"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
This chapter lays a foundation for all subsequent discussion of salvation. Before proceeding to analyze the various aspects of salvation, we need to understand what grace and faith are and how they relate to each other.
Grace is the unmerited favor of God towards man. It is God's free gift to man. It is God's work in man. The word expresses that salvation is an undeserved, unearned blessing that God bestows freely. God does all the work involved in saving a soul. Man cannot aid God in his own salvation or contribute to it; he can only accept or reject the work that God has done and is willing to do on his behalf.
Ephesians 2:8-9 emphasizes that salvation comes by God's grace and not by any works on man's part. Specifically, God has made salvation available to us through the death of Jesus Christ. We are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood" (Romans 3:24-25). Not only did God give His Son to die for us and to purchase through His death our salvation, but He now extends everything necessary to preserve our salvation. As Paul asked, "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32).
Philippians 2:13 teaches that God works in us to bring about salvation: "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure;" In Philippians 2:12 Paul admonished us to work out our salvation with awe, reverence, and watchfulness. Then in the next verse he explained that we cannot save or help save ourselves; rather we can either reject or submit to God's work in us. If we let Him, God will give us both the desire (willingness) and the power (ability) to perform His will.
God, who purchased our right to be saved, now freely provides all things necessary for us to receive and retain salvation. Thus man's salvation is a product of God's grace from start to finish. Of course, grace does not eliminate our choice. God has given us the freedom either to surrender to Him or reject Him, but we can contribute nothing positive to earn our own salvation.
We are not saved by works in the sense of earning, meriting, or purchasing salvation by good works. However, the grace of God will lead to good works and holiness of life. After Ephesians 2:8-9 emphatically teaches salvation by grace and not works, the next verse continues, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them:" God gives us grace expressly to enable us to produce good works. "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (II Corinthians 9:8). God's grace has come to show us how to live righteous, holy lives and to give us power to do so. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:11-12).
Grace does not give license to sin. "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid" (Romans 6:1-2). "Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid" (Romans 6:15). On the contrary, grace makes the power of the Spirit available to us. If we follow the Spirit, we can fulfill all the righteousness that the law of Moses demanded but could not give (Romans 8:3-4).
In sum, God's grace brings salvation as a free gift, including the power to live righteously. Although we cannot earn the gift of salvation, once we receive it our lives will change and we will begin to do good works as a result. If we do not manifest righteous and godly attributes, then we are not letting God's saving grace work in us. We cannot separate grace from a life of devotion and obedience to Christ.
If the doctrine of grace teaches that God does all the work in man's salvation, are all men automatically saved? This cannot be true because many will receive eternal damnation at the last judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). If the doctrine of grace teaches that man cannot assist God in providing salvation, does God unconditionally choose certain ones to be saved regardless of their own attitudes and responses? This cannot be true either because God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). If He chose some unconditionally, His fairness would cause Him to choose all. The doctrine of faith helps us understand the answer to both of the above questions.
Faith is the means by which man accepts and receives God's saving grace (Romans 3:21-31; Ephesians 2:8). Man cannot help God in providing salvation, but man does have the responsibility to accept or reject what God offers. Man's response to God in accepting His work of salvation is called faith. Thus faith is the channel through which God's grace comes to man. Both God's grace and man faith are necessary for salvation. "Without faith it is impossible to please him [God]" (Hebrews 11:6). One Protestant author stated, "That man must do something to take advantage of God's provision of salvation through Christ does no violence to the doctrine of grace. Theologically as well as etymologically there are two aspects of charis (grace): unmerited provision and thankful reception." [3]
However, we must avoid saying that salvation comes partly from man. When man accepts grace the credit belongs wholly to God and the power of His grace, but when man rejects grace the blame falls wholly upon man and his unbelief. Thus we affirm both salvation by grace alone and the responsibility of man to accept salvation.
To be justified means to be counted or declared righteous by God. The Bible clearly teaches justification by faith: "The just shall live by faith" (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38).
Paul preached this doctrine: "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man [Jesus] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:38-39).
Paul emphasized justification by faith in his writings: "By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight… But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe… Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood" (Romans 3:20-25). "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Galatians 2:16). Romans 4 and Galatians 3 contain much additional teaching on this subject.
