Is Faith Given
to Everyone?
The post you are about to read is adapted from Chapter 21 of my book The Flower Falls: A Careful Examination of Calvinism’s TULIP. The entire book is available here in blog format, but you can find it in print form on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, or ask for it at your favorite bookstore.
As we saw here, the Scriptures state pretty clearly that Jesus died for all and the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all people (2 Corinthians 5:15, Titus 2:11). Nevertheless, Calvinists claim God gives faith to some people and not to others; so, in effect, not everyone can believe and be saved. This belief can be traced back to Augustine of Hippo who wrote in the fifth century: “Faith, then, as well as in its beginning as in its completion, is God’s gift; and let no one have any doubt whatever, unless he desires to resist the plainest sacred writings, that this gift is given to some, while to some it is not given.”[1]
Augustine’s claim is foundational to Calvinism’s TULIP, and Ephesians 2:8 is often used as support for it: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Many five-point Calvinists say the gift Paul wrote of here is faith, and the gift of faith is given only to the “unconditionally elect.” John Piper, who has described himself as a 7-point Calvinist, has a slightly different take on the matter.[2]
In his article “A Whole World Hangs on a Word,” he asks whether faith or grace is the gift Paul was referring to:
What does “this” refer to? “And this is not from you; it is the gift of God.” What is its antecedent? The question is not settled by the fact that in Greek “this” is singular and neuter, while “grace” and “faith” are both feminine. “This” is just as ambiguous in Greek as it is in English.[3]
After claiming ambiguity, Dr. Piper goes on to say, “When Paul says ‘this is not from you, it is the gift of God,’ he seems to be referring to the whole process of grace-faith salvation.”
Piper’s suggestion might sound convincing and he goes to great lengths to support it, but Paul’s words are not ambiguous. The structure of the sentence reveals salvation is the gift spoken of in this passage, not faith. The word for in “for by grace you have been saved” is a conjunction, which Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes as a particle of affirmation and conclusion.[4] Today we might use the word indeed or truly then. On the other hand, the words through faith constitute a prepositional phrase describing how people are saved. Salvation is indeed a gift of God, but it’s a gift offered to all people and received through faith (Titus 2:11, Ephesians 2:8).
Nothing in Ephesians 2:8 supports the idea that faith is the gift Paul referred to, but he did write of faith being a gift in his first letter to the Corinthians. However, rather than referring to saving faith, he wrote of the spiritual gift of faith given to believers:
“But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills” (1 Corinthians 12:7–11).
Two problems might arise for Calvinists when reading this text. First, many of them believe the spiritual gifts spoken of in this passage ceased in the fourth century with the closing of the canon of Scripture. Thus, if they are to be consistent in interpreting the passage, they would be forced to say faith has ceased. I’m fairly confident they don’t believe that to be the case. Second, faith is listed among other manifestations of the Spirit which Paul’s words suggest only some believers received; “To one is given the word of wisdom…to another the word of knowledge…to another faith.” If Calvinists were to interpret those words consistently, they would be forced to say that only some believers were given the gift of faith, or the ability to believe. Again, I’m fairly certain they don’t believe this.
When interpreted in context, neither Ephesians 2:8 nor 1 Corinthians 12:7–11 support the idea that God gives faith to some people and not others, but Calvinists look to Philippians 1:29 and claim it does. There Paul wrote, “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” The problem with their claim is, while the Philippians were granted the ability to believe in Jesus, that doesn’t mean the ability to believe wasn’t given to other people who did not (or will not) choose to exercise that ability. For example, when a parent tells one of their children of a gift they have for them, that doesn’t mean the parent doesn’t have the same gift for their other children. If Paul had said something like, “Only certain people have been given the ability to believe in Jesus” the situation would be different. But he didn’t say that or anything like it, so we must avoid the temptation to put words in his mouth and thereby place limits where there are none.
Faith: A Gift for All People
Faith is indeed a gift, but Romans 12:3 tells us it is a gift given to all people: “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith” (emphasis mine).
Paul used different words here to distinguish between “everyone among you” and “each” who was given a measure of faith. Everyone in “everyone among you” is pas, which can be used to speak of each and every person in the world, but is often used to refer to groups. In this case, it’s limited in scope by the clarifying phrase among you. In other words, everyone within the Roman church.
Paul used the word hekastos, however, when he said “God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” This word is also used to speak of each and every, but Paul didn’t use a limiting qualifier here. Instead, he seems to have been referring to everyone throughout all of time. In fact, hekastos is a word used to speak of individuals rather than a group. For example, Matthew 16:27 says, “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds,” (emphasis mine). And Peter wrote, “If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth (1 Peter 1:17, emphasis mine).
