Another King James Bible Believer

I have heard some of my "I chose of my own free will to believe in Christ" brethren try to get around the clear teaching of Scripture that we were chosen IN CHRIST before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will" (Ephesians 1:4-5) by telling us that we "get in Christ by believing the gospel".

Well, though there is not a single verse in Scripture that teaches this, even if it were so, the questions come down to two: 1. How did we get "in Christ" and 2. Why do we believe and others do not?

The way we get "in Christ" is pretty simple.  It is GOD who puts us in Christ.

Scripture tells us that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, and in 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 we read:

"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: BUT GOD HATH CHOSEN the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and GOD HATH CHOSEN the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, HATH GOD CHOSEN, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are; That no flesh should glory in His presence.  BUT OF HIM ARE YE IN CHRIST JESUS who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."  

It is God Himself who puts us "in Christ" both in time and before the foundation of the world, and it is God Himself who gives us the faith to believe in His Son as our Redeemer. ALL the glory goes to Him and none to ourselves for this wonderful salvation we have.

Another reason given in Scripture why SOME CANNOT BELIEVE is because God blinds their eyes and hardens their hearts.

John 12:37-40 "But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him; That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE, BECAUSE that Esaias said again, HE (God) HATH BLINDED THEIR EYES, AND HARDENED THEIR HEART; THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SEE with their eyes, NOR UNDERSTAND with their heart, AND BE CONVERTED, and I should heal them."

Does God appoint certain men to unbelief?  

Yes, Scripture says that He does. In 1 Peter 2:7-9 we read: "Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to THEM WHICH STUMBLE AT THE WORD, BEING DISOBEDIENT; WHEREUNTO ALSO THEY WERE APPOINTED, BUT YE ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."  

GOD closes the eyes and ears of the non-elect.

"What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but THE ELECTION hath obtained it, AND THE REST WERE BLINDED. (According as it is written, GOD HATH GIVEN THEM THE SPIRIT OF SLUMBER, EYES THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SEE, AND EARS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT HEAR;) unto this day."  Romans 11:7-8

Jude 4 tells us: "For there are certain men crept in unawares, WHO WERE BEFORE OF OLD ORDAINED TO THIS CONDEMNATION, ungodly men, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."

Romans chapter Nine makes these truths abundantly clear for those who have ears to hear and eyes to see.  Here we read:

"Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, AND WHOM HE WILL HE HARDENETH. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, OF THE SAME LUMP to make one vessel unto honour, AND ANOTHER UNTO DISHONOUR? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering THE VESSELS OF WRATH FITTED TO DESTRUCTION: And that he make know the riches of his glory on THE VESSELS OF MERCY, WHICH HE HAD AFORE PREPARED UNTO GLORY, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?"  Romans 9:18-24

The reason true Christians believe the gospel is because God Himself gives us the faith to believe the gospel.

"Looking unto Jesus THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH" - Hebrews 12:2.  

Who authored our faith? JESUS did.  That is why in the King James Bible it speaks so many times about how we are justified "by THE FAITH OF CHRIST". If we are a true Christian, born of God and not of the will of the flesh, it is because HE did it and then gave us the faith to believe in what He had already done for us at the cross of Calvary.

That is why it is called "THE FAITH OF GOD'S ELECT" - Titus 1:1

Romans 12:3 "For I say, through the grace given unto me, TO EVERY MAN THAT IS AMONG YOU, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as GOD HATH DEALT TO EVERY MAN THE MEASURE OF FAITH."

The "every man" in the context is the "every man among you" or those who are already Christians. That is whom the apostle Paul was writing to.  "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints....I thank God through Jesus Christ for YOU ALL, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world."  Romans 1:7-8 

Not everyone has faith. 2 Thessalonians 3:2 "for all men have not faith" and obviously there are unbelievers.  

"And to whom share he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them THAT BELIEVED NOT. So we see that they could not enter in BECAUSE OF UNBELIEF...but the word preached did not profit them, NOT BEING MIXED WITH FAITH in them that heard it...and they to whom it was first preached entered not in BECAUSE OF UNBELIEF."  Hebrews 3:18-19; 4:2 and 6.

If you think you got this faith to believe all on your own, then you are guilty of the very thing Paul cautions us against. You are thinking of yourself more highly than you ought to think.

Philippians 1:29 "For UNTO YOU IT IS GIVEN in the behalf of Christ, not only TO BELIEVE ON HIM, but also to suffer for his sake."  

Did you get that? If you are among those who believe the gospel, it is because IT WAS GIVEN TO YOU TO BELIEVE ON HIM.  Words can't be much clearer than this.

Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD."

