Question
You say that we must have enough faith to repent and to follow Jesus. This, I think, is very right. My problem is: How can a man have the repentance and the faith it needs to turn to Jesus? In the Bible it is written (this is a little adapted because I’m portuguese): “I will have mercy on who I will have mercy(…)” (This is Romans 9:15) and also:”Because it is God the one who operates in us (..) according to his good will.” (Philippians 2:13). What does this mean? If God doesn’t have mercy on me I am condemned, right? But if God wants to, He can make me do everything I should do. He can make me thirsty enough to come looking for Him and not going away any more, right? So, can you please tell me how can I have sufficient faith and will to turn to God and do everything He tells me to do?
Answer
Thank you for your visit and your question. As to this, you need to read carefully Acts 2. How was the faith created within those who heard? Also read carefully Romans 10:13-17. Faith is created when we hear the word of God and honestly and actively respond to it. How we react depends on our attitude toward God and his word. See Matt. 13:1-23, Luke 8:4-15.
In other words, God does not take away our responsively as to how we should react to His word. The gospel is God’s power to save people, but it will save only those who believe and obey. These are choices we make, not God makes for us. Rom. 1:16-17, Ch. 6.
As to the passages you mentioned, the one in Romans and one in Philippians, you must note the context of both. They are not saying that God takes away our responsibility in how we respond to Him. Faith is something we do, not what God does for us. However, we cannot brag about what we do because He is the one who has revealed all this to us and provides the resulting blessings (forgiveness of sins and hope of eternal life) and has provided the basis on which all these things are possible (Jesus death, burial, resurrection and ascension to Heaven). He has also created us and given us life. James 2:14-26, Eph. 2:1-10, Rom. 5:1-2, Mark 16:15-16.
By Gary Hunt
