Quiet Time:
Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. (2 Thessalonians 3:1, 2 ESV)
Not all have faith. If you were to go to the street corner and ask people if they have faith, I bet everyone of them would say, "Of course I have faith!"
This begs the question: "Faith in what? What kind of faith?"
Paul here, is speaking of saving faith. He is speaking of faith that saves from the wrath of God.
For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10 ESV)
This faith is not something that you conjure up from within. It's faith that comes from outside of ourselves. Ephesians 2:8-10 talks about this.
Faith that comes from our own sheer will power to have faith in something is a works based faith. It's me working to have enough faith in God. That is not saving faith.
Saving faith comes as a gift of God that is not a result of our own work to have faith in Him. God gives us the ability to have saving faith in Him. Not of works, lest any man should boast. It's not "I made a decision for Christ" or "I decided to get saved" or "The best decision I made was when I accepted Jesus into my heart." No, no, no! It's "God saved me." or "God gave me the faith to believe in Him". He gets the credit not me! Saving faith is a result of His action on my heart, not my decision or my work of faith.
God gets the glory for saving His people. Not us. And contrary to popular thought, not all people have faith....saving faith, that is.
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