FAITH
I. Facts:
A. What is faith?
1. Renderings of
(pistis) generally
faith. Once belief, II
Thess. 2:13. Verb
(pisteuo) is always
believe when literal.
Sometimes in Paul
entrusted. I Thess.
24:4. Adjective (pistos)
generally faithful,
sometimes believing,
(apistia) always
unbelief.
2. Examples of great
faith. Matthew 8:10;
15:28. Examples of
little faith. Matthew
17:17, 20; Mark 9:22,
24.
3. Faith in healing
power of Christ. Matthew
8:8, 10; 9:2, 27, 29.
4. Faith and doubt
opposed. Matthew 21:21.
5. Pharisees neglected
judgment, mercy and
faith. Matthew 23:23.
6. Faith and fear
opposed. Mark 4:38, 41;
5:35, 36. 7. An
example of faith in
reference to a thing
prayed for. Mark 11:24.
8. Faith in God. Mark
11:22. 9. Faith in
what prophets uttered.
Luke 24:25. 10.
Believe in name of
Christ. John 1:12; 2:23.
11. Believe on Him. John
2:11; 3:15; Acts 3:16.
12. Believe God, Moses,
Jesus. John 5:27, 46,
47. 13. Believe
Phillips' preaching,
were baptized. Acts 8:
12. 14. The faith.
Romans 14:1, 2;
Galatians 3:22, 26;
Philippians 1:27. 15.
Faith is to be obeyed.
Acts 6:7; Romans 1:5;
16:26.
16. Faith and hope
connected. Romans 4:18.
17. Belief of truth. II
Thessalonians 2:13.
18. Faith defined and
illustrated by Paul.
Hebrews 11:1.
II. Conclusions:
A. Paul's definition,
Hebrews 11:1.
1. Ground or
foundation and
confidence. A
foundation, argues from
etymology of the term.
B. I John Renderings
C. Objection first: Not
elsewhere used in this sense
in the New Testament, II
Corinthians 9:4; 11:17;
Hebrews 3:14.
D. Objection second: Not
suited to this context for
faith through foundation of
hope is not foundation of
things hoped fox,
1. "Confidence as to"
so rendered by Robinson,
Gr. Lex. N. T.;
Anderson, Heb. L.
"Confidence"; Green,
"grounded assurance;"
Bible Union,
"Assurance"; Macknight,
"Confidence." 2. We
adopt rendering of
Robinson.
E. Second clause—not
evidence but conviction.
1. For so rendered by
critics generally. 2.
Its verb means to
convict or convince
according as connected
or not connected with
crime. John 8:46;
secondarily, to rebuke
because this done by
convicting of wrong.
3. Noun never means
evidence. 4. Only
meaning that suits
context is conviction.
F. Definition: Confidence
as to things hoped for,
conviction as to things not
seen. (This note to be
improved upon. J. W.
McGarvey.)
1. Two
elements—confidence and
conviction and two
corresponding classes of
objects.
2. Latter clause
includes former, hence
conviction as to things
not seen, the wider
sense. Confidence as to
things hoped for, the
narrowest. 3. Some
things not seen are not
things hoped for, hence
confidence not always a
part or an element of
faith. 4. But all
objects of faith are
unseen, hence conviction
invariably present. 5.
Where object is both
unseen and hoped for
both elements are
present.
G. Paul's illustrations.
1. In first only
second element. Hebrews
11:3. 2. In cases of
Abel, Enoch, Noah,
Abraham, both elements.
H. Comparison with the
facts.
1. Both elements in
facts 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9,
10, 11, 13, 16. 2. In
facts 12, 17 et al.
conviction is alone
present except when
context indicates
confidence. 3. Opposed
to doubt, 4, because
conviction removes
doubt. (Like light
removes darkness.) 4.
Opposed to fear, 6,
because conviction
removes fear. Connected
with hope, 16, because
confidence as to things
hoped for. 5. Same as
belief. (See also
Hebrews 11:6.)
I. Connection of
elements.
1. Confidence is a
result of conviction in
examples of Hebrews 11,
James 2:19. Hence we may
add the presence of
confidence depends on
the nature of faith.
