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.