If salvation is by grace through faith, then obviously faith is required. If faith is a gift not given to all, then it is God, and only God, who is accountable for any who are not saved.
Keep grinding Jim, you are close--
Is God Accountable if Faith Is a Gift Not Given to All?
And do unbelievers and demons have “faith” of any kind?
1. Faith Is Required for Salvation — Absolutely (Ephesians 2:8)
“For by grace you have been saved through faith…”
Salvation is by grace, but it is received through faith. This is consistent throughout Scripture (John 3:16, Romans 5:1, Galatians 2:16).
Faith is essential. That is not in dispute. Right Jim?
2. But Not All Faith Saves - Even Demons “Believe” Right Jim?
James 2:19 —
“You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”
Greek: καὶ τὰ δαιμόνια πιστεύουσιν καὶ φρίσσουσιν
πιστεύουσιν =
present active indicative of πιστεύω (“they believe”)
Demons have intellectual acknowledgment of God’s reality, but not saving trust or submission.
The Bible distinguishes mere belief (mental assent) from saving faith (πιστις εἰς σωτηρίαν), which includes trust, reliance, and obedience.
John 2:23–25 –
Many believed (ἐπίστευσαν) in His name, but Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew their hearts.
Demons and unbelievers may possess belief, but not saving faith. There is a qualitative distinction. Right @Jim?
3. Unbelievers Can “Believe” Temporarily or Superficially
Luke 8:13 –
“They believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.”
Greek: οἱ πρὸς καιρὸν πιστεύουσιν (“they believe for a season”)
This refers to superficial faith - temporary, emotional, or circumstantial-- not lasting or saving.
Again, not all faith is saving faith.
4. If Saving Faith Is a Gift, Is God Responsible for Who Believes?
The real issue is not whether faith is required, but whether God’s offer of salvation is universal and resistible.
Titus 2:11 –
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.”
John 12:32 –
“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.”
Acts 17:30 –
“God commands all people everywhere to repent.”
Romans 2:4 –
“Do you not know that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”
These verses show that God's grace, call, and offer of salvation is genuinely extended to all.
Yet Scripture also affirms that people can resist or reject--
Acts 7:51 –
“You always resist the Holy Spirit.”
Luke 7:30 –
“But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves.”
2 Thessalonians 2:10–12 –
“They refused to love the truth and so be saved.”
The Scriptures affirm God grants faith, but also that man can resist, reject, and harden his heart. Therefore, God is not the cause of unbelief, nor is He unjust. Hopefully, this should answer your ?????
Yes, salvation is by grace through faith.
Yes, faith is a gift, given through the convicting work of the Spirit (John 16:8–9), the preaching of the Word (Romans 10:17), and divine initiative (Phil. 1:29).
But Scripture also holds humans responsible for their response (Isaiah 55:6, Acts 17:27, Hebrews 4:2).
God gives the light (John 1:9); man may reject it (John 3:19–20).
God is not to blame for unbelief-- Scripture places that responsibility squarely on those who refuse the truth (Romans 1:18, 2 Thess. 2:12).
Does that make sense to you?
Your question was answered with Scripture and a lot of thought--take a moment to really think it through.
J.