The bottom line is this: no one can be justified by observing the law of Moses or by doing good works. Instead, the only way to salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us. Having established this, we must next determine what true faith in Christ is and how to have it. For a start, we note the words of Benjamin Warfield: "Justification by faith does not mean… salvation by believing things instead of doing right. It means pleading the merits of Christ before the throne of grace instead of our own merits." [4]
Before discussing faith in detail, we need to answer the question, "What is the origin of faith?" If man manufactures faith on his own, then he would seemingly be his own savior, at least partially. This would negate the doctrine of grace The answer is that the ability to possess faith comes from God's grace.
However, this raises a second problem. If God gives potential faith to everyone, will everyone be saved? On the other hand, if God gives potential faith only to some, He would arbitrarily condemn the rest to hell without giving them any ability to choose. The answer is that God does give potential faith to everyone, but He leaves it up to each individual whether or not to accept and apply faith to his life. Another way to phrase this is to say God gives everyone the ability to have faith in Him. Every human being has the capacity to believe, but not everyone chooses to believe in God; nevertheless, everyone believes or can believe in something, whether it be God, the devil, false gods, self, other people, or material things. In creation God left a clear witness of Himself so that everyone would have a chance to believe in God and would have no excuse for failure to do so (Romans 1:19-20).
The Scriptures teach that God gives everyone the ability to believe and therefore He is the source of a Christian's faith. "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Romans 12:3). Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Even after the new birth, the Spirit continues to impart faith as a supernatural gift in moments of crisis and as an element of daily Christian life (I Corinthians 12:9; Galatians 5:22).
Due to our sinful natures, none of us could ever seek God on our own in the absence of His drawing power (John 3:27; 6:44; Romans 3:10-12). No one would ever have faith if God did not grant it. However, Christ died for the whole world so that He could bestow grace upon all (John 3:16). Although man on his own is so depraved and sinful that he cannot of himself choose God, God gives every man the ability to seek after Him and respond to Him. This grace that precedes salvation and is given to all mankind is what theologians call "universal prevenient grace"
The Bible teaches that universal grace precedes salvation, enabling and encouraging all mankind to accept God's work of salvation: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men" (Titus 2:11). God commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30), and He gives the ability to fulfill what He requires (Philippians 2:13; I John 5:3). God wants all to repent, and He gives all a chance to do so (II Peter 3:9). The goodness of God leads men to repentance (Romans 2:4), 50 He extends to everyone the goodness or grace that leads to repentance. The call goes to all (Matthew 11:28; Revelation 22:17), but only those who respond are saved. Many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 20:16; 22:14).
We also find that faith comes by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). There are many instances recorded in Scripture in which the hearing of the Word of God inspired faith. Such was the case with the Samaritans, with Cornelius and his household, and with the Corinthians (Acts 8:12; 10:44; 18:8).
Thus everyone receives an initial measure of faith from God. We can increase our faith by hearing the Word of God and by operation of the Holy Spirit. We are responsible for letting God develop faith in us and for using the faith He has placed in our hearts.
We have already identified faith as man's positive response to God and the means by which man accepts God's saving grace. It is the means by which we yield to God, obey His Word, and allow Him to perform His saving work in us. This accurately states the function of faith, but now we will try to define more precisely what faith is. Webster's Dictionary defines belief as "a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing;" and it defines faith as "allegiance to duty or a person; loyalty… belief and trust in and loyalty to God… something that is believed esp. with strong conviction." [5]
When we turn to the Greek language, we find an even greater depth of meaning. The publisher's foreword to The Amplified Bible contains a significant discussion of the word believe. As it points out, most people believe in Christ in the ordinary English meaning of the word. That is, most people believe that Christ lived, was the Son of God in some sense, and died on the cross to save sinners. However, according to The Amplified Bible no single English word can adequately convey the intended meaning of the Greek word pisteuo, which most translations render believe. Here is The Amplified Bible's definition of pisteuo: "It means 'to adhere to, trust, to have faith in; to rely on.' Consequently, the words, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ…' really mean to have an absolute personal reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour." [6]
W. E. Vine, in his An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, defines pisteuo as follows: "to believe, also to be persuaded of, and hence, to place confidence in, to trust, signifies, in this sense of the word, reliance upon, not mere credence." [7] The King James Version sometimes translates it as "commit" or "trust." The noun form of pisteuo is pistis, which is usually translated as "faith."
