Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly indicates that faith is a gift from God, which aligns with the belief that He initiates our salvation.
The relationship between faith and salvation is a crucial doctrinal point in Reformed theology. According to Ephesians 2:8-9, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.' This demonstrates that faith is not something we conjure up on our own, but rather, it is a gift that God bestows on those He has chosen. Just as we see in the account of the Samaritan woman, her faith in Christ was awakened by Jesus’s own revelation of Himself to her. This reflects the broader teaching of Scripture that God sovereignly enables us to respond in faith.
Scripture References:
Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:17, John 4:10-14
Commentary