When present, it is in
same degree as the
conviction.
J. No other element in
faith, hence the definition
complete. K. "The faith",
14, Faith in Christ or
belief in Gospel. Galatians
3:22, 26; Philippians 1:27.
Same in the other passage.
So called because this is
the distinctive faith of
Christians. L. Faith is to
be obeyed, 15; To believe
that Jesus is the Christ,
requires a certain course of
life. To produce this is to
obey the faith. It begins
with baptism.
III. Sources of faith.
A. The faith of
patriarchs.
1. Abel's: The
promises of God. Hebrews
11:4. 2. Enoch's:
Revelation of God.
Hebrews 11:5-6. 3.
Noah's: Word of God.
Hebrews 11:7; Genesis
6:18 18.
4. Abraham's: Word of
God. Hebrews 11:8,10;
Genesis 12:1-3. 5.
Sarah's: Word of God.
Hebrews 11:11; Genesis
18:11-15. (So of all in
Hebrews 11 of whom facts
are known.) 6.
Conclusion: Produced by
God's Word, spoken in
person or by
messengers.
B. Faith in Christ.
1. John's testimony.
John 1:7; 10:14, 42.
2. Christ's miraculous
knowledge. John 1:51;
4:39-42; 16:30. 3. His
miraculous power. John
11:42, 45; 12:11; 14:11.
4. Word of apostles.
John 17:20; Acts 15:7; I
Cor. 3:5. 5. Conduct
of Christians. John
17:21. 6. The
scriptures. John 20:31;
Acts 17:10-12. 7.
Determination for
eternal life. Acts
13:48. 8. Hearing Word
of God preached. Romans
10:17. 9. Miracles of
apostles. Acts 13:12; I
Cor. 2:4-5. 10. The
Holy Spirit. I Cor.
12:9.
C. Conclusions.
1. The immediate
source of faith is the
Word of God. 2. The
Word through Spirit in
inspired men and either
spoken or written. 3.
Part of miracles to
prove the Word to be the
Word of God. 4.
Determination for
eternal life promotes
the effect of the Word.
5. Faith in Christ and
that of patriarchs same
sources. 6. Faith to
work miracles direct
gift from Holy Spirit. I
Cor. 12:9.
D. Final conclusions.
1. Source of faith is
Word of God spoken or
written, confirmed by
miracles and conduct of
Christians. The effect
of the Word promoted by
determination for
eternal life.
a. Objection: This
not saving faith but
historical faith.
(1) Answer first:
All faith historical
except that to work
miracles. (2)
Answer second: The
faith of Hebrews 11
is saving faith.
Compare Hebrews
10:38-39. (3)
Answer third. Other
instances the same.
Facts 1, 4, 6, 7, 9.
IV. Hindrances to faith.
A. Facts:
1. Satan takes the
Word out of the heart.
Luke 8:12. This includes
all the devices of
Satan. 2. Love of
human glory (affluence),
John 12:43, 5:44. With
Jews this caused
rejection of Christ . .
. With all persons it
causes the neglect of
evidence.
3. Perverting effects
of falsehood and false
teaching. John 8:43-47.
Under the influence of
falsehood truth is
opposed and hated. 4.
Rejection of preparatory
teaching. John 10:26-28.
(Facts 1-8) 5. Closed
eyes, hard hearts,
darkened understanding.
John 12:37-43; Acts
28:26-27; II Cor. 4:3-4.
B. Three agencies.
1. Satan's, which
they might resist. 2.
Their own, in yielding
to Satan. 3. God's,
who makes this the
result of yielding to
Satan.
a. Objection:
These hindrances
make it necessary
for direct power of
Spirit to remove
them. b. Answer
first: No such work
of Spirit revealed.
Not in Prov. 16:1;
Jeremiah 10:23. c.
Answer second: No
such work in cases
above; if not in
these, may not be in
any.
V. Justification by faith.
A. The facts:
1. In Christ every
believer justified from
sin. Acts 13:39; Romans
10:4. 2. No flesh
justified by works of
man. Romans 3:20; 2:13.