Vine defines pistis as "primarily, firm persuasion, a conviction based upon hearing." [8] He states that pisteuo and pistis include a total acknowledgement of God's revelation, a personal surrender to Him, and a lifestyle inspired by that surrender:
"The main elements in faith in its relation to the invisible God, as distinct from faith in man, are especially brought out in the use of this noun and the corresponding verb, pisteuo; they are (1) a firm conviction, producing a full acknowledgement of God's revelation or truth, e.g., 2 Thess. 2:11,12; (2) a personal surrender to Him, John 1:12; (3) a conduct inspired by such surrender, 2 Cor. 5:7… All this stands in contrast to belief in its purely natural exercise, which consists of an opinion held in good faith without necessary reference to its proof" [9]
The well-known Bible commentator Charles Erdman confirms that biblical faith embraces a personal relationship to Christ reflected in a person's trust, obedience, and holy conduct:
"If faith denotes mere assent to dogmas, or the repetition of a creed, then to accept one as righteous, in view of his faith, would be absurd and unjust; but faith describes a personal relationship to Christ. For a believer, it means a trust in Christ, obedience to Christ, love for Christ, and such trust and obedience, and love inevitably result in purity and holiness and a life of unselfish service." [10]
Protestant theologian Donald Bloesch makes a number of illuminating remarks with respect to biblical faith. He speaks of the "heresy of cheap grace whereby salvation became a passport to heaven that was assured to one simply through baptism or a public affirmation of faith or by birth in the covenant community." [11] In opposition to the concept of "cheap grace," he states that "the free gift of salvation demands not simply an outward intellectual assent or a voluntary submission to the Gospel but a total commitment and lifelong discipleship under the cross" [12] Furthermore, he presents a definition of faith as "a radical commitment of the whole man to the living Christ, a commitment that entails knowledge, trust, and obedience." [13]
In other words, saving faith means much more than mental knowledge or assent. In fact, we can identify three key components of saving faith: knowledge, assent, and appropriation. [14]
To have faith in something, a person must first have a certain degree of knowledge or mental understanding. He must know what he professes to believe. Saving faith does not require us to understand everything about God or life, but it does require that we realize our need of salvation and know that Jesus Christ is our only Savior.
Second, to have faith there must be assent or mental acceptance. Knowledge is not enough, for a person can understand a certain proposition and yet disbelieve it. In addition to understanding, there must be an acknowledgement that the profession is correct.
Finally, there must be an appropriation of what is believed. In other words, there must be a practical application of truth. The only way we can believe another person is by accepting and following his word. Saving faith in Jesus Christ, then, involves more than mentally acknowledging Him as the Savior. We must appropriate this truth and make it the guiding principle of our lives. We do this by obeying the gospel of Jesus, by identifying with Him, by totally committing ourselves to Him, and by establishing a relationship of total trust in and adherence to and reliance upon Him.
Our study of the Greek words pistis and pisteuo emphasized this third component. Without it, there is no saving faith. Many will acknowledge Jesus to be Lord and Savior and yet admit they have not obeyed the gospel. Although they have both knowledge and assent, they have not appropriated the gospel to their lives. They have not acted upon the truth. They have not committed themselves to Christ or identified with Him. In sum, saving faith is an active reliance upon God and His Word. We cannot separate it from reliance, obedience, and commitment.
The Scripture gives many examples of people who had some degree of faith in Christ but who were not saved. This demonstrates that a person can have a mental belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior and yet not obey Him, rely upon Him, or commit himself to Him to the point of salvation.
For example, many people in Israel believed on Jesus when they saw the miracles He performed. However, Jesus did not commit Himself to them because He knew their hearts. They had not fully committed themselves to Him as Lord of their lives (John 2:23-25).
Similarly, many of the Jewish religious leaders believed on Jesus but they did not confess Him for fear of being put out of the synagogues. They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 12:42-43). God did not accept them because they did not act upon their belief.
According to Jesus, some people do great miracles in His name, yet if they refuse to do God's will, they will not be saved (Matthew 7:21-27). They will have enough faith for miracles but not enough faith to obey God's Word in all things. They will have faith but not saving faith.
The Samaritans believed Philip's preaching and were baptized, yet they did not receive the Spirit of God until Peter and John came (Acts 8:12-17). Simon the magician was one who believed and was baptized, but he later tried to buy spiritual power and blessings with money (Acts 8:18-19). Peter rebuked him and told him to repent of his wickedness, saying, "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God… For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity" (Acts 8:21-23). He was not saved at this point, even though he had believed to some extent.
