Through his article “Through Faith…”, Don Fortner addresses the doctrine of faith as it pertains to the believer's relationship with God, particularly exemplified in Sarah's ability to conceive despite her old age. Fortner argues that true faith transcends human reasoning and is a supernatural gift from God, independent of evidence or rational justification. He references Hebrews 11:11, highlighting how Sarah's belief in God's promise exemplifies such faith. The author underscores that saving faith is a divine revelation, affirmed by 1 Corinthians 2:7-15 and emphasizes the Reformed understanding that faith cannot be produced by human effort but is solely the work of the Holy Spirit. The significance of this doctrine lies in affirming the sovereignty of God in granting faith, enabling believers to trust in divine promises even under circumstances that defy human logic.
Key Quotes
“She just believed God because God gave her the blessed gift of faith.”
“True saving faith...is a supernatural thing.”
“No one can or will believe God until and unless God the Holy Spirit gives him faith.”
“If we truly believe God it is because God has wrought his work of grace in us.”
What does the Bible say about faith?
The Bible describes faith as a supernatural gift from God that enables believers to trust in His promises without evidence.
In 1 Corinthians 2:7-15, Paul explains that the wisdom of God is hidden from the wise and prudent, revealing that true understanding of spiritual matters comes only through divine revelation. Thus, faith is not merely an intellectual exercise; it is an act of the will empowered by the Holy Spirit. It enables believers to perceive truths that fall outside the realm of human reason, validating the supernatural dimensions of saving faith, as described in Ephesians 2:8. This confirms that without God's intervention and grace, no one would believe Him or His promises.
Hebrews 11:11, 1 Corinthians 2:7-15, Ephesians 2:8
Why is faith important for Christians?
Faith is essential for Christians because it connects them to God's promises and enables salvation.
Furthermore, true faith goes beyond mere intellectual assent; it involves a heartfelt trust in God’s character and His promises. As highlighted in the scripture, genuine faith is not self-generated but is the work of the Holy Spirit. This divine operation fosters a living relationship with Christ, allowing believers to navigate life’s challenges with confidence in God’s faithfulness, as seen in the example of Sarah. Her ability to conceive against all odds illustrates how true faith can achieve the seemingly impossible, reinforcing the idea that faith is indeed a reflection of God's power at work within us.
Hebrews 11:6, Ephesians 2:8
How do we know saving faith is true?
Saving faith is true as it is a supernatural gift from God, enabling belief in the gospel beyond human reason.
Moreover, saving faith produces genuine repentance, a love for God and His commands, and a growing desire for righteousness, as the Holy Spirit works within the believer’s heart. This supernatural faith develops a new perspective, allowing individuals to see life through the lens of God's sovereignty and grace. When examining one's faith, if it leads to a deeper relationship with God, fuels passion for His Word, and compels action consistent with His teachings, it serves as a robust indicator of its truthfulness.
Ephesians 2:8, 1 Corinthians 2:7-15
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. - Hebrews 11:11“Through Faith…”
“Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.” Hebrews 11:11
Sarah believed God. She believed his promise, trusted his Word, without anything to back it up, without any evidence, without any basis in human science, history, or reason. She just believed God, because God gave her the blessed gift of faith.
All things spiritual are utterly beyond the scope of human reason. The gospel of Christ and all that is revealed in the gospel is irreconcilable to human reason. The things of God are totally contrary to what the depraved mind and heart of man considers common sense. The Divine Trinity, the Fall of our race in Adam, Eternal Election, the Incarnation, Substitutionary Redemption, and Free Salvation are all matters utterly beyond the reach of human reason.
These are things which every heaven born soul sees, believes and rejoices in; but things which no unregenerate man can reconcile in his own mind with “common sense.” Why? The Holy Spirit gives us the answer in 1 Corinthians 2. That which is the wisdom of God is hidden from the wise and prudent of this world. It can be known only by divine revelation (1 Cor. 2:7-15).
Not only is it true that the gospel itself is beyond the reach of human wisdom, contrary to the depraved mind’s idea of “common sense,” but faith, true faith, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in and by whom alone the triune God reveals himself, is totally contrary to human reason, contrary to it because it is so far above it that reason cannot grasp it.
True, saving faith (Faith in Christ—Faith in the living God) is a supernatural thing. Faith does the impossible, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and touches the intangible. I fear that the vast majority of those who profess to have faith in Christ have nothing more than faith in their faith. Their faith is all talk, theory and emotion. Not so with true faith! Most religious people have a faith that has been, in one way or another, produced by men. There is nothing at all supernatural about it. True, saving faith, this supernatural faith, faith that believes God without evidence, without proof, without any foundation except God himself, is the gift and operation of God. In other words, no one can or will believe God until and unless God the Holy Spirit gives him faith.
If you and I believe God, if we truly believe God, it is because God has wrought his work of grace in us by the omnipotent power and grace of his Spirit, as Paul puts it, “according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead” (Eph. 1:19-20). This faith is the gift and operation of God (Eph. 2:8; Col. 2:12; Phil. 1:29). It cannot be had or explained in any other way.
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