Understanding The Bible
STUDY REFERENCE
Clarence E. Mason's "Soteriology"
FAITH

 

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BY THE AUTHOR
Dr. Clarence E. Mason, Jr.
Philadelphia College of Bible
1970

FAITH

  1. INTRODUCTION
    The word faith occurs 247 times in the Word of God. The English word is used only twice in the Old Testament (Dt. 32:20 and Hah. 2:4). In the ASV, the word faith is rendered faithfulness in both these verses. However, the fact of faith is prominent in the Old Testament.
     
  2. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF FAITH
    Faith is the most basic and fundamental virtue of the New Testament. Every other virtue depends on it.
    Mt. 15:22-28; 8:5-10; Mk. 10:46-52; Heb. 11:6; 2 Pet. 1:5-7; 1 Cor. 13:13
     
  3. THE ESSENTIALS OF FAITH
    In the exercise of true faith, the whole personality is involved.
    1. Knowledge is necessary
      (2 Chr. 9:5; Rom. 10:13-17).
    2. Assent is necessary
      (Mk. 12:32; Mt. 9:28; Jas. 2:19).
    3. Trust is necessary. By this is meant an action of the will in committing oneself to Christ as Saviour, or to God in respect to the spiritual issue at hand.
      Faith is the consent of the will to the assent of the understanding (Jn. 8:30-31).
       
  4. THE MEANING OF THE WORDS
    1. Old Testament words
      Chasah - meaning to flee to a place; to take refuge or shelter (Dt'. 32:37; Jud. 9:15; Ruth 2:12; Ps. 46:1).
      Batach - to trust or to confide (Dt. 28:52; Jud. 20:36; 2 Ki. 18:5,19-20, 22)
      Aman - to stay, to support (Jud. 11:20; Job 4:18; Mic. 7:5).
      Galal - to roll (Ps. 22:8).
      Chool or Cheel - to turn around, to twist, to twirl; ultimately it means strength.
      Yachal - to wait (Isa. 51:5; Jer. 13:25).
       
    2. New Testament words
      Pistis (noun) - trust or confidence springing from faith in the same (Mt. 8:10; Rom. 4:5,9; Eph. 2:8).
      Pisteuo (verb) - to have a conviction full of joyful trust (Jn. 1:7,12,50; Rom. 1:16; 2 Tim. 1:12).
       
  5. DEFINITIONS
    1. Negative
      "A faith which does not impel to action, which does not result in a changed relation to God and Christ, which does not work transformingly in life, is not Biblical faith."
    2. Positive
      Biblical faith is personal trust in the God of the Scriptures and in Jesus Christ whom He hath sent, especially in regard to having borne our sins upon the cross.
       
  6. USAGE OF FAITH
    1. Faith is used in connection with God.
      Heb. 11:6, cp. Lk. 11:5-10; Acts 27:22-25,44; Rom. 4:19-21, cp. Gen. 15:4-6
    2. Faith is used in connection with Christ.
      1. There must be a knowledge of the claims of Christ as to His person and mission in the world.
        1. As to His person that He is God Jn. 9:35-38; 10:30; Phil. 2:6-11).
        2. As to His work (Mt. 20:28; 26:28; Lk. 24:27,44).
          1. There must be an assent to all these claims (Jn. 6:68-69; 16:30; 20:28; Mt. 16:16).
          2. There must be a personal appropriation of Christ as being all that He claims to be (Jn. 1:12; 5:24; 11:25-27).
      2. Faith, consisting of knowledge, assent, and appropriation, saves.
        This is what is meant by believing with the heart (Rom. 10:9-10).
    3. Faith is used in connection with prayer. 1 Jn. 5:14-15; Jas. 1:5-7; Mk. 11:24
    4. Faith is used in connection with the promises of God.
      1. We must believe that the promises are worth their full value (Heb. 11:6).
      2. We must step out upon the promises which may be unseen and non­existent as far as our vision is concerned, but to faith they are splendid realities.
    5. There is a connection between faith and works.
      Jas. 2:14-26; Rom. 4:1-12
       
  7. THE MANIFESTATION OF FAITH
    1. Faith in Christ is manifested by bringing to Him our need and surmounting all the obstacles that lie between us and Him (Mk. 2:3-5).
    2. By holding on to Christ for the desired blessing in the face of discouragement, even in the face of His apparent refusal to bestow it (e.g., Mt. 15:22-28).
    3. By prompt and exact obedience to the commandments of Him in whom we have believed, simply because He commands (Heb. 11:8,17).
    4. By a disregard for the difficulties that lie in the way of fulfillment of God's promises (Heb. 11:17-19, cp. Rom. 4:18-21; Num. 13:31-33, cp. 14:3-9).
    5. By steadfastness in the path God points out in the face of obstacles, peril, and apparent loss (Heb. 11:27).
       
  8. THE SOURCE OF FAITH
    1. The Divine side of faith
      1. It is the work of God (Rom. 12:3).
      2. The Word of God is the instrument that God uses in imparting faith (Jn. 20:31; 2 Tim. 3:15; Jas. 1:21; Rom. 10:17; Acts 4:4).

        Faith comes through the Word and grows by feeding upon the Word. Faith is nourished by the Scriptures.
         
      3. Faith is the work of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22; 1 Cor. 12:9).
        The Word is the instrument made a living reality in the heart by the Spirit's power.
      4. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2; Mt. 14:30-31).
    2. The human side of faith
      1. Prayer is an instrument in the development of faith (Lk. 11:9,11,13; 22:32; Mk. 9:22-24).
      2. Our faith grows by the use of the faith which we already have (Mt. 25:29, cp. context, vv. 14-28).
      3. Faith is associated with a close following of the Lord Jesus Christ (Lk. 22:54).
         
  9. THE RESULTS OF FAITH
    1. We are saved by faith (Eph. 2:8,10).
    2. We have joy and peace through faith (Isa. 26:3; Phil. 4:6-7; 1 Pet. 1:8).
    3. Works are wrought through faith (Heb. 11:32-34; Mt. 21:21).
       
  10. GOD'S ORDER IS: FACT, FAITH, FEELING
    It is never reversed. If faith looks at feeling, it collapses. If it looks at (Scriptural) fact, it is stabilized.




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