Even the devils believe in one God (James 2:19), which is more than some do. Not only do they believe, but they confess Jesus to be the Son of God (Matthew 8:29). Despite their belief and confession, however, they do not have saving faith.
In each of these cases, there was mental understanding and assent, but there was also a lack of total commitment to Jesus and obedience to His Word. The people possessed a degree of faith but not enough to bring about salvation. Saving faith, then, is inseparably linked with obedience.
Paul emphasized justification by faith more than any other writer, yet he strongly insisted that saving faith is inseparably bound up with obedience. He taught that the mystery of God's redemptive plan, the church, has been "made known to all nations for the obedience of faith" (Romans 16:26). The New International Version translates this last phrase as "made known… so that all nations might believe and obey him" God's grace brings "obedience to the faith" (Romans 1:5). Christ worked through Paul to "make the Gentiles obedient" (Romans 15:18). Similarly, Luke recorded that a great number of priests were "obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7). Faith and obedience are so closely linked that a lack of obedience to God is proof of a lack of faith: "But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?" (Romans 10:16).
Many other passages reiterate the essential link between obedience and salvation. Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). Only the man that both hears and does the Lord's Word will be saved (Matthew 7:24-27). Jesus also said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15); "If a man love me, he will keep my words" (John 14:23).
The Lord will punish with everlasting destruction those who "obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (II Thessalonians 1:7-10). Christ has become "the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" (Hebrews 5:9). Peter said, "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" (I Peter 4:17).
John gave the following test for a Christian: "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him" (I John 2:3-5). We know God, have the love of God perfected in us and are in God only when we obey God. The true believer will obey God's commandments and will thereby know that he has love (I John 5:1-3).
When God sent the death angel to visit every household in Egypt, the Israelites were not automatically protected simply on the basis of their mental attitude. They had to apply the blood of the Passover lamb to their doorposts (Exodus 12). Only when they expressed their faith through obedience to God's command were they safe. "Through faith he [Moses] kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them" (Hebrew 11:28). Likewise, saving faith today includes active obedience. We must apply the blood of the Lamb to our lives by obedience to His gospel of repentance, water baptism in His name, and receiving His Spirit.
Someone who really believes God's Word will obey it. God's Word teaches water baptism, so the Bible believer will be baptized. God's Word promises the gift of the Spirit, so the true believer will expect, seek, and receive this gift. One Protestant writer has stated, "Christians have historically affirmed that to enjoy a life-transforming relationship with God a person must believe and obey the gospel" [15] Another Protestant theologian wrote, "The content of faith can in fact be caught in one sentence: Jesus is Lord (I Cor. 12:3)… Therefore, to say in faith that 'Jesus is Lord' is also to commit one's self to obedience. To believe the fact is to obey the summons implicit in the fact; and only in obedience is the fact truly acknowledged.… For Paul obedience is the same as faith, just as disobedience is a lack of faith." [16] Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes." [17]
The Bible also teaches that faith cannot be separated from good works. "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works" (Titus 3:8).
There is no faith apart from or without works. James wrote of the inseparableness of faith and works: "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?… Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, 0 vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only… For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:14,17-24, 26).
Some people see a contradiction in Paul's teaching about faith and James' teaching about works. Martin Luther disliked the Book of James and even questioned its place in the Bible because he thought it contradicted justification by faith. However, Paul's epistles and James' epistle are equally part of the Word of God, and God's Word does not contradict itself. The writings of Paul and James complement each other and fit together into a harmonious whole.
Paul emphasized that we are saved by faith in Jesus, not by our works. God has purchased salvation for us and we accept it by faith; we do not purchase salvation by good works. In particular, Paul emphasized that keeping the law of Moses cannot save anyone, because ceremonial observances do not have the power in themselves to cleanse sin.
James likewise recognized that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above" (James 1:17), including salvation. He pointed out that the kind of faith that saves will necessarily produce works. In other words, we cannot demonstrate faith in the abstract apart from works; the only way God or anyone else sees our faith is through our response. Faith is not just a condition of the mind but a life-changing force.