As a side note, some argue that the gift is not faith, and I actually agree with them on this. The word "that" in "and that not of yourselves" is the neuter singular demonstrative pronoun - touto.   It cannot refer specifically to faith, which is feminine, nor to grace, which also is feminine, and certainly not to "ye are saved" because this is a verb (a masculine participle) and not a noun, and pronouns do not refer back to verbs but only other nouns. 

Rather the word "that" refers back to the whole idea encompassed by the phrase "by grace ye are saved through faith" and THAT not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Saving faith is included in this grace that is given to God's elect people.  

GOD gives the increase

I Corinthians 3:5-7 KJB "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom YE BELIEVED, EVEN AS THE LORD GAVE TO EVERY MAN? I have planted, Apollos watered, BUT GOD GAVE THE INCREASE.  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, BUT GOD THAT GIVETH THE INCREASE." 

This carnal church of believers was in danger of splitting apart at the seams because they had their focus on different great teachers instead of seeing Christ as the source of their salvation and author of their faith.

It is the Lord Himself who gives the gift of faith to His own people. This is clearly what the verse teaches and is confirmed by the very next verse: "I have planted, Apollos watered; BUT GOD GAVE THE INCREASE."

Man can sow the word of truth and another can come along and water it with more teaching, but unless God quickens it and produces life, it is all in vain.  

"And the apostles said unto the Lord, INCREASE OUR  FAITH."   Luke 17:4

"Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, WHEN YOUR FAITH IS INCREASED, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,"  2 Corinthians 10:15. 

Notice that the verb "is increased" in English as well as in Greek is a passive verb. In other words, someone else (God) is increasing it in you. You are not doing this yourself.

The RV 1881, ASV 1901, Coverdale 1535, Bishops' bible 1568, the Geneva,  NKJV, Darby 1890, Young's 1898, Complete Apostles' Bible 2005. Lexham English Bible 2012, Modern English Version 2014, Hebrew Names Version 2014 and Spanish all agree with the KJB - "ministers by whom ye believed, EVEN AS THE LORD GAVE TO EVERY MAN?". 

Spanish Reina Valera - "¿Qué, pues, es Pablo, y qué es Apolos? Servidores por medio de los cuales habéis creído; y eso según lo que a cada uno concedió el Señor.

However the NASB says "servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord GAVE OPPORTUNITY to each one."

The NASB has italicized this word "opportunity", but is changes the meaning to fit more with modern, easy on the ears, flattering to the ego and promoting self esteem theology of today's "I chose of my own free will to believe the gospel and got saved" Christians. The NASB implies that God only gives you the opportunity to believe, but the decision is up to you. This is false doctrine.  

The NIV gives this verse a whole new slant than even the NASB. The NIV says: "servants, through whom you believed--AS THE LORD HAS ASSIGNED TO EACH HIS TASK."

There are no words in any text anywhere that say "his task". By this ruse, the NIV simply changes the meaning and says the tasks of Paul and Apollos was to preach, and avoids here the whole doctrine that God is the Giver of saving faith.

The ESV is similar to the NIV in that it says: "What then is Apollos?  What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, AS THE LORD ASSIGNED TO EACH." 

The Holman Standard 2009 likewise adds words to the text that totally change the meaning. It says: "They are servants through whom you believed, and each has THE ROLE the Lord has given."

There are no Greek texts that read this way.

Likewise Dan Wallace's NET version does the same thing - "Servants through whom you came to believe, and each of us IN THE MINISTRY the Lord gave us."

The Catholic Connection

Since "free will" theology is the official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, it is no surprise that their "bible" versions would likewise add words to the text to change the meaning from something God does (He gives the increase of faith) to something man does.

The Catholic Connection

The Catholic Douay 1950 says: "What then is Apollos? What indeed is Paul?  They are servants of him whom you have believed - SERVANTS according as God has given to each TO SERVE."  The capitalized words are NOT in the Greek text, and this reads like the NASB.  

The Catholic St. Joseph NAB 1970 reads like the NIV and ESV. It says: "After all, who is Apollos?  And who is Paul? Simply ministers through whom you became believers, EACH OF THEM DOING ONLY WHAT the Lord ASSIGNED HIM."

This is the type of thing that is referred to in another letter to the Corinthians by the Holy Ghost when Paul said "For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God".

Some Commentators

John Gill - "but ministers by whom ye believed: they were servants to Christ and to his churches, and not lords; they did not assume any dominion over men, or pretend to lord it over God's heritage; there is but one Lord and master, and that is Christ, whom they served, and taught others to obey; THEY WERE ONLY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE HAND OF GOD, BY WHOM SOULS WERE directed, encouraged, and BROUGHT TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST; AS FOR FAITH ITSELF, THAT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, THE OPERATION OF HIS POWER, AND OF WHICH CHRIST IS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER; THEY LAID NO CLAIM TO THIS AS THEIR WORK, or imagined they had any dominion over it; THAT THEY COULD EITHER IMPLANT IT, OR INCREASE IT OF THEMSELVES; but thought it honour enough done them, that it came by their ministry."

