Why do some people believe and some do not?
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Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Our believing is a volition response acknowledging the word is true (primarily the Gospel unto salvation) but only the word has the power to generate saving faith. No amount of our volition can produce the confidence that comes with faith.
I can say "I believe the sun will rise tomorrow" but I will only be relatively sure it will, not absolutely certain.
Whereas if the Lord Himself said to me it will? Then I would be 100% certain it will rise. Faith is only faith when it is based upon the truth of God's word. Thy Word is truth!
Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Our believing is a volition response acknowledging the word is true (primarily the Gospel unto salvation) but only the word has the power to generate saving faith. No amount of our volition can produce the confidence that comes with faith.
I can say "I believe the sun will rise tomorrow" but I will only be relatively sure it will, not absolutely certain.
Whereas if the Lord Himself said to me it will? Then I would be 100% certain it will rise. Faith is only faith when it is based upon the truth of God's word. Thy Word is truth!
Agree.
My question was based in what you said that had to do with Faith being a gift - a battleground I may not get deep into if it turns into one. The way you said what you said earlier, prompted my question. FWIW, I was positive to what you seemed to say.
Well it's in a way that God judged them because they rejected God. God even went further and gave them a reprobate mind where us Believers are Blessed and given eternal salvation.
I think it would have to be simply knowing that there is a God... But then knowing that there is a God it would seem to be incumbent upon the person to discover who that God is and what purpose He had in creating us in the first place. It is only the fool who says in his heart that there is no God. And it's interesting to note here and I'm as much giving a reminder to myself that it is in our heart that we believe... So really our heart needs to be changed before we can do that... And God says He will.
Scripture does say that we are given a measure of Faith and that everything we have comes from God. I know in my own life that faith the size of a mustard seed moved the mountain of my unbelief... And it was a pretty big mountain!
An example of how one has faith.
Psalm 119:11
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
When you hear the word, acknowledge it's veracity and trust in it, you find yourself with faith but it is not your hearing or volition response that has the power to produce the faith, but rather the power lies in the word.
And I should point out the whole process is happening under the ministry of the Spirit and also that faith is not static, it grows, or at least it should grow.
Does that help explain?
It helps explain your thinking, yes. I like your first paragraph: Hear the Word > acknowledge its veracity (acknowledge its truth) > trust in it: Faith. 2nd paragraph also.
Thanks!
Are or were you a student of RBT?
I thought faith was being persuaded by the word and trusting it to be truth. For example, God said to Abraham that his seed would be innumerable, and Abe was persuaded that God was telling the truth and of his own will believed
Faith
G4102 πίστις pistis (piy'-stis) n.
1. a trust.
2. a firm persuasion, a confidence.
John 3:16 proclaims whoever believes that Jesus is what He claims will have everlasting life.
And I am talking about the difference between believing and rejecting God.
not you saying anything like this, of course, but just that the view you have lends itself to it.
if i am saved but the person next to me isn't, and all else was equal except i made a better decision about responding to the gospel, then i could brag that i was smarter than the other person, i was wise while they were stupid, i did something good, that they didn't do.
and i was saying, we don't see Paul expressing anything like that. we see instead he says his conversion was due to the grace afford to him.
Never hesitate. Make the move to enter the covenant with the greatest urgency......like Rahab and the Gibeonites.
And don't worry about the details and shaky faith. God will fill in the gaps.
[Mar 9:24 KJV]
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
And never waste time equivocating foolish philosophy with the Calvinites, lest they deceive you and the ship of salvation sails away.
Thanks for the reply, but can you please answer my question: they know about God or they know God?
It's definitely know about God and not knowing God. I was just trying to evaluate how to proceed in the discussion.
They know enough to reject God. That means they are more than just aware there is a God but that they should be mindful of God. And the fact they reject God is why God gives them a reprobate mind.