Scripture Majority Doctrine

[Vincent]

Majority scripture doctrine.
For example .. Matt 9:22; says "your faith" .. (not God's faith)
Matt 15:28; ... "your faith" (not someone else)

In fact when things don't happen... Jesus says it's because YOU
don't have enough faith. (It's not because God doesn't have enough faith).
Matt 17:20; . because of the LITTLENESS of YOUR faith.

Mark 2:5; THEIR faith.
Mark 5:34; YOUR faith.
Mark 10:52; YOUR faith.
Luke 7:50; YOUR Faith.

Again Jesus asks the disciples... "where is YOUR faith"? Luke 8:25;

Luke 8:48; YOUR faith.
Luke 17:19; YOUR faith.

Jesus even prays for Peter ... "that YOUR faith may not fail" Luke 22:32;

There are many more... Rom 1:8; Rom 11:20; 1 Cor 25; 1 Cor 15:14;
1 Cor 15:17; 2 Cor 10:15; Php 2:17; Col 1:4; Col 2:5; 1 Thes 1:8; 1 Thes 3:2; etc... all of these verses (every one) contain the phrase "YOUR faith".

2 Cor 13:5; says test yourself... to see if YOU are in the faith.
(or should we test God to see if He is in the faith?)

So with all of these verses that seem to contradict Eph 2:8-9;
YOUR faith vs not YOUR faith (God's faith). I have two questions.

All these verses refer rightly to our faith that was given to us by God. If a stranger gave me a skittles package, it is my skittles but I didn't earn the money to buy it, go to the store, purchase it and the find me and give it to me. These works were all done by another, but it is still my skittle package. Just the same as gods gift of faith, it is not gods faith but ours given to us by god.

First... why would you build a doctrine on a single verse that goes against 20 other verses.

In my opinion we need to take clear passages first, then less clear then ambiguous passages in that order to arrive at doctrine. EPH 2 is a clear passage that supports God gives us our faith and we don't have any involvement in it. There is not just one passage that teaches this 2 Pet 1:1, Phi 1:29, Acts 3:16 indicate faith is a gift, not a work.

Second... it the light of this "contradiction" could it be that Eph 2:8-9; aren't really wrong or contradicting... they are just interpreted wrongly.

Perhaps the emphasis should be on "by grace" you are saved... (through faith)
and that not of yourselves... (we don't have the ability to give the grace of salvation to anyone).. This is the gift of God. Grace...

That's not to say that all men do not have faith... (at least a little).
But it's OUR faith that heals us... OUR faith that saves us... OUR faith that makes things happen.

When things don't happen... it's because of OUR unbelief ( Matt 13:58; Mark 6:6; Rom 11:20;Heb 3:19; etc... ) Does God take back the faith He gives us?
Or is it simply OUR faith that is weak sometimes?

In Romans 11... we see some of the branches were broken off of the tree...
because of "THEIR" unbelief... not Gods unbelief (does He not believe in Himself?)

Whether we have faith or not... is our decision, our choice.
It's not because God gives faith to some, but not to others.

God doesn't choose for anyone not to be saved. The danger of the doctrine
of "only God gives faith" is that when someone goes to hell, it's Gods fault.
He didn't give them enough faith. This leads to fatalism... It didn't happen, so it must have been what God planned. Sometimes things don't happen because of OUR unbelief.

But.. sometimes we get so brainwashed hearing the same phrase over and over again... it just becomes a part of our belief.

... to be continued... (more doctrines, built on single verses)

In 1 John 5:14 it says that god will hear us if our faith and prayers are according to his will. We can have faith as small as a mustard seed and move mountains if it is in gods will. So when we are not healed, or mountains don't move because of our lack of faith it is because we are not totally aligned with gods will usually due to sin or pride. If we muster enough faith to do things without god then we can boast in our own accomplishments which Romans 1:27 says we cannot. These are my thoughts for what they are worth.

 

[B-A-C]

All these verses refer rightly to our faith that was given to us by God. If a stranger gave me a skittles package, it is my skittles but I didn't earn the money to buy it, go to the store, purchase it and the find me and give it to me. These works were all done by another, but it is still my skittle package. Just the same as gods gift of faith, it is not gods faith but ours given to us by god.

The point being... they're now you're skittles. Not mine.
Also God gives faith to all men... but not all men are saved.

I believe in your previous post.. you said non-believers "would be condemned". (are condemned already).

 

[Vincent]

The point being... they're now you're skittles. Not mine.
Also God gives faith to all men... but not all men are saved.

Your right. I can use that faith any way I choose, but if I use it in accordance with gods will (1 Jn 5:14) then I will be saved and can do other things lined out in scripture. Kind of like if I use the skittles package to inflate my tire it will be useless. If I use it for my or other peoples enjoyment of the delicious candy then it is being used in accordance with the creators intent and is very useful.

I believe in your previous post.. you said non-believers "would be condemned". (are condemned already).

You are correct.

 

[Curtis]

Even if a child of God was completely "faithless" in a specific area of his / her life, God remains faithful to that person, because he (God) can not deny himself!
What do I mean "deny" himself? God can not deny Jesus Christ who just so happens to be our new life living in us who is himself.

2 Tim 2:13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

 

[Curtis]

Faith is very very specific to the promise (Word) from which it came from. This is why you can not take "saving faith" which came after hearing the Gospel of your salvation, to bring healing to your body. Saving faith is only for salvation, not healing. If we need healing for our body then we have to get healing faith from those promise(s) (Word) that say so, No wonder most believers do not understand this, which is why they have faith in certain areas, and zero faith in others.

 

[B-A-C]

2 Tim 2:13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

Yes, God believes in Himself. But what does that have to do with us remaining faithful?

 

[Curtis]

Yes, God believes in Himself. But what does that have to do with us remaining faithful?

If a child of God is faithless in a specific area of his / her life the Lord God does not punish them for that, they just simply will not benefit what that promise(s) gives then until they do.
All children of God have already overcome this world because of their faith in Christ. No one can become un_born again, and if a child of God gets off track from where he / she is suppose to be their Father will correct, chastise, and if necessary punish that person until they get back on track. Every single person who belongs to the Lord he does this too. If a person is not a child of God the Lord does nothing to that person because they do not belong to him. God the Father has total trust and faith in his Son who happens to be our new life!!