"even as the Lord gave to every man; gifts to minister with, and success to his ministry; making him useful to this and the other man, TO BRING HIM TO THE FAITH OF CHRIST; ALL OF WHICH IS OWING TO THE FREE GRACE AND SOVEREIGN GOOD WILL AND PLEASURE OF GOD."

Charles Spurgeon - 1 Corinthians 3:5-6.  "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.  Let God, then, have all the glory. Be grateful for the planter, and grateful for the waterer, ay, and grateful to them as well; but, still, let the stress of your gratitude be given to him without whom watering and planting would be in vain."  

Matthew Poole's English Annotations - "NEITHER PAUL, NOR YET APOLLOS, ARE AUTHORS OF FAITH TO YOU, BUT ONLY INSTRUMENTS; IT IS THE LORD THAT GIVETH TO EVERY MAN A POWER TO BELIEVE." 

The same truth that God gives us the faith and causes us to believe is taught in the Old Testament as well.  In Psalms 119:49 we read the following words: "Remember the word unto thy servant, UPON WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE."  

A similar thought is expressed in that great Messianic Psalm 22 where we read in verse 9: "But thou art he that took me out of the womb: THOU DIDST MAKE ME HOPE when I was upon my mother's breasts."

Ephesians 1:19 "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power TO US-WARD THAT BELIEVE, ACCORDING TO HIS MIGHTY POWER."

Tyndale notes in the margin of his translation of this verse: "Faith is the work of God only, even as the raising up of Christ."

The same power that raised up Christ, is the power of God that causes us to believe the gospel. This truth has been obscured in the NASB and NIV.

John Gill comments on Ephesians 1:19 " And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe,.... The objects of the divine power here intended, are believers in Christ... and shows, that this power is that which is exerted in the implantation of faith, and in the continuance of it, and in the finishing of that work; and that this is a great power, an exceeding great one: the greatness of this power as displayed in the work of conversion and faith appears, if it be considered what the work itself is called, a creation, a resurrection from the dead, a regeneration, and a transformation of the man into another man, which must needs require almighty power."

Ephesians 3:12 - KJB "In whom (Christ Jesus) we have boldness and access with confidence BY THE FAITH OF HIM." 

The underlying Greek phrase here is very clear, yet many modern versions have totally mistranslated it. 

"By the faith of him" is quite literally "through the faith of him". That is exactly what it says. And this is also the reading of Wycliffe 1395 - "bi the feith of hym.", the Great Bible 1540 -"which is by the fayth of hym.", even the Douay-Rheims! 1582 "by the faith of him", The Beza N.T. 1599, Whiston's N.T. 1745 "by the faith of him.", Webster's Translation 1833, Darby 1890 "by the faith of him", Rotherham's Emphasized bible 1902, the KJV 21st Century 1994, The Work of God's Children Bible 2011 and the Jubilee Bible 2010 -"by the faith of him." 

However there are many versions that do not give us the correct translation here.  The Revised Version 1881, RSV and ESV say "through OUR faith IN him." There is NO text that reads this way. There is no word "our" and no word for "in". The whole meaning of the verse is changed. 

The NKJV, NASB, NIV and Holman unite in saying "through faith IN him." Again, this is not an accurate translation at all.

And others go even further in changing the meaning.  The brand new International Standard Version says: "through HIS FAITHFULNESS." and Dan Wallace's goofy NET version says: "In whom we have boldness and confident access TO GOD BECAUSE OF CHRIST'S FAITHFULNESS."

Dan Wallace has added the words "TO GOD", "BECAUSE OF" and CHRIST'S" to the verse with ZERO textual support. He just made this up and it totally changes the meaning of the verse.

Scripture speaks of "THE FAITH OF GOD'S ELECT" Titus 1:1

We are told that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith - Hebrews 12:2 "Looking unto JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH."

 If we go through the book of Acts where the recorded preaching occurred, there is not a single example that follows anything like the so called Four Spiritual Laws. We will never find the phrase "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life."

In fact, the word "love" is not even found in the entire book of Acts at all. Instead what we see are the facts presented about who Jesus is and that wicked hands crucified him, but that he rose from the dead.

Neither is there any mention in the book of Acts about "choose Christ", BUT we do read God saying of the apostle Paul after he appeared to him on the road to Damascus when he was killing Christians - "he is A CHOSEN vessel unto me" (Acts 9:15) and "The God of our fathers HATH CHOSEN THEE, that thou shouldest know HIS WILL, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth."

