Faith as divine gift or human response? A study of Eph 2:8–9, Phil 1:29, and Soera Ni’amoni’ö

Abstract

This study examines the exegetical debate concerning the antecedent pronoun ‘τοῦτο’ in Ephesians 2:8–9 and the phrase ‘ἐχαρίσθη … πιστεύειν’ in Philippians 1:29, with the primary objective of determining whether faith is a divine gift or a human response in the process of salvation. Employing a grammatical–historical exegetical approach, this study concludes that faith is best understood as a human response to divine grace rather than a direct gift from God. This conclusion is further supported by an analysis of various biblical texts that consistently indicate that while God provides every individual with the opportunity to believe in Christ, the act of faith itself remains within the domain of human responsibility. Additionally, this study highlights the translation of Soera Ni’amoni’ö concerning these texts, which aligns with its findings. Consequently, the results of this study have significant theological implications for the Nias Christian community, including Catholics, in understanding the role of faith in salvation as a human response originating from individual volition rather than as a directly bestowed gift from God.

Contribution: This study contributes to soteriological scholarship by affirming, through a grammatical–historical exegetical analysis, that faith is a human response rather than a direct gift from God. Its findings enrich academic debates on the relationship between grace and faith while providing a contextual perspective through an analysis of the Soera Ni’amoni’ö translation, which aligns with this conclusion.