Date: 10-18-90 (08:28) Theology Number: 185
To: ALL
From: JOHN LIPSCOMB Read: 10-21-90 (10:01)
Subj: WORDS...FAITH
GREAT WORDS OF THE SCRIPTURE... ΪΔΏ
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"But to him who does not work but believes on Him who
justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for
righteousness," Romans 4:5
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that
not of yourselves; it is the gift of God," Ephesians 2:8
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1
Faith is "substance." It is God's gift. It is equated by God
as being equal to "righteousness."
"Faith is to believe, on the word of God, what we do not
see, and its reward is to see and enjoy what we believe."
Augustine, Edwards, T. (ed.), The New Dictionary of Thoughts,
pp. 185-186.
I. The Faith of God DEFINED
"Faith - Allegiance to duty or a person; loyalty.
Fidelity to one's promises; sincerity of intentions. Belief
and trust in an loyalty to God; belief in the traditional
doctrines of religion. Firm belief in something for which
there is no proof. Complete trust." Webster's Ninth New
Collegiate Dictionary, p. 446.
The Greek word PISTIS, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, #
4102, is translated "faith." In the Authorized Version, this Greek
word is also translated: "assurance, belief, believe, and
fidelity."
"Primarily, firm persuasion, a conviction based upon
hearing (akin to PEITHO, to persuade), is used in the New
Testament always of faith in God or Christ or things
spiritual." Vine, W.E., The Expanded Vine's Expository
Dictionary of New Testament Words, p. 401.
English synonyms of faith include: belief, trust, confidence,
assurance, credence, conviction, assent, reliance, fidelity.
II. The Faith of God DECLARED
Faith, the noun, is the focus of the believer's determination.
Faith, the verb, is the accomplishment of the believer's focus.
"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 in 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.
Prominence is given to one or other of these elements
according to the context. All this stands in contrast to
belief in its purely natural exercise, which consist of an
opinion held in good faith without necessary reference to its
proof. The object of Abraham's faith was not God's promise
(that was the occasion of its exercise); his faith rested on
God Himself, Rom. 4.17, 20, 21." Vine, W.E., p. 401.
III. The Faith of God DEMONSTRATED
A. The Object of the Believer's Faith
The Lord Jesus Christ is the object of the believer's
faith. He, alone, is the Saviour. He has earned the trust,
of all that the Father has given to Him.
Christ is the Author of Faith... The Lord Jesus Christ is
the true origin of faith. He is the Author of the believer's
salvation, made perfect through sufferings. He is not ashamed
to call His Own "brethren." (Heb. 2.10-13). He delights in
identifying with and quoting from the song, given to David by
God's Spirit, as an encouragement to all who choose to walk by
faith. "The LORD (is) my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
the God of my strength, in Him I will trust" 2 Sam. 22.2-3,
cf. Heb. 2.13
B. The Operation of the Believer's Faith
The Lord Jesus is also the Accomplisher of the believer's
faith. Directly stated, it is the faith of Jesus Christ that
accomplishes the believer's salvation. The faith we exercise
is a gift from God. The object of our faith is revealed by
God. The Lord Jesus constantly revealed His commitment to the
Father, "...to Him Who judges righteously." (1 Pet. 2.21-24).
The evidence of His faith is reflected in the syntax of
the Greek language. The following three Scripture passages,
Rom. 3.22; Gal. 2.16, and 3.22, couple faith and the Lord
Jesus. Each of these occurrences is in the Genitive case.
Specifically, the Genitive of Possession. This is the case
that specifies ownership, i.e. Jesus Christ possesses the
faith which saves.
"even the righteousness of God which is through faith in
Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. For there is no
difference;" Romans 3:22
"knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the
law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in
Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ
and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law
no flesh shall be justified." Galatians 2:16
"But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the
promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who
believe." Galatians 3:22
Each of the three references cited is translated "faith
in Jesus Christ..." in the New King James Version, which is a
reasonable presentation. However, since the genitive case
encourages the view of possession, changing the preposition
"in" to "of" as is shown in The Englishman's Greek New Test-
ament reflects this ownership more precisely. The rendering
"faith of Jesus Christ" indicates that His faith is the
believer's accomplishment.
C. The Opponent of the Believer's Faith
Faith is assailed by the enemies of God. The world
system, the flesh, and the Devil oppose faith, for it
brings glory and honor to the Lord Jesus. The obvious anti-
thesis of faith is unbelief. Unbelief is manifest in many
applications, but none so great as self-effort, i.e."works."
Man, in opposition to trusting the Lord Jesus Christ seeks to
placate God by being busy for Him. For this action, un-
believing men will be judged and forever consigned to the lake
of fire.
"... I saw a great white throne... and I saw the dead,
small and great, standing before God, and books were opened,
and another book was opened which is (the Book) of Life. And
the dead where judged according to their works, by the things
which were written in the books." Rev. 20.11-15
Take note. The issue is "works" not sins, "... to him
who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungod-
ly, his faith is accounted for righteousness..." Romans 4:5
"...not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of
regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." Titus 3.5
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