Sometimes we see people ask "What shall we do?" or they are simply told to Repent and believe, and be converted so that their sins may be blotted out.

But only those who are God's elect people have ears to hear this message and respond to it.

And that is exactly what we see in places like -

Acts 3:16 "yea, THE FAITH WHICH IS BY HIM (not just 'in' him, but 'by' Him) hath given him this perfect soundness "

Acts 18:27 "he helped them much WHICH HAD BELIEVED THROUGH GRACE." It wasn't just that they believed "in" grace, by it was 'through grace' that they believed.

Acts 14:27 "they rehearsed all that God had done among them, and how HE HAD OPENED THE DOOR OF FAITH unto the Gentiles." If God doesn't open the door, there is no faith.

Acts 16:14 "Lydia...WHOSE HEART THE LORD OPENED, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of by Paul"

Acts 15:9 "and put no difference between us (believing Jews) and them (believing Gentiles) PURIFYING THEIR HEARTS BY FAITH." 

God purified their hearts by faith, not 'because of' faith. God did it and He did it by faith which He himself gave them. It was not "their free will choosing to believe".

Acts 13:48 "and AS MANY AS WERE ORDAINED TO ETERNAL LIFE BELIEVED."  

Their having been ordained to eternal life preceded their believing. The reason they believed is because God had ordained them to faith in the gospel.

So, IF "free will" theology is right, could you please explain for us what this verse means here in Acts 13:48?

Who ordained them to eternal life? Did this appointing to eternal life come before their believing the gospel or afterwards? And is there any mention at all about man's "free will" in the entire book of Acts at all?

John 6:29 - "Jesus answered and said unto them, THIS IS THE WORK OF GOD, THAT YE BELIEVE on him whom he hath sent."  

It is God's work that we believe.

Matthew Henry - "This is the work of God that ye believe. Note, (1.) THE WORK OF FAITH IS THE WORK OF GOD. They enquire after the works of God (in the plural number), being careful about many things; but Christ directs them to one work, which includes all, the one thing needful: that you believe, which supersedes all the works of the ceremonial law; the work which is necessary to the acceptance of all the other works, and which produces them, for without faith you cannot please God. IT IS GOD'S WORK, FOR IT IS OF HIS WORKING IN US, IT SUBJECTS THE SOUL TO HIS WORKING ON US, and quickens the soul in working for him, (2.) THAT FAITH IS THE WORK OF GOD which closes with Christ, and relies upon him. It is to believe on him as one whom God hath sent, as God's commissioner in the great affair of peace between God and man, and as such to rest upon him, and resign ourselves to him."

John Gill - "Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God,.... The main and principal one, and which is well pleasing in his sight; and without which it is impossible to please him; and without which no work whatever is a good work; AND THIS IS THE OPERATION OF GOD, WHICH HE HIMSELF WORKS IN MEN; IT IS NOT OF THEMSELVES, IT IS THE PURE GIFT OF GOD."

1 Peter 1:21 "WHO BY HIM BELIEVE IN GOD that raised him up from the dead"

Again, it is BY HIM that we believe in God.

2 Peter 1:1 "TO THEM THAT HAVE OBTAINED LIKE PRECIOUS FAITH WITH US through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ".

They obtained this faith, they did not have it to begin with and then did their part to exercise it.

1 Corinthians 12:9 "For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom... TO ANOTHER FAITH BY THE SAME SPIRIT."

Galatians 5:22 one of the parts of the fruit of the Spirit is faith. The Spirit produces faith, though many new versions have changed this to 'faithfulness'.

Galatians 5:22 KJB - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, FAITH"

The Fake Bibles like the NKJV, ESV, ASV, NASB, NET, NIV, ISV,  have FAITHFULNESS, while the most recent Roman Catholic version, the New Jerusalem bible 1985 has TRUSTFULNESS.

 pistis = Faith

Reading like the King James Bible's FAITH are Wycliffe 1395, the Bishops' bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1587, the older Catholic Douay-Rheims 1582, The Beza N.T. 1599,  Whiston's N.T. 1745,  Young's 1898, Worrell N.T. 1904, Bible in Basic English 1965, New Life Version 1969, Green's literal 1985, the Laurie Translation 1998, Third Millennium Bible 1998, World English Bible 2000, The Tomson N.T. 2002, The Resurrection Life N.T. 2005, the Holman Standard 2009, Jubilee Bible 2010, The Conservative Bible 2010, Modern English Version 2014, The Far Above All Translation 2014 and The Modern Literal New Testament 2014.

