Is faith a fruit of the Spirit?

eternomade

Well-known member
I believe it is a fruit of the Spirit:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,"
Galatians 5:22 KJV

Is belief a work of man or God?

I believe it is a work of God:

"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."
John 6:28‭-‬29 KJV

Is belief by man's will or God's will?

I believe it is by God's will:

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:37‭-‬40 KJV
 
I believe it is a fruit of the Spirit:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,"
Galatians 5:22 KJV

Is belief a work of man or God?

I believe it is a work of God:

"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."
John 6:28‭-‬29 KJV

Is belief by man's will or God's will?

I believe it is by God's will:

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:37‭-‬40 KJV
I say every Christian will agree with your Verse, and say that yes; faith in this Context is a Fruit of God. But I think some will say Saving Faith isn't a Fruit of the Spirit; because this Faith precedes our being placed in the True Vine...

I'd counter that by saying 'Look at the other Fruits listed in the Verse'. "Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, and Goodness". If Saving Faith is not a Spiritual Gift, then before our Belief in the Truth; none of these are Spiritual Gifts. Our love before we Believe is not a Saving Love. Our goodness before our Belief in the Truth is not a Saving Goodness. It is actually a 'Filthy-Rag' goodness; right? Our faith before Belief in the Truth is likewise Filthy-Rag faith...

So perhaps they are right; our faith before our Belief in the Truth is NOT a Spiritual Gift...

@TibiasDad @Carbon
 
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I say every Christian will agree with your Verse, and say that yes; faith in this Context is the Gift if God. I think some people will agree faith is the Gift of God, but will say Saving Faith is not a Fruit of the Spirit; because this Faith precedes our being placed in the True Vine...

I would counter that by saying 'Look at the other Fruits listed in the Verse'. "Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, and Goodness". If Saving Faith is not a Spiritual Gift; then before Belief in the Truth, none of these are Spiritual Gifts. Our love before we Believe is not a Saving Love. Our goodness before Belief in the Truth is not a Saving Goodness. It is actually a 'Filthy-Rag' goodness; right? Our faith before Belief in the Truth is Filthy-Rag faith...

So perhaps they are right; our faith before Belief in the Truth is NOT a Spiritual Gift...
There are different types or functions of faith.

1 Cor 12:4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, a and to still another the interpretation of tongues. b 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

These are all post regeneration. No unbeliever possesses any of these gifts. Here faith is a special strength of faith that is used for the "common good" of the body of Christ, the Church. This is not saving faith, but encouraging and sustaining faith that is used to build and strengthen the Church.

The fruits of the spirit, however, are more internal in the life of the believer. These are character traits of the growing believers, what their inner spirituality looks like.
Galatians 5: 22-23

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Note that the suffix "ness" is used on a series of words in 22-23, indicating the state of being actively Kind, Good, Faithful, and Gentle. We can only do these things through the Spirit. Thus, they, these types of behavior and lifestyle expressions, are produced by, and are the Fruits of the Spirit in a true believer.

This is not saving faith, but living faith. Faithfulness that is evidence of the reality of the Spirit within the believer. Maintaining an objective and dynamic faith in various types of circumstances and with consistency over time.

Peter, in 2 Pet 1:5-8, makes a similar list, but expresses it more dynamically rather than objectively. We are told to "add to" our objective faith in Christ "goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love...", and this, "in increasing measure". This faith is not saving either, but the objective faith established when we first believed that needs supplemented by these various things such as excellence, knowledge, and perseverance, among other characteristics.

Doug
 
There are different types or functions of faith.

1 Cor 12:4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, a and to still another the interpretation of tongues. b 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

These are all post regeneration. No unbeliever possesses any of these gifts. Here faith is a special strength of faith that is used for the "common good" of the body of Christ, the Church. This is not saving faith, but encouraging and sustaining faith that is used to build and strengthen the Church.

The fruits of the spirit, however, are more internal in the life of the believer. These are character traits of the growing believers, what their inner spirituality looks like.
Galatians 5: 22-23

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Note that the suffix "ness" is used on a series of words in 22-23, indicating the state of being actively Kind, Good, Faithful, and Gentle. We can only do these things through the Spirit. Thus, they, these types of behavior and lifestyle expressions, are produced by, and are the Fruits of the Spirit in a true believer.

This is not saving faith, but living faith. Faithfulness that is evidence of the reality of the Spirit within the believer. Maintaining an objective and dynamic faith in various types of circumstances and with consistency over time.

Peter, in 2 Pet 1:5-8, makes a similar list, but expresses it more dynamically rather than objectively. We are told to "add to" our objective faith in Christ "goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love...", and this, "in increasing measure". This faith is not saving either, but the objective faith established when we first believed that needs supplemented by these various things such as excellence, knowledge, and perseverance, among other characteristics.