3. God's
righteousness through
faith in Jesus, now
revealed for and upon
all believers. Romans
3:21, 22. 4. Justified
by grace without price
through redemption in
Christ. Romans 3:24.
5. Christ a propitiation
that God might be just,
and justify the
believer. Romans 3:26.
6. Man justified by
faith apart from works
of law. Romans 3:28;
Galatians 2:16, 21. 7.
If Abraham justified by
works, has whereof to
glory, but not before
God. Romans 4:2. 8.
Faith counted for
righteousness. Romans
4:3-9, 2224; Galatians
3:6; James 2:23. 9.
Circumcision to Abraham,
seal of righteousness of
faith. Romans 4:11.
10. Justification by
faith, that it might be
according to favor.
Romans 4:16. 11.
Christ raised for the
sake of our
justification. Romans
4:25. 12. Justified by
faith we have peace with
God. Romans 5:1. 13.
Righteousness of faith.
Romans 4:11, 13; 9:30;
10:5-6; Galatians 5:5;
Hebrews 11:7. 14.
God's righteousness.
Matthew 6:33; Romans
1:17; 3:5-21, 26;
10:3-20 or 5:21;
Philippians 3:9; James
1:20; II Peter 1:1. 15.
Our righteousness.
Romans 10:3; Philippians
3:9. 16. Justified by
blood of Christ. Romans
5:9. 17. He that is
dead is justified from
sin. Romans 6:1-7. 18.
Not justified because
conscience is clear. I
Cor. 4:4. 19. Abraham
and Rahab justified by
works. James 2:21-26.
20. Man justified by
works and not by faith
only. James 2:24.
PROBLEMS
I. Reconcile Paul and
James.
A. On the general
proposition. (Facts 6 and 20
above).
B. On the statements
concerning Abraham. (Facts 7
and 19.)
1. Unless ambiguity
in leading terms, there
is contradiction. 2.
It is not in term faith;
for both speak of
justifying faith. 3.
Not in term justified.
a. Argument
first: That it is.
That Paul's
justification that
of a sinner and
James' that of a
saint. Former by
faith, latter by
works. Proof—Abraham
saint at time of
latter, sinner at
time of former.
(1) Answer
first: Abraham a
saint at both
periods. Compare
Genesis 12:14
and Hebrews
11:8, 9. (2)
Answer second:
James'
justification is
of saint and
sinner both, for
he includes the
harlot.
b. Argument
second: That Paul's
justification is in
sense of pardon,
James in sense of
approval.
(1) Answer
first: These
only two
possible grounds
for
justification.
(2) Answer
second: Latter
requires entire
innocence.
Angels thus
justified, but
no man. I John
1:8. Hence this
not the
difference.
(3) Answer
third: Rahab
illustrates
James'
proposition. She
was not
justified in
sense of
approval.
4. It is in term
works.
a. Paul's
works—those of
perfect obedience to
moral law, written
or unwritten.
Compare Romans 1:20;
2:17-27; 3:9, 20,
28. b. Those of
James are works of
faith in obedience
to a positive law.
In the two examples
such works as the
moral law would
forbid. Therefore
justification is not
by works of perfect
obedience to moral
law. It is by works
of obedience to
positive law.
C. Reconciliation of
facts 7 and 19.
1. Abraham justified
in same sense in both
cases for both fulfilled
the same scripture.
Romans 4:3; James 2:23.
2. The works of James,
i.e., obedience to
positive law were in
both periods and in all
periods of Abraham's
life. Genesis 12:4;
7:15; 9:11; Hebrews
11:8. 3. Paul's works
in no period of
Abraham's life.
II. Reconcile facts 1 and
20.
A. Argument: Every
believer justified,
1. All believers
before they work. Hence
all justified before any
work.
a. Answer first:
Faith without works
is dead. Remains
dead until after
first work is done.
If justified before
first work 'tis only
dead faith. b.
Answer second: Faith
perfected by works,
i.e., matured to
point of
justification; hence
cannot justify
before works.
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