2 Corinthians 10:15 "when your faith is increased". This is a passive verb. Someone else increases our faith. It is the Lord, as even the apostles recognized when they said to Him in Luke 17:5 "Lord, increase our faith."

"The Faith OF Christ"

One of the many serious changes being made in the modern bible versions is how they are altering the phrase "the faith OF Christ". Many times the phrase "by the faith OF Jesus Christ" has been changed to "by faith IN Jesus Christ" by such versions as the NKJV, ESV, NIV, NASB, Jehovah Witness NWT, Holman, NET and the modern Catholic versions like the  St. Joseph NAB 1970 and the New Jerusalem bible 1985.

The older Catholic versions like the Douay-Rheims 1582 and even the Douay of 1950 got these verses right, reading: "the faith OF Christ".

See for example Romans 3:22; Galatians 2:16, 20; 3:22; Ephesians 3:12; Philippians 3:9; James 2:1; Revelation 2:13; and 14:12.

Romans 3:22 "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith OF Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference."

Galatians 2:16 "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith OF Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith OF Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

Here the NKJV, NIV, NASB, Holman and the modern Catholic versions have all changed this to "faith IN Jesus Christ", thus changing the truth that this faith comes from Jesus Christ and instead implying that it comes from ourselves.

This is not a question of Greek texts differing, because they all say the same thing - the genitive of possession or source. We speak of the birth of Christ, the death of Christ, the resurrection of Jesus, the body of Jesus, the cross of Christ, the riches of Christ, the kingdom of Christ, the glory of Christ, and many other things using the same grammatical construction, but suddenly the NKJV, NAS, NIV, Holman, modern Catholic versions and the Jehovah Witness NWT and most modern bibles now have "through faith IN Jesus Christ."

"by faith OF Jesus Christ"

Reading "by faith OF Jesus Christ" are Wycliffe 1395, Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew's Bible 1549, the Bishops' Bible 1568, the Douay-Rheims bible 1582,  the Geneva Bible 1587, the Beza New Testament 1599, the Bill Bible 1671, Wesley's N.T. 1755, Webster's bible 1833, Morgan N.T. 1848, Julia Smith Translation 1855, the Emphatic Diaglott N.T. 1864, the Alford N.T. 1870, Davidson N.T. 1876, the Dillard N.T. 1885, Darby 1890, Young's 1898, Godbey N.T. 1902, the Douay Version 1950, The Word of Yah 1993 - "by faith OF Yahshua the Christ", Interlinear Greek N.T. 1997 (Larry Pierce), the Lawrie Translation 1998, the Third Millennium Bible 1998, God's First Truth 1999, the Tomson N.T. 2002, A Conservative Version Interlinear 2005, The Revised Geneva Bible 2005,  the Concordant Version 2006, the Bond Slave Version 2009, the Hebraic Transliteration Scripture 2010, the English Jubilee Bible 2010, the Biblos Interlinear Bible 2011, The Aramaic N.T. 2011, The Work of God's Children Illustrated Bible 2011, the Revised Douay-Rheims Bible 2012 = "by faith OF Jesus Christ", The Hebraic Roots Bible 2012 - ?even the righteousness of Elohim through the faith OF Yahshua Messiah?, and The Modern Literal New Testament 2014 - "through the faith OF Jesus Christ".

The Hebraic Transliteration Scriptures 2010 has "that we might be justified by the faith OF Mashiach, and not by the works of the Torah" (Gal. 2:16)  and "I live by the faith OF the Ben Elohim" (Gal. 2:20)

The Aramaic Bible in Plain English 2012 says: "that we should be made right by the faith OF The Messiah"

The Italian Diodati of 1649 and La Nuova Diodati of 1991 Galatians 2:16 - is the same as the King James Bible, reading: "ma per la fede DI Gesù Cristo"

The Spanish Sagradas Escrituras of 1569 and the Spanish Reina Valeras from 1602 to 1995 as well as the Reina Valera Gómez of 2010 all read just like the King James Bible with: "para ser justificados por la fe DE Cristo y no por las obras de la ley"

The French Martin Bible 1744 - "afin que nous fussions justifiés par la foi DE Christ"

The Portuguese La Biblia Sagrada em Portugués - " para sermos justificados pela fé DE Cristo"

The 2009 Romanian Fidela Bible - "ca sa fim declarati drepti prin credinta lui Cristos "

However the ASV of 1901 changed about half of these references to "the faith OF Jesus Christ" to faith IN Jesus Christ, and from then on all the references have been changed in the NKJV, RSV, NASB, ESV, Jehovah Witness NWT, the modern Catholic versions and the NIV.