Paul’s statement that God has given everyone a measure of faith makes sense considering the hundreds of times believe is used in the New Testament. Faith is a gift given to all people; belief, it seems, is the exercise of that faith. Remember the man who had a little faith but cried out to Jesus, “I do believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).
The Scriptures and life experience reveal that all people have faith. Buddhists have faith. Muslims have faith. Hindus have faith. Even atheists have faith. But not all people have “the faith.” Paul asked the Thessalonians to pray that he, Timothy, and Silas would be rescued from perverse and evil men; “For not all have the faith” (2 Thessalonians 3:2, emphasis mine). Interestingly, most modern translations don’t include the definite article the in this passage, but it’s found in the highly-regarded Nestle-Aland, Textus Receptus, and Westcott and Hort Greek texts.
In other words, the question isn’t whether people have faith. It’s in whom or what they place their faith. Paul and Silas didn’t tell the Philippian jailer to believe and he would be saved. They told him to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and he would be saved (Acts 16:31).
Calvinists who read that statement will likely point to 2 Timothy 2:24–25 and claim that even if God has given everyone a measure of faith, people are unable to repent unless he also gives them repentance. There Paul told Timothy, “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God might grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of truth.”
When addressing this passage, John Piper says, “Though God desires all people to be saved. . . He has his reasons for why he ‘may perhaps grant repentance’ to some sinners, and not to others.”[5] His suggestion, however, overlooks some important information. The word translated “repentance” here is metanoia, a noun used throughout the New Testament to speak of a change of mind. In fact, it’s used in the book of Acts to say God has granted repentance to both Israel and Gentiles (5:31; 11:18). With that in mind, it might seem reasonable to suggest that God granted repentance to every person individually, but it goes beyond what’s written, so I won’t argue for it.
The problem with Dr. Piper’s claim, however, is that he seems to view Paul’s statement in 2 Timothy 2:25 as the norm rather than a hopeful statement of a former blasphemer who was shown mercy and seemed to share God’s desire that all people be saved (Romans 9:1–3; 10:1). More importantly, he doesn’t seem to have the same view of Paul’s words just fifteen verses earlier where he wrote of enduring “all things for the sake of those who are chosen [the elect], so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory” (2 Timothy 2:10). Not only does Piper misapply the term elect to a nebulous group of people that he believes God predestined to salvation, he seems to ignore Paul’s subjunctive statement that the elect may or might obtain salvation.
The greater context of the passage reveals Timothy struggled with people who brought forth ignorant and foolish speculations that caused quarrels (2 Timothy 2:14–18). Perhaps these were the people Paul wrote about in his first letter; those who taught strange doctrines, paid attention to endless genealogies, and drew others away from the truth (1 Timothy 1:1–7). It’s possible these were the same people Paul had warned the Ephesian elders about when he met with them on his way to Jerusalem (Acts 20:17–38). We may never know.
What we do know is that when Paul heard Timothy was having problems, he wrote to offer instruction and encouragement. In doing so, he urged Timothy to refuse ignorant and foolish speculations. He also told him not to be quarrelsome but to be kind, patient, and gently correct people who were in opposition. Yet, rather than implying that God granting repentance is the typical way people change their minds, Paul’s words seem to flow from exasperation. A paraphrase might read: “Be patient, Timothy. Keep doing the right thing. Who knows, maybe God will change their minds.”
This encouragement is similar to what he gave the Corinthians whose spouses didn’t believe in Jesus. After instructing them to remain married, he said in 1 Corinthians 7:16, “How do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?” In writing these words, Paul didn’t claim anyone’s salvation depended on the suggested scenario; he merely encouraged them to persevere.
God has the absolute authority and power to change people’s minds about their sin and cause them to turn to him in faith. In fact, exercising that right would fit wonderfully in line with his desire for all people “to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). However, in view of the significant number of passages where people are encouraged and commanded to use their God-given ability to reason, turn to, and obey God, it seems unwise to use Paul’s words “if perhaps” and “How do you know?” to suggest God sovereignly changes people’s minds.
To Know and Love God
We’ve seen that God desires everyone to be saved and he’s given everyone a measure of faith, but Jesus said in Matthew 11:27 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Those words sound limiting and make it easy to see how they could be used to say not everyone can know Jesus. Their greater context, however, reveals Jesus was speaking of revealing himself to particular men who would be eyewitnesses of his earthly ministry and heralds of the good news that he “died for all so that they who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who died and rose again on their behalf” (Luke 10:21–24; John 17:5–20; 2 Corinthians 5:15). In fact, he went on in the next breath to plea: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
John 14:21 records another statement to help us better understand God’s desire that all people know him and be saved. After Judas left the supper to betray him, Jesus said to the eleven who remained, “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and disclose Myself to him.” This seemingly exclusive statement appeared to catch even his disciples by surprise. So much, in fact, that “Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, ‘Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?’” (v. 22).
