Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent (John 6:29).
Among the many points of controversy swirling among professing Christians is this one. Does a Christian’s faith/belief in Christ originate with himself, (man being the cause), or is a Christian’s faith/belief in Christ the effect of a miraculous work of God in the hearts and minds of His Elect, (God being the cause)?
Many, many sincere, sober and serious Christians hold to the theory which has man the cause of his faith.
This ability to believe they attribute to the power of man’s free will which can either believe or not believe. Man makes the ultimate determination as to his final destiny.
But what saith the Scriptures?
For if faith is the alone powerful work of God in His people then one would expect the Scriptures to state such a fundamental and critical truth unambiguously.
And this is exactly what Jesus does when He unequivocally states that believing on Him is the result of God’s working in you.
And that working is efficacious in all those He loves (John 3:16).
They are the same ones the Father gave the Son to redeem (John 3:17; John 17).
For not only does faith work through love (Galatians 5:6), the love of God works faith in those He loves.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).
We Christians owe our every blessing to God, who decreed in eternity that we should become new creations in His Son, thanks to His omnipotent power working all things necessary for us to successfully accomplish the work He called us to do.
The initial blessing all Christians receive is the gift of faith which God works in us (Ephesians 2:8-9).
As Christians we have nothing of which to boast, including faith, which is not of ourselves.
Furthermore, the work of faith God began in us is only the beginning of the work He has purposed to successfully undertake on our behalf.
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).
The strength, spirit and determination of the Christian’s will is derived from God, as is the Christian’s ability to perform those works that are pleasing to Him.
For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).
The will to believe in Christ is the work of God, not the work of man.
To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power (2 Thess. 1:11).
Faith is the powerful work of God.
We Christians were not accepted by God because of anything good in us, including faith.
It is God who made us accepted in His beloved Son, to the praise of the glory of His grace (Ephesians 1:11).
Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3).
We are His workmanship, remember? He made those — who once hated Him — His people, His sheep.
In fact, Paul equates the same power which raised Christ from the dead as the same power which worked in us, raising us, who were spiritually dead, to a living faith in Christ (Ephesians 1:19-20).
Scripture is unanimous in attributing our faith to the gracious, omnipotent power of God efficaciously working in us.
Work of God Part 2: Christ finished the work of God He was sent to do on Earth.
Work of God Part 3: What is proof one possesses eternal life?
Work of God Part 4: Why did Christ constantly emphasize He was sent of God?
Work of God Part 5: The Holy Spirit is sent to effectually apply those gifts.