The Catholic Connection

Among the Catholic versions we see the usual confusion.  The older Douay-Rheims 1582 and the 1950 Douay both read like the King James Bible with: "that we may be justified by the faith OF Christ", but the more modern 1970 St. Joseph New American Bible and the 1985 New Jerusalem both read "justified by faith IN Christ".

Some recent modern versions have changed the meaning of the verse, but have retained the word "OF".  The International Standard Version 2014, The Common English Bible 2011 and Dan Wallace and company's NET version of 2006 read: "so that we may be justified by THE FAITHFULNESS OF  Christ and not by the works of the law"

Some then argue that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 It is true that God uses His word as the means to awaken the faith which He Himself gives to His elect. The question to ask is, Who gives us ears to "hear" the word of God? God does, of course. He opens the understanding of some and closes the eyes and ears of others.

"What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but THE ELECTION HATH OBTAINED IT, AND THE REST WERE BLINDED (According as it is written, GOD HATH GIVEN THEM THE SPIRIT OF SLUMBER, EYES THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SEE, AND EARS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT HEAR;) unto this day." Romans 11:7-8.

"Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day." Deuteronomy 29:4

"Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures." Luke 24:45.

"Looking unto JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH" - Hebrews 12:2.

He is its source, its fountain, the giver, and the perfector of our faith. Every good and perfect gift is from above, and faith is a gift from God. "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." John 3:27.

2 Thessalonians 2:10-14 shows a great contrast between two groups of people. Verses 10-12 describe those who "received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousnes."

Then verses 13-14 describe the other group in stark contrast. "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because GOD HATH FROM THE BEGINNING CHOSEN YOU TO SALVATION through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

This "whereunto" refers back to the whole process of salvation. We were chosen from the beginning, set aside by the Spirit and called to believe the truth, and it is God Himself who gives us the faith to believe. It is ALL of God and NOTHING IS OF US.

If you believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose again, then believe also what the Holy Bible says about Who gave you this saving faith to believe these things and let us give Him all the glory.

Repentance is also a gift of God 

Just as God Himself gives us the faith to believe the gospel, so too He gives Repentance. In Acts 5:31 the apostle Peter says in his preaching: "Him (Christ) hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, FOR TO GIVE REPENTANCE to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." 

("For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel...but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." - Romans 9:6-8)

Again, in Acts 11:18 when Peter is before the brethren in Jerusalem telling them how God had sent him to preach to the Gentiles the gospel of the grace of God and how God had given them the Holy Ghost just as He had to the Jewish believers, we read: "When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, THEN HATH GOD ALSO to the Gentiles GRANTED REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE." 

In 2 Timothy 2:24-25 the apostle Paul writes to Timothy telling him how to deal with those who hold false doctrines.  He tells him: "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; IF GOD PERADVENTURE WILL GIVE THEM REPENTANCE to the acknowledging of the truth." 

The same truth is taught in the Old Testament.  In the book of Jeremiah we read: "Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; TURN THOU ME, AND I SHALL BE TURNED; for thou art the LORD my God. Surely AFTER I WAS TURNED, I REPENTED."  Jeremiah 31:18-19.  

Lamentations 5:21 "TURN THOU US UNTO THEE, O LORD, AND WE SHALL BE TURNED; renew our days as of old."

It is recorded in 1 Kings when the prophet Elijah was contending with the false prophets of Baal and telling the people of Israel - "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him."  In his prayer to the Lord God Elijah then says: Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and THAT THOU HAST TURNED THEIR HEART BACK AGAIN." 1 Kings 18:37

Objections Raised:

A Bible corrector, who thinks he can "correct" any and all bible versions out there according to his own understanding, wrote to me on a public forum saying: "It's NOT the faith "of" Christ...Christ has no faith, He has SURE KNOWLEDGE! Biblical faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen. What is not seen by CHRIST? What things require EVIDENCE for Him to know? Does he guess at or hope for ANYTHING? WHAT DOES CHRIST NOT KNOW?"

To whom I answered: For those who have ears to hear, let's take a closer look at what the Bible says regarding the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. The Book of Hebrews presents us with the Person of Jesus as our pattern to follow. (and much more of course too).

However in Hebrews 12:1-3 we read: "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."

We are to look to the human side of Jesus as he walked here on earth before He accomplished our redemption on the cross, and finally ascended up into heaven where He now sits at the Father's right hand.

Did Jesus have faith while on earth in his human body? Did He trust God and hope in His word when he underwent trials and persecution? Absolutely.

Psalm 22 is all about the Lord Jesus and there we read in verses 7-9 "All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He TRUSTED ON the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. But thou are he that took me out of the womb: THOU DIDST MAKE ME HOPE when I was upon my mother's breasts." (The verse is again referenced in Matthew 27:43)

When Scripture later on talks about "the righteousness of God which is by faith OF Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe" (Romans 3:22) it is teaching that this saving faith comes not from the fallen and spiritually dead natural man, but rather the source and fount of this faith is Jesus Christ Himself.