Paul cited Abraham as a example of justification by faith (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:1-3). James used the same example to show that faith can only be demonstrated by works. Without works Abraham's faith would have been dead. What if Abraham had said, "I believe God," but he would have refused to offer up Isaac? According to James, he would not have had true faith and so would not have been justified. God Himself told Abraham after he had willingly offered Isaac, "I will bless thee… because thou hast obeyed my voice" (Genesis 22:16-18). Paul's description of Abraham's faith leads to the same conclusion. Against hope Abraham believed in hope. He did not consider human limitations, he did not stagger at the promise of God, he was strong in faith, he gave glory to God, and he was fully persuaded (Romans 4:18-21). This passage does not describe mental assent apart from works hut rather active faith that supported Abraham in his conduct for many years - faith that caused him to trust and commit himself wholly to God.
Any remaining confusion clears when we realize that Paul and James used the same terms in somewhat different ways and contexts. In Romans, faith means true faith in God with all this entails; in James it means mental assent that could fail to affect conduct, which would not be true, living faith at all. In Romans, works means dead works that can be done apart from faith; in James it means living works that can be done only through faith and that will attest to the existence of faith. In Romans, justified means "declared righteous by God"; in James it means "shown to be righteous!" Vine commented on this harmony between Paul and James:
"In regard to justification by works, the so-called contradiction between James and the Apostle Paul is only apparent… Paul has in mind Abraham's attitude towards God, his acceptance of God's word… James (2:21-26) is occupied with the contrast between faith that is real and faith that is false, a faith barren and dead, which is not faith at all!" [18]
It is evident that Paul and James both agreed that saving faith will produce a life-changing reliance upon God, evidenced by works. Paul taught that we are saved through faith; James taught that saving faith will produce works and is only demonstrated by works. If works do not come with a person's faith, there is something wrong with his faith.
Hebrews 11 beautifully illustrates the complementary relationship between faith and works. The main purpose of this chapter is to show how necessary faith is and to show what it will produce. It names many Old Testament heroes and records their deeds done "by faith." The passage demonstrates that faith will always produce works and that it can only be shown by works. Every time the writer described someone's faith, he listed those actions faith caused.
Certainly, we are saved by grace through faith. We rely on God's work and not our own works to bring salvation. However, this does not relieve us of our responsibility to respond to God, to obey Him, and to act upon our faith. Saving faith is a living faith that works.
Saving faith is not just a temporary condition but a continuing relationship with Jesus Christ. We are not saved by faith held only at one point in time. Rather, "the just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Habakkuk 2:4). Colossians 2:6 says, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him." Just as we received Him in faith, so must we continue to exercise faith in Him.
The Bible often speaks of faith in the present tense, indicating continuing faith. For example, the word believeth in John 3:16 indicates continuous faith: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Salvation is not just a past tense experience; it is a present tense relationship that will lead to eternal salvation. We must live daily by faith in order to be saved in the end. It is much easier to see the close relationship between faith and works when we realize this fact. Faith is progressive; it leads further and further into God's will.
Just as there is no merit in faith apart from response, so there is no merit in faith apart from the object of faith. Faith in and of itself is of no value. If man's faith in itself were meritorious, then justification by faith would be simply another form of man saving himself.
The value of faith depends totally upon the object of faith. We are saved by the One in whom we have faith, not by the condition of having faith. When Paul used Abraham as an example of justification by faith, he pointed out that Abraham believed God, the omniscient and omnipotent Being who could fulfill His promises (Romans 4:16-17). Pagan religionists may have great faith, but they are not saved because they do not have faith in Jesus. Since salvation comes solely through Jesus, it is vitally important to have faith in Him.
This means we must have faith in His Word as well. Many people have great faith in certain religious systems that profess Christ, but they are not saved because their faith is not based on the Word of God and the gospel of Christ. Belief in a man-made system and sincerity in that belief are not enough. We must worship God in truth as well as in spirit (John 4:24). Jesus said, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38). We must believe in accordance with the teaching of Scripture. There is no saving power in man 5 mental faith apart from belief in and obedience to Jesus and His Word.
Now let us analyze in greater detail exactly what faith in Jesus will produce. Faith and repentance work together in salvation. Jesus preached, "Repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15). A person must have some faith in order to repent. No one seeks to repent from sin unless he believes that sin is wrong and that repentance is both possible and necessary. God's Word declares that all will perish without repentance and that all men everywhere must repent (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30). Certainly, then, faith in the Word of God will lead to repentance.
Some debate whether repentance precedes or follows faith. Lutheran theologians traditionally have viewed repentance as preceding faith, while Calvin described it as a product of faith. This all depends on the usage of the term faith. For example, if a person uses it to mean the moment of salvation, then repentance must precede it because repentance is a prerequisite for salvation. On the other hand, if he views faith as a continuous process as well as a point in time, then faith can both precede repentance and also follow it. This latter view finds the support of Scripture.