Jesus didn’t hesitate to clear away the confusion saying, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and we will come to Him and make our abode with Him” (v. 23). Those inclusive words serve to remove limitations we might place on his love and his willingness to disclose himself to anyone, but Calvinists say people can’t love Jesus unless they’ve been given the ability; so, in effect, there is a limit. The problem is, the Scriptures don’t teach that people don’t have the ability to love Jesus. It’s a claim built on the faulty presupposition of Calvinism’s total depravity.
All people sin and fall short of the glory of God, but the Father expressed his love for us by providing his Son as the perfect sacrifice for our rebellion: “While we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). The we Paul wrote of were first-century people “having been justified by faith” (5:1), but he went on to expand the circle to include anyone who receives the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness: “For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through that one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ” (5:17).
Lest there be confusion, receive is a present participle active voice verb. In other words, people actively taking hold of the abundance of grace and gift of righteousness will reign in life through Jesus. And, lest there be any concern that the ability to take hold is limited, Paul went on in the next verse to say, “So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men” (5:18). Hallelujah! Justification by faith is ours for the taking.
It’s true that not all people will be declared righteous by faith, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have the opportunity to believe, or that God predestined them to damnation. Paul told the Corinthians, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” then went on to say, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:19–20).
Drawn to Jesus
In contrast to Calvinistic ideas about limited atonement and the claim that Jesus only reveals himself to a “chosen” few, Jesus not only spoke of coming to anyone who loves him (John 14:23), he said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself” (John 12:32).
When I’ve talked with Calvinists about this verse, some of them have suggested that as we glorify Jesus and lift him up in praise or preaching, people will be drawn to him. I don’t doubt that people are drawn to Jesus as we do this, but Jesus wasn’t talking about believers lifting him up. In fact, John went on to clarify that Jesus’ words were in reference to his death: “But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die” (v. 33). The “kind of death” Jesus died was crucifixion. He was lifted up on a cross. And because he was, we can be sure he is drawing all people to himself.
The beginning of John’s gospel refers to Jesus as “The true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (John 1:9). Any repentant and faithful response people have to Jesus and his gracious drawing of them to himself can be summed up in the Apostle John’s words, “We love, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). The fact that some people reject him does not mean God predestined them to reject him. Nor does it mean they were incapable of receiving him, or that Jesus’ atoning sacrifice was limited to a nebulous group of chosen people.
We can joyfully take God at his word and trust that when the Scriptures say he desires all people to be saved and Jesus gave his life as a ransom for all, they mean what they say. The idea that Jesus died only for some people is not supported by Scripture. Neither is the idea that faith is given only to some people. Rather than expending energy to claim Jesus died only for some people, I pray Calvinists and all followers of Jesus would spend their time and energy encouraging people to place their God-given faith in Jesus, the one who “died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (2 Corinthians 5:15).
NOTE: This post was adapted from Chapter 21 of my book The Flower Falls: A Careful Examination of Calvinism’s TULIP. You can find it on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, or ask for it at your favorite bookstore. Or, if you prefer, you can purchase it through me.
Connect with me on Twitter (X), or email me at patti@theflowerfallsoff.com
To read other posts, return to the homepage or follow one of the links below.
The Illusionary Truth of Calvinism
The Sovereignty and Will of God
Chosen and Predestined Ephesians 1
Redemption, Adoption, and the Seal of the Spirit- Ephesians
Romans 8- Foreknown and Predestined
Romans 8:33- A Charge Against God’s Elect
Romans 9- Love & Hate, Potter & Clay
1 and 2 Peter-Chosen According to Foreknowledge
Acts 13:48, Appointed to Eternal Life
Jesus’ Drawn, Given, and Chosen
Total Depravity and Human Righteousness
Isaiah 64:6- Righteousness and Filthy Rags
Genesis 6- Only Evil Continually
Jeremiah 17 and Ephesians 2- Wicked Hearts and Dead Men
Limited Atonement and its Errors
Notes:
1. Augustin, “On the Predestination of the Saints,” in A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, vol. V: Saint Augustin: Anti-Pelagian Writings, ed. Philip Schaff (New York: The Christian Literature Company, 1887), p. 506.
2. John Piper, “Perseverance of the Saints; Session 8,” Desiring God, March 15, 2008, video, 5:35–6:00,
www.desiringgod.org/messages/perseverance-of-the-saints-session-8.
3. John Piper, “A Whole World Hangs on a Word,” Desiring God,” October 22, 2013, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/a-whole-world-hangs-on-a-word.
4. Joseph H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, https://biblehub.com/greek/1063.htm.
5. John Piper, “God Desires All to Be Saved — and Grants Repentance to Some,” Desiring God, June 12, 2012, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/god-desires-all-to-be-saved-and-grants-repentance-to-some.