The construction of the language here in Romans 3:22 where it speaks of "the righteousness OF God" is the same when it speaks of "the faith OF Jesus Christ". Both the righteousness and the faith come from the godhead, not man.

Saving faith is a gift from God to His elect sheep and children. Jesus Himself is the Author and Finisher of this faith that God gives to His people. That is why the King James Bible and several others are theologically correct when they call this "the faith OF the Son of God" - He is the source and originator (author) of this faith. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." James 1:17

"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." Matthew 11:15  

Great Sermon (5 minutes) by Elder D.J. Ward - God is Sovereign

"If Jehovah goes after ya, He's comin' back with ya"

"Were it not that God had chosen some, heaven would have none."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9oQQnCjbIw

Notes From the Internet

I got this response from a man about Romans 12:3 where the apostle says: "For I say, through the grace given unto me, TO EVERY MAN THAT IS AMONG YOU, not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as GOD HATH DEALT TO EVERY MAN THE MEASURE OF FAITH." Here is his "explanation" of the passage. He writes:

Mr. C. wrote: "God has already given every man enough faith to believe the gospel (Romans 12:3; I Cor. 3:5). "All" means "all", and "every" means "every.""   

My Response:

This has got to be one of the most poorly thought out pieces of nonsense I have ever seen to try to "explain" Romans 12:3. If God has given to every single individual "enough faith to believe the gospel" then by necessity every individual without exception is a believer. If words have any meaning at all, then this is the only logical conclusion any person with two fingers of functioning forehead can come to. And it obviously is wrong, not to say even moronic and totally against the plain truth of Scripture to affirm that God has given to every man enough faith to believe. IF God gave the faith to believe, then they believe. If words have any meaning at all, then it is as simple as that.

Mr. C's totally illogical and self contradictory statements illustrate the extremes the "I chose of my own free will to believe" side will go in a vain and silly attempt to "explain away with meaningless and self contradictory nonsense" what the Scriptures clearly say.

His absurd statement also affirms to some degree that it IS GOD HIMSELF who gives this faith, and to this part I agree. That is what the Scripture in Romans 12:3 SAYS. But Mr. C's absurd assumption with NO Scripture to back it up at all, is that even though God gave every individual the faith to believe the gospel, yet many somehow magically still do NOT believe and will be lost.

The only thing "lost" here is the presence of any semblance of God given common sense and logic. And the free will side calls something like what Mr. C just gave us "an explanation"!

Once a born again Christian sees the absolute truth of God's electing grace unto salvation and that it is totally of God's doing, the free will side's arguments are seen as the complete nonsense and utter absurdity that they are. We are indeed dumb as rocks until God opens our understanding and reveals what the Scriptures so plainly say and teach.

May God give us the grace to pray as David did - "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." Psalm 119:18

More Notes From The Internet

Art posts: "Believing makes the difference between heaven and hell."

Art, WHO gives us the faith to believe and WHO hardens the hearts of others so that they cannot believe?  Hint: "unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ...to believe on Him" (Phil. 1:29) - "Therefore  THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE, because He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart" John 12:39-40.

No where else is the natural state of rebellion, hatred towards God and blindness of the human heart seen so clearly then when it refuses to believe in God's numerous references to the fact that it is HE who does the choosing unto salvation - "God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation" - 2 Thes. 2:13; "Ye have NOT chosen Me, but I HAVE CHOSEN YOU" - John 15:16; that the new birth is "NOT OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH, nor of the will of man, BUT OF GOD" - John 1:13, and that the purpose of God according to election is "NOT OF HIM THAT WILLETH, not of him that runneth, but OF GOD that sheweth mercy." - Romans 9:16

If God's election is not the truth and He did not want to confuse us, Why does God Himself so many times call His people "the elect" and "the elect whom He hath chosen" - Mark 13:20; "mine elect" - Isaiah 45:4; 65:9, 22?  Why even use the word if it doesn't mean what a plain reading of the Scriptures would have us believe?

As God says to Job "Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct Him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it." - Job 40:2.  And as recorded in that classic chapter on the election of God even from the womb, He writes: "Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find fault? For who hath resisted His will? Nay, but O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, Why hast Thou made me thus?" - Romans 9:19-20.

Notes from the Internet - Matthew 13:15 with John 12:37-40 -  Objection made and answered.

Some "free will" Arminians wish to overthrow John 12:37-40 "But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him; That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE, BECAUSE that Esaias said again, HE (God) HATH BLINDED THEIR EYES, AND HARDENED THEIR HEART; THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SEE with their eyes, NOR UNDERSTAND with their heart, AND BE CONVERTED, and I should heal them."