Faith can begin at the first hearing of the Word of God even though at this moment faith does not bring salvation. We have explored biblical examples that show that a person can have some degree of faith prior to the salvation experience. A person is not saved at the first moment faith begins, but rather salvation is experienced as faith matures, gains control of his heart, and leads him to a positive response to Christ and the gospel so that he obeys the Scriptures in repentance, water baptism, and seeking and receiving the gift of the Spirit.
Repentance, then, follows the first moment of faith but it precedes the full expression of saving faith (the new birth experience). Perhaps it is best to describe repentance as the first "faith response" to the gospel, for repentance stands at the beginning of a life of faith and is itself the initial act of faith.
Faith in God will also lead to water baptism. Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16). Obviously He taught that faith would lead to baptism, and the history of the Early Church affirms this truth. After Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost, "they that gladly received his word were baptized" (Acts 2:41). When the Samaritans "believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized" (Acts 8:12). The Philippian jailer believed and was baptized in the same hour that Paul admonished him to believe (Acts 16:31-34). When Paul preached in Corinth, many people "believed, and were baptized" (Acts 18:8).
On many other occasions people were baptized when they heard and accepted the gospel (Acts 8:36-38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:14-15; 19:5). We conclude that water baptism is an act of faith - a faith response to God. True faith in God and His Word will cause the believer to submit to water baptism.
A Baptist scholar stated, "There is, indeed, much to be said for the contention, independently advocated by the theologians of various schools, that in the New Testament faith and baptism are viewed as inseparables whenever the subject of Christian initiation is under discussion… Baptism is… the divinely appointed rendezvous of grace for faith. It is… the indispensable external expression and crowning moment of the act of faith" [19]
Faith also leads to receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Jesus said, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38). John explained that Jesus spoke of the Holy Ghost:
"But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 7:39).
Peter taught that the gift, or baptism, of the Holy Ghost comes to all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He identified Cornelius' experience as the Pentecostal Spirit baptism and asked, "Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?" (Acts 11:15-17). In other words, Peter identified "believing on the Lord Jesus Christ" with being baptized with the Spirit.
Paul also expected that believers would receive the Holy Ghost. When he found some disciples of John the Baptist at Ephesus he asked, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" (Acts 19:2). The New International Version puts the question even stronger: "Did you receive the Holy Ghost when you believed?" Paul further taught in his epistles that we receive the Holy Spirit through faith: "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Galatians 3:14). "In whom [Christ] also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13).
The inescapable conclusion is that faith leads to receiving the Holy Ghost. In other words, the true believer will receive the Holy Ghost; his faith is shown to be genuine and complete when God grants him the gift of the Spirit.
Can repentance and water baptism be classified as works? They are not works in the sense of things man does to assist in earning his salvation, but they are saving works of God. Saving faith necessarily expresses itself through repentance, water baptism, and receiving the Spirit.
In himself man does not have power to turn from sin, but God leads him to repentance and grants power to repent. God works repentance in man, changing his mind and direction. Likewise, God remits sin at baptism. Without the work of God and faith in His work, baptism is a meaningless ritual. Finally, receiving the Holy Spirit is certainly not a work on man's part; the Spirit is a free gift of God that a person receives by faith.
Man's role in all of this is simply to believe the gospel, to seek repentance, to submit to water baptism, and to allow God to fill him with the Spirit. These elements are all part of the appropriation, response, commitment, reliance, and obedience that saving faith necessarily includes. This "faith response" on man's part does not earn or pay for salvation, but it is a necessary response for receiving salvation.
God offers salvation to all people freely on the basis of Christ's atonement, but only those who express faith in God receive salvation. Man either allows God to perform the work of salvation (by his faith and obedience) or he refuses to let Him work (by unbelief and disobedience). God calls a person, leads this person to Himself, changes the person's mind and direction (repentance), washes away his sins (at water baptism), baptizes him with His Spirit, keeps him in His grace, and empowers him for a holy life. This action on God's part constitutes His salvation of man in the present age.
