Divine Origin of Faith in Romans
The Apostle Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans, presents faith as originating not from human effort but from a divine source. This understanding is crucial to his articulation of justification. Romans 1:17 states that "the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" [2]. This passage highlights that faith is both the means by which God's righteousness is revealed and the principle by which the righteous live.
The divine origin of faith is further underscored by the idea that humanity is "without excuse" regarding knowledge of God. Romans 1:20 explains that God's "invisible things... since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity" [1]. This suggests a foundational, innate awareness of God, which, while not saving faith, points to a divine imprint on creation and human consciousness [4]. However, the specific faith that justifies is understood to be a gift. Augustine, for instance, argued against the Pelagian view that faith originates from human will, asserting that "even the beginning of faith is of God's gift" [5]. He contended that faith is not merely increased by God but is initially given by Him [5].
Thomas Aquinas, representing Scholastic thought, distinguished two requisites for faith: the proposal of divine truths and the assent of the believer. He maintained that "faith must needs be from God" because the truths of faith surpass human reason [7]. Charles Hodge, one theologian, similarly noted that Roman Catholic theology rejects the idea that human reason is the source of religious truth, holding that "faith to be divine must have truth supernaturally revealed as its object, and the evidence on which it rests must be the supernatural testimony of God" [3]. Hodge also contrasted this with mystical doctrines that suggest divine truth is revealed to every person by the Spirit, emphasizing an objective, supernatural revelation [3].
The faith Paul describes in Romans is not merely a human conviction but a divinely enabled response to God's revelation. John Gill, a Baptist commentator, clarifies that the "faith of Jesus Christ" mentioned in Romans 3:22 is not Christ's own faith but rather faith in Jesus Christ, of which he is both the author and object. This faith is not the cause of justification but the instrument through which it is received [6]. The concept of faith as a divine gift aligns with the broader theological understanding that salvation, from its inception to its completion, is God's work.
Sources
- Romans “For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse. -- Romans 1:20”
- Romans “Romans 1:17 (Geneva1599) — For by it the righteousnesse of God is reueiled from faith to faith: as it is written, The iust shall liue by faith.”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 32: § 1. Statement of the Doctrine. 1. Romanists reject the doctrine of the Rationalists who make human reason either the source or standard of religious truth. It is one of their principles, that faith is merely human when either its object or ground is human. Faith to be divine must have truth supernaturally revealed as its object, and the evidence on which it rests must be the supernatural testimony of God. 2. They reject the Mystical doctrine that divine truth is revealed to every man by the Spirit. They admit an objective, supernatural r”
- Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 1:20: For the invisible things of him from--or "since" the creation of the world are clearly seen--the mind brightly beholding what the eye cannot discern. being understood by the things that are made--Thus, the outward creation is not the parent but the interpreter of our faith in God. That faith has its primary sources within our own breast (Rom 1:19); but it becomes an intelligible and articulate conviction only through what we observe around us ("by the things which are made," Rom 1:20). And thus are the inner and the outer revelation of God the comp”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 3 [II.]--EVEN THE BEGINNING OF FAITH: IS OF GOD'S GIFT. Therefore I ought flint to show that the faith by which we are Christians is the gift of God if I can do that more thoroughly than I have already done in so many and so large volumes. But I see that I must now reply to those who say that the divine testimonies which I have adduced concerning this matter are of avail for this purpose, to assure us that we have faith itself of ourselves, but that its increase is of God; as if faith were not given to us by Him, but were only increased in us by H”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 3:18: Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ,.... A further account is given of this righteousness: why it is called "the righteousness of God", and in what sense revealed and manifested; see Gill on Rom 1:17; Here it is said to be "by faith of Jesus Christ"; not by that faith which Christ himself had as man, but by that faith, of which he the author and object: the Alexandrian copy reads, "by faith in Jesus Christ"; and not by that as the cause of justification; for faith is neither the efficient, nor the moving, nor meritorious cause of it; no, n”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of the Cause of Faith, Art. 1: Article: Whether faith is infused into man by God? I answer that, Two things are requisite for faith. First, that the things which are of faith should be proposed to man: this is necessary in order that man believe anything explicitly. The second thing requisite for faith is the assent of the believer to the things which are proposed to him. Accordingly, as regards the first of these, faith must needs be from God. Because those things which are of faith surpass human reason, hence they ”