Then then make reference to  Matthew 13:15 "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."

What they fail to see or understand is that when it says "their heart is waxed gross", this is a passive verb. It was done to them. And we know that from John 12 and other passages that it is God who did this to them.

And when God turns a man over to himself and his own sinful nature, he then actively closes his eyes and does not understand.

It is same thing we see with Pharaoh. God first says that He will harden his heart, then we read of God hardening his heart, and his heart was hardened, and also that Pharaoh hardened his heart.

But it all begins with God. God is the one who choses unto salvation, not man. God is the Potter and we are but the clay. And it is God who makes of the same lump the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction and the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory. Romans 9

 Romans 11:7-8

- 7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

GOD gives the spirit of slumber and eyes that they should not see. And when God turns a man over to his own sinful nature, he then willingly sins and rebels against God.

For me it is not hard at all to put together these verses because from a Monergistic point of view, it all makes sense. But the Arminian "free will" theology does NOT make sense at all. They have to totally ignore or "blow off" all these other verses in order to prop up their false theology.

Let me ask you Arminians a question about just one verse. Can you explain it to me from your point of view? 

"As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life TO AS MANY AS THOU HAST GIVEN HIM." John 17:2

As I understand it, there is a specific number of people that God has already given to the Son and it is to these, and these alone, that Christ gives (not "offers", not "makes possible" but "gives") eternal life.

Is there any other way to explain this verse?

Thanks.

Will Kinney

Return to Articles - http://brandplucked.webs.com/articles.htm 

Objections from the "free will" Fantasy club.

David Pallmann tells us: "Author" means founder or pioneer"

Oh, really?

Oxford Dictionary - author

An originator or creator of something.

Verb - to author

Be the originator of; create.

American Heritage Dictionary - author

An originator or creator.

Merriam Webster Dictionary - author

: one that originates or creates something : SOURCE

Answering another silly objection. -

Nick Camilleri, who doesn't have a clue what he is talking about, says: " David Pallmann It's interesting how Will goes to great lengths to prove things, and will often go to the Greek to do so, but when the Greek goes against his teaching, then he instead references modern dictionaries.

The word for author in the Greek is archegos:

Archegos: The chief leader, prince, one that takes the lead in any thing and thus affords an example, a predecessor in a matter, pioneer

But that doesn't fit his theology, so he tosses it aside. Just like he does with all the "God gives faith" verses. I already showed him how "the measure of faith" in Romans 12:3 is a spiritual gift (it's obvious from the context), and a similar concept shows up in Eph 4:7-12, but you know, if he actually read the Bible in context, he would have to go back and update a LOT of the articles he has written that he uses to spam FB forums, and that would just be too painful for him." (end of Nick's comments)

My Response-

Nick, you are flat out wrong on both counts.

Don't just cherry pick your definitions.  Not only does the KJB say that Jesus is the author of faith, but so too do the Geneva Bible, the Revised Version 1881, Young's 1898, ASV 1901, the NASB 1995, NKJV, Modern English Bible 2014 and several others.  The Holman Standard says he is the Source of faith.

You suppose there just might be a reason for this?

Yes, there is. That is one of the primary meanings of the Greek word archegos.

Liddell & Scott Greek English Lexicon page 252.

archegos - beginning, originating, first cause, originator

Baer, Arndt, Gingrich Greek-English Lexicon page 112.

archegos - one who begins something, originator, founder

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon page 77

archegos - THE AUTHOR.

This is one of the primary meanings of the word.

And as far as your ridiculous claim that the faith that God has dealt to every man among them was, as you mistakenly say, "the measure of faith is a spiritual gift (it's obvious from the context)" only shows how you can't read or understand basic English.

Romans 12:3-8 

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Romans 12:3 refers to the measure of faith that God had dealt or given to every man among them. They were all believers in Christ.  Then verses 4 through 8 speak of the different members of the body to whom were given different spiritual gifts that differed among them.

Not all of them were given the gift of prophecy or ministry, or teaching, or exhortation, or that of ruling.  This should be obvious to all but the dullest of minds.  And as for those who had the gift of prophecy they should prophesy according to the proportion of faith.

The gift spoken of in verse  6 was prophecy, not the previous mentioned faith that was given to all of them.  And the gift of prophecy should be exercised ?according to the proportion of faith?.  This could refer to either the proportion or amount of faith that the individual prophet had, or, more likely, the phrase means that the prophecy should be in proportion to or agreement with the faith, meaning the body of Christian doctrine we hold to and believe.

In other words, the prophecies have to be in agreement with the doctrines of the Christian faith and not contradict it.