Doug
As I suspected, you agree with my first paragraph; right?
 
As I suspected, you agree with my first paragraph; right?
Generally speaking, yes, though Galatians is talking about Fruit, or evidence of the Spirit within us, and the Gift of faith is a dynamic manifestation of the Spirit for the benefit of the body of Christ.

Aside from Eph 2:8-9, which is a very strained attempt of proof, saving faith is not called a gift. (Grammatically, salvation is the gracious gift of God, and is not by works! We are saved by grace, not through our personal works of the law, but through faith, so that no one can boast of earning God's favor of salvation.) It is certainly a gift to be able to believe, but my trust in his promises is something only I can do, though not on my own, or by exercising my own sovereignty over God's.

Doug
 
Generally speaking, yes, though Galatians is talking about Fruit, or evidence of the Spirit within us, and the Gift of faith is a dynamic manifestation of the Spirit for the benefit of the body of Christ.

Aside from Eph 2:8-9, which is a very strained attempt of proof, saving faith is not called a gift. (Grammatically, salvation is the gracious gift of God, and is not by works! We are saved by grace, not through our personal works of the law, but through faith, so that no one can boast of earning God's favor of salvation.) It is certainly a gift to be able to believe, but my trust in his promises is something only I can do, though not on my own, or by exercising my own sovereignty over God's.

Doug
Amen...

Why would Faith be the Fruit of the Spirit once, but not twice? What is the difference between Faith which is the Fruit of God, and faith which is not the Fruit if God?
 
I believe it is a fruit of the Spirit:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,"
Galatians 5:22 KJV

Is belief a work of man or God?

I believe it is a work of God:

"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."
John 6:28‭-‬29 KJV

Is belief by man's will or God's will?

I believe it is by God's will:

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:37‭-‬40 KJV
If as Jesus said in John 3:16 whosoever believes will be saved isn’t true That would make Jesus a liar and I do not believe Jesus lied. When the jailer asked Paul what must I do to be saved Paul responded in Acts 16:31 that to be saved he must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. So was Paul lying ?
 
Amen...

Why would Faith be the Fruit of the Spirit once, but not twice? What is the difference between Faith which is the Fruit of God, and faith which is not the Fruit if God?
We both know and espouse that man can do nothing sans the direct effects of God's movement and provision. Nobody is saved unless God wants to save them. God alone can proclaim and bestow salvation for anyone.

My trust, my capacity for surrendering my will to his, is my capacity alone. I can never initiate reconciliation with God, for all my offerings to him are but filthy rags. But He has promised that if I trust his promises to me, that that is sufficient and he will then count my feeble act trust as righteous and restore the fellowship between us.

He can bring this horse to the water, but only I can stick my tongue out and "taste and see that the Lord is good!"


Doug
 
We both know and espouse that man can do nothing sans the direct effects of God's movement and provision. Nobody is saved unless God wants to save them. God alone can proclaim and bestow salvation for anyone.

My trust, my capacity for surrendering my will to his, is my capacity alone. I can never initiate reconciliation with God, for all my offerings to him are but filthy rags. But He has promised that if I trust his promises to me, that that is sufficient and he will then count my feeble act trust as righteous and restore the fellowship between us.

He can bring this horse to the water, but only I can stick my tongue out and "taste and see that the Lord is good!"


Doug
Amen
 
I believe it is a fruit of the Spirit:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,"
Galatians 5:22 KJV

But not saving faith




Is belief a work of man or God?

I believe it is a work of God:

"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

Faith is man's response to God's truth

God does not believe for you nor does he entrust your will to the object of faith
John 6:28‭-‬29 KJV

Is belief by man's will or God's will?

I believe it is by God's will:

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:37‭-‬40 KJV
Examine why men do not believe

If God unconditionally, unilaterally caused men to believe these make no sense

John 5:31–39 (KJV 1900)
31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. 33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. 34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. 35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. 37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. 39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

John 5:41–47 (KJV 1900)
41 I receive not honour from men. 42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. 43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. 44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

John 6:45 (KJV 1900)

45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

John 8:43–47 (KJV 1900)

43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
 
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I believe it is a fruit of the Spirit:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,"
Galatians 5:22 KJV
Yes, living habitually in faith of God is a result of the Holy Spirit in one's life.
Is belief a work of man or God?