Does this conclusion about saving faith contradict Romans 10:8-10? This passage reads, "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Some interpret this passage to mean that salvation comes automatically if one mentally assents that Jesus rose from the dead and verbally confesses that He is Lord. However, this interpretation contradicts the truth that saving faith includes appropriation and obedience Under this view, many who do not even claim to be living for God would be saved. Even the devils would be saved, for they know Jesus is alive, confess Him verbally, and believe in one God (Matthew 8:29; James 2:19). Clearly, such a superficial understanding of Romans 10:8-10 is inadequate.
This becomes even more apparent as we continue reading Romans 10. Verse 13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Does this mean that everyone who verbalizes the name of Jesus is saved? Certainly not, or else the name of Jesus would be merely a magical formula. Moreover, verse 16 teaches that a lack of obedience indicates a lack of faith: "But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?" Many will verbally confess Jesus as Lord and call on His name, but only those who actually do God's will shall be saved (Matthew 7:21-23). Despite one's verbal confession of faith, if he refuses to obey the gospel he does not have saving faith.
If this is so, what is the correct interpretation of Romans 10:8-10? First, we must realize that Paul was writing to Christians. His purpose was to remind them of how accessible salvation really is (verse 8). He did not have to explain the new birth in detail because his readers had already experienced it. He was simply reminding them that the foundation of salvation remains faith in Christ and the gospel and in public confession of this faith to the world in which they lived. A commentator on Romans noted that Paul in this passage referred to faith that brought us to a proper relationship with Christ and to confession as the means by which we maintain that relationship.
"If we render 'salvation' by safety, we have perhaps the best equivalent. We receive righteousness through believing, and we realize that righteousness as 'safety' by continual confession of Christ as Lord… while believing in Christ brings man into a right relation to God, confession of faith maintains him in that right relation and keeps him continually safe until the final salvation." [20]
Second, we should read Deuteronomy 30:14, for this is the verse Paul quoted in Romans 10:8; "But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it." This verse demonstrates that confessing and believing necessarily includes obeying the Word of God.
Third, to "confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus" means to give a truthful, verbal confession that He is Lord. For this to be truthful, however, we must submit our lives to Him as Lord and be obedient to Him. When do we first confess Jesus as Lord? Verbal confession comes when we call His name at water baptism (Acts 22:16) and when we speak in tongues at the Spirit baptism (Acts 2:4). After all, no one can confess that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:3).
In the fullest sense of this passage, no one can truly confess Jesus as Lord of his life until he receives the Spirit and lives by the Spirit's power. Interestingly, F. F. Bruce in The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries also linked this passage in Romans 10 with I Corinthians 12:3. He also connected confession to water baptism: "If we are to think of one outstanding occasion for such a confession to be made, we should more probably think of that first confession… made in Christian baptism." [21]
Fourth, to believe in the heart that God has raised Christ from the dead means a true belief, which includes reliance. We must believe in the resurrection and rely upon this supernatural event for salvation. We rely on the resurrection to make Christ's atoning death effective (Romans 4:25) and to give us new life through the Spirit of the risen Christ (Romans 5:10; 6:4-5; 8:9-11). True belief in Christ's resurrection, therefore, will lead us to apply His atonement to our lives and then to receive His Spirit.
When Romans 10:13 says, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," it means more than merely an oral invocation of the name Jesus. Otherwise, faith itself would not be necessary. Saving faith is more than oral confession of Christ, for that act alone is not enough. (See Matthew 7:21.) Obviously Romans 10:13 describes the sincere heart's cry of someone who believes on Jesus. Oral confession is a step in that direction, but living faith and obedience are required to validate this confession.
The main point of Romans 10:13 is not to give a formula for salvation but to teach that salvation is for all. The emphasis is on whosoever. Paul quoted this verse to support his statement that "there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him" (Romans 10:12). The quotation originally appears in Joel 2:32, which follows Joel's prophecy concerning the latter-day outpouring of the Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28-29) and the latter-day judgment of God (verses 30-31). Joel 2:32 explains that all who call upon Jehovah will be delivered from this judgment.
Peter applied this prophecy to the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:21). Furthermore, Ananias commanded Paul (the writer of Romans) to call on the name of the Lord at water baptism (Acts 22:16).
In summary, we draw two conclusions about "calling on the name of the Lord" First, it does not proclaim an "easy believism" but teaches that God's salvation is freely available to all who seek Him and call upon Him in faith. Second, if one truly calls on the Lord he will receive His Spirit and call on His name at baptism.
