Is Faith a Gift of God?

God is the giver of every good and perfect gift. In the gifts He bestows, there is amazing consistency and generosity (Jas. 1:17). In the physical realm, He is the One who “causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Mt. 5:45).

The consistent and generous nature of God’s spiritual gifts is even more profound in that “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Pet. 1:3). Indeed, He has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…” (Eph. 1:3).

But, amazing as are the gifts of God; they are often conditional in nature. The “free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rm. 6:23). Salvation is free–without cost. It cannot be earned nor can it be achieved through personal goodness or merit. It is undeserved and is given to us as an act of divine favor. Paul explains it this way: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). Salvation is the gift of God. Faith is the condition upon which the gift of salvation is received. Faith is the gift of God only in the sense that He has given us the capacity to receive His message into our hearts. Faith, itself, comes through the word of Christ (Rm. 10:17).

Faith is the gift of God in the same way that repentance is the gift of God. Following the baptisms of the first Gentile converts at the house of Cornelius, the Jews at Jerusalem discussed the matter and concluded: “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18). What did God give the Gentiles? He gave them the ability and opportunity to repent of their sins. This was brought about because the preaching of God’s word produced godly sorrow in their hearts (2 Cor. 7:10).

The idea that God mysteriously gives faith independent of our reception of His word places Him in a precarious position. For if God imparts faith to one person by some means other than through the word of Christ, then He is obligated to do the same for everyone. Otherwise, He becomes guilty of showing favoritism (Acts 10:34-35). If God gives faith to all without exposure to the message of truth, then universalism prevails in that faith is the condition upon which grace is received and salvation subsequently enjoyed (Eph. 2:8). As a result, the message of Christ becomes meaningless; His sacrifice unnecessary; and human beings heartless robots without choice but to call upon the name of the Lord.