I believe it is a work of God:

"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."
John 6:28‭-‬29 KJV
No offense intended, but your question is based upon a wrong concept of the documented conversation. Jesus admonished them for seeking Him out because He feed bread to five thousand, not because they were feeding off His teaching. He told them not to be so concerned for food that spoils, but work for the food that lasts forever. Jesus simply answered that the works that God wants is for them to believe in Jesus. The only doctrine we can reasonable ascertain from this is, God wants us to believe in Jesus to be justified and not by performing moral or righteous acts and deeds.IE: Not killing anyone, not stealing, not lying, giving to the poor. While God most certainly wants this, these works of the Law do not merit us eternal life as the Jews thought.

Belief is a mental act of placing trust or confidence in another. It is not a work of the Law. Many of the Jewish people thought they were performing the works that God wanted and they would not learn from our Lord no matter how many miracles He performed.

Is belief by man's will or God's will?

I believe it is by God's will:

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:37‭-‬40 KJV
Belief is by God's and person's will actually.

God purposed the salvation of man because He loves us. He sent His Son to ransom us from sin, death, and judgement and justify us by His sacrificial death, and all of this man receives by faith.

We know the only action that God wants from man is to repent-have a change of mind and believe in the Good News of Jesus Christ. And we know that faith comes from hearing God's Word, and the Good News is certainly God's Word. So it takes God's grace to give the invite to eternal life, and for man to receive it by faith. God's Word is active, cutting to the heart and exposing our thoughts and intentions. It is alive and active for it is inspired by the Spirit of God, and He convicts the hearer, but the hearer must be receptive of God's testimony about his sin and need for salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Some people refuse to believe, as Jesus told Nicodemus, "God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” (Joh 3:19-21)

So God provides the reason to believe; the internal invite to believe, and it is up to man to believe.

God bless
 
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If as Jesus said in John 3:16 whosoever believes will be saved isn’t true That would make Jesus a liar and I do not believe Jesus lied. When the jailer asked Paul what must I do to be saved Paul responded in Acts 16:31 that to be saved he must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. So was Paul lying ?
No but you often leave out the very next verse.

Can you please answer the OP?
 
I say every Christian will agree with your Verse, and say that yes; faith in this Context is a Fruit of God. But I think some will say Saving Faith isn't a Fruit of the Spirit; because this Faith precedes our being placed in the True Vine...

I'd counter that by saying 'Look at the other Fruits listed in the Verse'. "Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, and Goodness". If Saving Faith is not a Spiritual Gift, then before our Belief in the Truth; none of these are Spiritual Gifts. Our love before we Believe is not a Saving Love. Our goodness before our Belief in the Truth is not a Saving Goodness. It is actually a 'Filthy-Rag' goodness; right? Our faith before Belief in the Truth is likewise Filthy-Rag faith...

So perhaps they are right; our faith before our Belief in the Truth is NOT a Spiritual Gift...

@TibiasDad @Carbon
Nor is our saving belief in the truth a spiritual gift
 
I believe it is a fruit of the Spirit:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,"
Galatians 5:22 KJV

Is belief a work of man or God?

I believe it is a work of God:

"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."
John 6:28‭-‬29 KJV

Is belief by man's will or God's will?

I believe it is by God's will:

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:37‭-‬40 KJV
Right on brother!
 
I say every Christian will agree with your Verse, and say that yes; faith in this Context is a Fruit of God. But I think some will say Saving Faith isn't a Fruit of the Spirit; because this Faith precedes our being placed in the True Vine...

I'd counter that by saying 'Look at the other Fruits listed in the Verse'. "Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, and Goodness". If Saving Faith is not a Spiritual Gift, then before our Belief in the Truth; none of these are Spiritual Gifts. Our love before we Believe is not a Saving Love. Our goodness before our Belief in the Truth is not a Saving Goodness. It is actually a 'Filthy-Rag' goodness; right? Our faith before Belief in the Truth is likewise Filthy-Rag faith...

So perhaps they are right; our faith before our Belief in the Truth is NOT a Spiritual Gift...

@TibiasDad @Carbon
Yes our faith before we are quickened is just a humanistic historical type of faith which saves no one. It don’t amount to much more than a wish.
 
Yes our faith before we are quickened is just a humanistic historical type of faith which saves no one. It don’t amount to much more than a wish.
Is not the issue on whom one responds with faith; faith on the Lord Jesus Christ saves, faith itself does not save.
 
Is not the issue on whom one responds with faith; faith on the Lord Jesus Christ saves, faith itself does not save.
Yes I know, according to you the dead can do all sorts of things. Lazarus was walking around in the tomb as a zombie until Jesus recognized his effort of faith before calling him out.
👍
 
Yes I know, according to you the dead can do all sorts of things. Lazarus was walking around in the tomb as a zombie until Jesus recognized his effort of faith before calling him out.
👍
Lazarus is never used as an example of soteriology

Scripture does show the dead can hear and believe

John 5:24–25 (KJV 1900)
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

John 20:31 (KJV 1900)
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
 
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