We believe that God has always made salvation available to mankind according to one plan, namely, by grace through faith based on the atoning death of Christ. God has dealt with man in various ways throughout the ages, but ultimately all His dealings rest upon this one plan. Although our age has seen the fulness of God's grace to the point that we can call it the age of grace (John 1:17), salvation in all ages has been a product of God's grace and not man's works. If man could have ever saved himself, he could still do so now; but God's Word declares he cannot.
Likewise, the principle of faith has become so clear in this age that we can call it the age of faith (Galatians 3:23-25), but God has always required faith. Abraham was justified by faith (Galatians 3:6). Even though some Jews thought their salvation rested in works of the law, keeping the law was never of any value without faith (Matthew 23:23; Romans 2:29; 4:11-16; 9:30-33).
Of course, faith has always included obedience As part of faith in God, Abraham obeyed the command to leave his homeland, trusted in God's promises, and offered his son Isaac back to God (Romans 4:16-22; Hebrews 11:8-10, 17-18; James 2:20-24). As part of faith in God, the Jews adhered to God's law as revealed to Moses, including the system of blood sacrifices (Hebrews 11:28-29). As part of faith, we obey the gospel of Christ. All of this obedience was and is necessary, but salvation in every age has come through faith, not works.
Finally, salvation in every age has rested upon the atoning death of Christ. He was the only sacrifice that could ever remit sin (Hebrews 9:22; 10:1-18). Christ's death atoned for the sins of all ages. "God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forebearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished" (Romans 3:25, NIV).
The Old Testament saints were saved by faith in God's future plan of atonement, which they expressed (without fully comprehending it) by obedience to the sacrificial system God had ordained. The New Testament saints are saved by faith in God's past plan of atonement, which they express by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament requirements of obedience, such as circumcision and blood sacrifice, were consistent with the principle of justification by faith, and the New Testament requirements of obedience, such as repentance and water baptism, are also consistent with justification by faith.
Based on our discussion in this chapter, here is our definition of saving faith in our age. Saving faith is acceptance of the gospel of Jesus Christ as the sole means of our salvation and appropriation (application) of that gospel to our lives by obedience to its requirements. Saving faith rests in Jesus, His sacrificial death on the cross, His resurrection, and the teachings of His Word. Saving faith expresses itself in our obedience to Christ's gospel and by our identification with Him. It is a living faith that works.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is His death, burial, and resurrection (I Corinthians 15:1-4). We apply the gospel to our lives - we identify with Christ and His saving work - by repentance, water baptism in the name of Jesus, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (Romans 6:3-5). No matter how we analyze it, saving faith finds expression through, leads to, produces, and includes these three elements.
Here is an analogy that may help to put what we have learned into perspective. Suppose David tells John, "Meet me at the bank tomorrow morning at 10:00 A.M. and I will give you $1,000." (This is a condition for receiving the gift.) If John really believes David, he will appear at the appointed place and time. (Faith necessarily produces trust, response, and reliance) If John shows up, has he thereby earned the money? Of course not, because the money is a free gift. Yet his appearance is a necessary condition that must be met in order to receive the gift. (Grace on David's part, faith on John's part.) If John fails to show up, he will not receive the gift and the responsibility for the failure will fall totally upon him. (Lack of faith in the promise.)
Similarly, we must respond to God in faith by seeking repentance, remission of sins at water baptism, and the Spirit baptism. If we do, God will graciously grant our petition, and we will receive salvation totally as a free gift and not as an earned right. If we do not respond in obedience to God's Word, we will not receive salvation, and the blame will rest totally upon us.
The doctrines of grace and faith do not eliminate the necessity of the new birth, but they explain how we experience it. The doctrine of grace teaches that the new birth is a free gift from God which we do not earn or deserve. The doctrine of faith teaches that we receive the new birth by relying totally and exclusively on Christ and His gospel. Faith is the means by which we appropriate God's grace, yield to Him, and allow Him to perform His saving work in us.
Genuine faith in God always includes obedience to His Word. If we believe on Jesus, we will obey His commands to repent and to be baptized. If we have faith in Christ and His atoning death, He will remit our sins at water baptism; otherwise we simply get wet at baptism. If we believe on Jesus according to the Scriptures, He will fill us with His Spirit. After this, faith will keep the born-again believer in a continuing relationship with Christ that includes continued obedience and holiness of life through the power of the indwelling Spirit. In sum, the new birth experience is a free gift of God that we receive through faith in Jesus Christ.