILL BE RAISED UP at the last day, and will not be lost.
Those who oppose the doctrines of sovereign grace are then quick to refer us to John 12:32 which says: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, WILL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO ME.”
Yet they misunderstand the meaning of the verse in the context it is given, and end up contradicting numerous other verses of God’s Book.
See my article on this verse here –
http://brandplucked.webs.com/john1232iwilldrawall.htm
The Lord Jesus then goes on to tell these people who end up “going back, and walking no more with him” – “Therefore I said unto you, that NO MAN CAN COME TO ME, EXCEPT IT WERE GIVEN UNTO HIM OF MY FATHER.” John 6:65
So what exactly does the Lord Jesus mean in John 6:29 where he says “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”?
These people were asking the Lord what WORKS (plural) THEY COULD DO, and the Lord Jesus is in effect telling them that the only WORK (singular) that is of any value is the one God does.
It is GOD’S WORK THAT WE BELIEVE.
Just as other Scriptures tell us.
“For UNTO YOU IT IS GIVEN in the behalf of Christ, not only TO BELIEVE ON HIM, but also to suffer for his sake.” Philippians 1:29
“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 12:3The “every man” in the context is the “every man among you” – those who were already converted Christians to whom Paul is writing.
Not everyone has faith. 2 Thessalonians 3:2 “for all men have not faith” and obviously there are unbelievers.If you think you got this faith to believe on your own, then you are guilty of the very thing Paul cautions us against. You are thinking of yourself more highly than you ought to think.
For much more on this, see my article “Why do some believe the gospel and others do not?” here –
http://brandplucked.webs.com/originoffaith.htm
A section of Scripture that is often quoted and yet misunderstood by those who think “they chose by their own free will to believe” is Ephesians 2:8-10
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
“Not of works, lest any man should boast.
“For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”The “free willers” tell us that it was THEIR faith that made all the difference, and when the Scripture says that this salvation is “NOT of works, lest any man should boast” they are quick to tell us “Oh, but faith is NOT a work. It’s just the hand that reaches out and accepts the gift.”
Yet the Lord Jesus Christ clearly tells us in John 6:29 that faith, or believing, IS a work. “This is the work of God, that ye believe”. The work is either man’s work or God’s work; and if it is man’s work, then you are teaching salvation by works. It really is that simple. Just connect the dots. “for we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED in Christ Jesus”
So, whom should we believe? Those who tell us that they came up with this saving faith that makes all the difference between those who are saved and those who are lost, and that this contribution of theirs is “NOT a work”, or God who clearly tells us that it IS a work. In fact, it is HIS work?
This shouldn’t be a “tough call” guys. You either believe God or man.
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Commentators as well as professing Christians are divided, as they are on most things. But here are a few comments you might want to consider and pray about. Ask God to reveal his truth to you and give you a heart to accept it.
Notice that The First London Baptist Confession of Faith, 1646 lists John 6:29 as a proof text that God gives the gift of faith.
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/1646lbc.htm
XXII.Faith is the gift of God, wrought in the hearts of the elect by the Spirit of God; by which faith they come to know and believe the truth of the Scriptures, and the excellency of them above all other writings, and all things in the world, as they hold forth the glory of God in His attributes, the execellency of Christ in His nature and offices, and of the power and fulness of the Spirit in its workings and operations; and so are enabled to cast their souls upon His truth thus believed.
Eph. 2:8; John 6:29, 4:10; Phil. 1:29; Gal. 5:22; John 17:17; Heb. 4:11,12; John 6:63.
John Gill on John 6:29 – “Verse 29. Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God,…. The main and principal one, and which is well pleasing in his sight; and without which it is impossible to please him; and without which no work whatever is a good work; AND THIS IS THE OPERATION OF GOD, WHICH HE HIMSELF WORKS IN MEN; IT IS NOT OF THEMSELVES, IT IS THE PURE GIFT OF GOD THAT YE BELIEVE ON HIM WHOM HE HATH SENT; there are other works which are well pleasing to God, when rightly performed, but faith is the chief work, and others are only acceptable when done in the faith of Christ. THIS, as a principle, IS PURELY GOD’S WORK; as it is an act, or as it is exercised UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DIVINE GRACE, it is man’s act: “that ye believe”; the object of it is Christ, as sent by the Father, as the Mediator between God and men, as appointed by him to be the Saviour and Redeemer; and believing in Christ, is believing in God that sent him.”
Matthew Henry on John 6:29 – “THE WORK OF FAITH IS THE WORK OF GOD. They enquire after the works of God (in the plural number), being careful about many things; but Christ directs them to one work, which includes all, the one thing needful: that you believe, which supersedes all the works of the ceremonial law; the work which is necessary to the acceptance of all the other works, and which produces them, for without faith you cannot please God. IT IS GOD’S WORK, FOR IT IS OF HIS WORKING IN US, and quickens the soul in working for him, (2.) THAT FAITH IS THE WORK OF GOD which closes with Christ, and relies upon him. It is to believe on him as one whom God hath sent, as God’s commissioner in the great affair of peace between God and man, and as such to rest upon him, and resign ourselves to him.”
John Trapp’s Commentary on the Bible (English Puritan) – Ver. 29. “This is the work of God, the το εργον. It is an easy matter to believe (thinks the worldling), but he that goes about it shall find it as hard a work to believe the gospel, as to keep the law. FOR GOD MUST ENABLE TO BOTH. Non minus difficile est nobis velle credere It is no less difficult for us to wish to believe than for a corpse to wish to. (saith Beza) quam cadaver; volare.”
Are you among those whom God has given to the Son and has drawn to himself and who will be never be lost but will be raised up at the last day? I certainly hope so.
Let us be as Peter who said in John 6:68-69 after “many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him” and Jesus asked if they too will go away.
“Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life, And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”
ALL of grace, believing the Book – the King James Holy Bible.
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Labour to stay in rest. Hebrews 4:11
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No!
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Yes and no just like being baptized. You dont get baptized to get saved but once you are saved the holy spirit works in you to making you want to be baptized. So is the same with works you don’t do works to be saved but trough being saved you will want to do works.
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Faith is a gift from God.
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Not according to Paul. He contrasts it with works.
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No
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Faith requires Action!!!!
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Nope. Works are meritorious. Faith is not meritorious. It’s just something God states He will respond to with salvation.
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Faith is not a work as we can read a lot of verses that contrast faith and works. However, works are results of faith.
Romans 9:32 KJV
Wherefore? Because they sought it NOT BY FAITH, but as it were BY THE WORKS of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;Galatians 2:16 KJV
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.
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