The idea that “faith is given by God” can be interpreted to mean that genuine, deeply transformative faith is not solely the result of human free will or effort, but is bestowed from above as divine grace.

Divine Gift of Faith

The idea that “faith is given by God” can be interpreted to mean that genuine, deeply transformative faith is not solely the result of human free will or effort, but is bestowed from above as divine grace. In other words, aside from the type of faith a person can develop on their own, there exists another kind of faith that far exceeds the capacities of human reason and will, arising through the action of the Higher Will. This concept contrasts with atheistic positions, where faith is either rejected or considered merely the result of an individual choice based on strict rational or empirical criteria.

Thus, on one hand, the faith developed by an individual (learned faith) requires the soul’s conscious consent and an act of will. However, on the other hand, the idea that “faith is given by God” implies that true, profound spiritual insight does not come from human effort, but as an external, divinely initiated grace that enables a person to comprehend what surpasses their natural abilities. Such faith is not the result of logical demonstration or empirical experience, but rather a gift that opens up immeasurable possibilities for spiritual understanding and life.

Supporting citation(s):
"To the first kind belongs learned faith, when the soul consents to something. And it is beneficial to the soul, as the Lord says: 'Whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life, and does not go into judgment' (John 5:24). The other kind of faith is that which is bestowed by Christ by grace: 'To one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge, with the same Spirit; another faith, with the same Spirit, another gifts of healings' (1 Corinthians 12:8-9). And so, this faith bestowed by the grace of the Holy Spirit is not only learned but also operates beyond human power. For he who has such faith ‘will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move’ (Matthew 17:20). The first kind of faith requires the self-determination of man—here the freedom of his will is revealed. The second kind of faith is given by God. 'Have a faith in God that comes from yourself, so that you may receive from Him that which exceeds human strength,' taught St. Cyril of Jerusalem." (source: link txt,

Paragraph 1302)"But how can one give oneself that faith?

How can one reach the point where it is everything, in all things and always? If the heart is dry, like an exhausted streambed, if it is cold like iron, and unfeeling like stone—who will revive it for the sake of faith? Our will does not possess that omnipotence. Faith is an event within the very depths of our soul, beyond its control. There is no faith where there is only certainty or intellectual conviction. We are not capable of not believing what is evident to our senses or mind, or what our mind, following its inherent nature, must inevitably accept as a conviction. Faith is a free act of will; yet, at the same time, no human will, without the assistance of the Higher Will, can introduce faith into the soul, no matter how fervently the soul desires it. The will either opens or locks the soul to faith." (source: link txt, Paragraph 785)

Thus, the notion that faith “is given by God” indicates that true spiritual insight and deep faith originate from beyond human competence and reason, emerging from the interaction between man and the Divine—a perspective that stands in stark contrast to the atheistic view, where all aspects of belief are seen as matters of human choice and demonstrability.