September 21,1993

Dear Brother,

 I'll share to you my answers to some questions you asked in your letter.  I do not pretend to know all things, however, I'll try my best to answer whatever question is asked of me concerning my faith.

 The Scripture clearly gives the answer, "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,” Heb. 12:2.  No one can deny this fact and I believe that Jesus is the author of faith, not unbelief.  The Calvinists contend that since Jesus is the author of faith, the elect is regenerated without faith, but that the faith of the elect is a result of regeneration.  According to your recent letter, "Then once he is born again, he can for the first time turn to Jesus, expressing sorrow for his sins and asking Jesus to save him."  In what way is Jesus the author of our faith?

 I.  JESUS PROVIDED SALVATION FOR SINFUL MAN.
         A.  Jesus Christ died for the sins of man (Jn. 3:16; I Jn. 2:2; Heb.2:9).
         B.  Christ death, burial, and resurrection is the basis of our faith (I Cor. 15:2-4,14-17).
             1.  Apart from the death, burial, & resurrection of Christ, our faith will be
                  baseless, vain, or unreal.
             2.  Without God's provision, Christ's death, no one can and will exercise saving
                   faith.
             3.  If Christ did not die and resurrect, there'll be no salvation, and no reason
                  to exercise faith  in Christ.

II. JESUS WANTS ALL MEN TO BELIEVE IN HIM.
        A.  Christ expressed compassion for the lost, even for the Jews who refused Him
               (Jn. 1:11;  Matt. 23:37).
        B.  In Christ's prayer, He expressed HIs desire for the world to believe in Him
               (Jn. 17:21).
        C. Christ confirmed the work of God, that men will believe in Him. (Jn. 6:29).
             It is not God's work for men not to believe in Jesus.
        D.  John testified that God wants all men to believe in Christ.  (Jn.1:7).
        E.  It is not the Lord's will that any should perish in hell (II Pet. 3:9).
        F.  God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 33:11).
        G.  He requires belief in Him (Christ) so that the wicked will not die in  his sins
              (Jn. 8:24).

 III. THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST CALLS MEN TO BELIEVE IN HIM.
       A.  God calls all men to salvation by the Gospel (2 Thes. 2:14).
       B.  The Gospel is God's powerful means of salvation to people who will humbly
             listen, understand, and believe (Rom. 1:16).
      C.  The Gospel warns men (who hears) of impending judgment and
            Hell and teaches men to trust Christ (Col. 1:28).
      D.  The Gospel rebukes men of sin and those who humbly listen, realize their
            sinful condition, and  those who feel sorry of their sin will trust Christ
            (II Cor. 7:9-10; Ps. 119:113; Acts 26:20; II Tim.   3:16).
      E.  Those who hear the word, feel sorry of their sins, and feel the need to trust
           Christ, are  given  the opportunity to exercise faith in Christ. They receive the
           gift of faith through hearing God's  word (Rom. 10:14,17; Eph. 1:13;
           Acts 10:44; I Cor. 13:13).
       F.  Without hearing and understanding the Gospel, no one can exercise faith
            (Rom. 10:17; Eph.1:13).

IV.  THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTS MEN SO THAT THEY WILL REPENT,
       AND THEN CALLS THEM TO BELIEVE IN JESUS.
       A. The Holy Spirit reproves men so that they will repent and calls
             them to trust Jesus (Jn. 16:8-9; Prov. 1:23-33; Heb. 3:7-12).
       B.  The sinner won't trust Jesus unless he realizes his sinful
             condition and feels sorry about it, and he cannot repent apart
              from the conviction of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 16:8; Rev. 22:17).
      C.  The Holy Spirit influences men in varying degree.  The Spirit's
             influence is greater to people who hears the word and are
             submissive. The more a person will hear the word, the more the
             Holy Spirit will influence him.(Acts 8:26-29).
         1.  Though the Spirit can influence men without the word, but
               in regeneration, He influences men in connection with the
               word. (Jn. 3:5; Rev. 22:17; James 1:18; I Pet. 1:23).
          2.  Men have varying response to the influence or conviction of
                the Holy Spirit.  There are those who submit when they're
                rebuked by the Spirit, but there are others who harden
                their hearts by pride and resist the Spirit. (Gen. 6:3; Acts
                7:51; Heb. 3:7-12; Jer. 6:19,7:13; Prov. 29:1).
           3.  The influence of the Holy Spirit is greater to those who
                (unsaved) hear the Gospel (Rom. 10:17), and to the
                 submissive believers who are filled with God's word
                 (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:18-19).
      D.  A person who won't listen to the word of God and the conviction
            of the Holy Spirit due to his pride will never come to realize his
             sins and cannot receive and exercise the gift of faith.
             (I Cor. 13:13; Prov. 29:1; Jn. 16:8; Mt. 5:3/Jam. 2:5).
      E.  A person under the influence of the Spirit  and the word has the
            freedom either to accept or reject salvation (Jn. 12:47-48).
V.  CONCLUSION.
       A.  Jesus is the author of faith because He provided salvation for man,
             and He wants all men to believe or trust Him as Savior.
       B.  He is the author of faith because His Gospel calls men to believe in Him
            and the Holy Spirit convicts men so that they will repent and trust Jesus.
       C.  To insist that God gives men the gift of faith without any condition is to
             believe that God authored the unbelief of some men.
       D.  Here are some checking questions:
              1.  Is God the author of faith?
              2.  Does God want all men to have faith in Jesus? (If not...)
              3.  Does God want some men not to have faith in Jesus? (If yes...)
              4.  If God wants some men to have no faith in Jesus, isn't He the author of
                   unbelief?
              5.  If he is not,  then why would He want others not to believe?
       E.  The truth is that God is the author of faith because He wants all men to believe,
             but the devil is the author of unbelief because he wants them to be damned.
             (Heb. 12:2; I Cor. 14:33; Jn. 10:10).
P.S.
Question:  Does God want some men to reject Jesus as their  Savior?  If not, Why won't He also elect and call them to salvation in order for them to have the ability to believe?