Silver and Gold I Do Not Have

If you note the passage, he didn't know who Peter and John was. He didn't know they 'could' heal him, thus he was not seeking nor asking for it.. therefore was not looking in faith for it. What God did through Peter was based upon Peter's faith in what God desired him to do.

Now it doesn't tell us that the Spirit of God spoke to his heart and told him to do such.. but we KNOW that if the lame man had not requested of him (as was part of the culture for the beggars to laid before the temple to plead for aid), Peter and John would have continued on in. Thus something happened in the heart of Peter, at/during the man requesting for help.

He was praising God because of where he was, depending on the kindness of 'believers' of the Jewish faith to help aid him. From this we can conclude he himself was most likely a believer in the Jewish Traditions (at the very least) but again, he did not ask for nor expect healing.

Another interesting point here is that it is greatly possible if not plausible that Jesus himself would have passed by this man, and yet never healed him. We know that Jesus healed all in the cites but 'all' does not refer to everyone there in, but 'all that were brought to Him". And if I'm not mistaken (and I could be, it is later here) he healed in Jerusalem too. This man was not healed then, but we see that the reason for Christ not healing this man (IF He had passed by) is because God would do later through Peter.

So making a short point very long... While it is possible he had heard of the Christian faith, he himself was not a part of the Christian faith, nor was he looking to be healed by Peter whom, apparently in accordance to scripture the lame man didn't know. Yet it was in faith that Peter stretched forth his hand and according to A.T. Robertson Word Pictures shows us from the Greek:

Thus it was the power of Christ alone that healed the man, working through the faith of Peter who acted in obvious accordance with the heart and will of God Father, through Jesus, by the Power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The main point here is that as Christ did nothing a part from the will of God, nor do those of faith.

 

I think there are a couple things in play here. One is what faith is, is being misunderstood.
The other is how and when it is applied. I have faith my car will start and that is why I put the key in and turn it. If it does not start it is not because I did not have faith. If It is cold out and I say I don't believe my car will start because of the cold today and I never try I show I have no faith so the car will not start on its own even if it would have started.

In Acts 3 there is no reason to believe that the person healed had any faith at all. The healing was done for a witness to the message they were giving by those who did have faith along with the gift of healing. If they did not have the gift of healing all the faith in the world would not heal that man. Miracles and healings do not always require faith on the part of the one being healed. Jesus raised a young man from the dead while he was being carried to be buried. You can bet he had no faith as he was dead.

Another problem today is that people think faith for healing is believing the person will be healed and if we believe strongly enough it will happen. That is not correct. In the John passage the faith of the man who was asking for healing for his son was the faith to ask the One who could heal. He had enough faith to ask and that is all it took, ask.

Sadly the faith movement has skewed the truth about what faith is and how it is applied. We are not to go around believing someone will be healed because we pray a prayer and just because we really believe there will be a healing and then if they are not say our faith was not strong enough.Our faith is in the One who can heal and we ask because we believe He can and have the faith to accept His decision. People of little or no faith do not ask. He determines if He will or not, but the amount of faith we have has nothing to do with it if we are asking and as long as we are not doubting He can or would and asking in His will.

 

many times jesus remarked to another that their faith had made them whole/healed them, but he could do nothing in his home town due to their lack of faith in him being messiah!

 

IMO, the miracle was not so much about faith but was done as a witness to the Hebrews dwelling in the land of Israel authenticating the message of the Apostles.

Hebrews 2

3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?​

HankD​

 

I believe, if my memory is correct, that there are a number of times where a person is healed with no mention of faith.