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Home > Feasting upon Christ > Question: Is faith a gift from God? In two of your books you state it both ways, supporting both with the same scripture reference, Ephesians 2:8.

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Question: Is faith a gift from God? In two of your books you state it both ways, supporting both with the same scripture reference, Ephesians:2:8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
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. “When God gives the faith to know for certain that He is going to grant our request...only then can we believe that we receive [it] from Him” (In Defense of the Faith [2], p. 185). But in What Love is This? on page 361 you say, “...the subject of the preceding seven verses is salvation [3], not faith....It is not saving faith, but being saved that is God’s gift.” Which is it?

Answer: Just as our life and breath and all that we are comes from Him, faith, too, is a gift from God. There is, however, a special gift of faith which causes us to know beyond any doubt that God will answer a particular prayer. Ordinarily, we can only pray “according to thy will” and trust Him for the outcome. But there are times when we know by a God-given confidence that a prayer is going to be answered. These are rare occasions—at least in my life. Such faith is not the subject of Ephesians:2:8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
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and that reference was a bad choice. Thank you for pointing that out.

Yes, the subject of Ephesians:2:8-10 [8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
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is not faith, but salvation [3], a salvation [3] that is ours by faith without works. 

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Source URL: https://www.thebereancall.org/content/july-2003-q-and-a-2

Links:
[1] https://www.thebereancall.org/bible/1/EPH/2/8#v8
[2] https://store.thebereancall.org/shop?&search=in%20defense
[3] https://www.thebereancall.org/taxonomy/term/57/salvation
[4] https://www.thebereancall.org/bible/1/EPH/2/8-10#v8