Lutherna View of Church and State

JUSTIFICATION

2006-2007

LESSON SIX

I. The Word “Faith” (p. 490).

A. Have been discussing “justification”.

B. Paul adds, “we are justified by faith”.

C. “Faith is the unique means and instrument through which we lay hold on the righteousness of Christ, receive it, and apply it to ourselves”. (p. 490).

D. Heb 4:2.

E. Is why Satan is so hostile to the doctrine of faith.

1. Could not stop the coming of the Seed.

2. Tries to snatch away the means whereby God’s work is applied.

F. Mk 16:16.

G. God desired this doctrine to stand out plainly and conspicuously in the church, for the wise and unwise. - Ro 1:14,15.

II. Disputes concerning the word “faith”. (p. 490).

A. How meaning distorted, obscured and finally corrupted.

1. Darkness came from “perversions that seem only grammatical and matters of terminology”. (p. 490).

2. Corruptions began at time of apostles (e.g. Jas. chapter 2).

a. Jas 2:14 - says, “claims to have faith”, not “has faith”.

b. Jas 2:19 - they “believe”, yet are not justified for they “shudder”.

3. Hermas, in The Shepherd, understood Christian faith in same way (“I believe that there is one God who made all things.”)

4. Others said.

a. Faith is the assent of piety (Clement of Alexandria).

b. Faith arises out of “the rational use of free will” (Clement of Alexandria).

c. Faith is believing in the coming judgment of God (Clement of Rome).

d. God is so good that He imputes sin to no one (Aetius and Eunomius).

e. Some understood it only as assent to the historical account, which in a general way asserts that the things revealed in Scripture are true.

f. Some believe faith is so weak, something else must need to be added.

g. Some erred in the object of faith and made the object the whole of Scripture including the Law.

h. Others confused the effects or activities of faith (e.g. Augustine said that to believe in God is to love by believing).

B. Ways in which meaning used by Paul can be explained and taught. (p. 491).

1. “Faith” is illustrated by true interpretation of “justify”.

a. Question is “How and in what respect does faith justify?”

b. Dispute about faith concerns the application of the merit and obedience of Christ for righteousness and the salvation of everyone who believes.

2. Antithesis Paul uses: We are justified not by our works but by our faith in Christ.

3. Establish the interpretation on the basis of the object with which justifying faith properly is concerned and to which it looks, grasps, applies to itself, with respect to which, by its merit and worthiness, the believer is justified.

a. Ro 3:21-24.

b. Ro 3:27.

c. Ro 10:6.

C. We must also show that the grammatical treatment we employ is in complete agreement with Paul.

D. Point is to show “that ‘faith’ is having in our mind the kind of knowledge that, in the case of true faith, produces an assent in our will and a moving of our hearts, a desire and a trust which lay hold on and apply to oneself the object of faith, because it has been shown to be so good that our mind relies on it.” (p. 492).

1. O.T. uses “chasah” and “batach” (believe and trust) combined in single statements.

a. Ps 78:22.

b. Mic 7:5.

2. Where N.T. requires “faith”, O.T. commands “trust”.

3. Not only “knowledge” but also “trust”.

E. This meaning of “faith” does not conflict with the common Greek usage, which also uses it with sense of “trust”.

F. Since this matter is of great importance, it is necessary to look to clear, firm and solid foundations from which the substance of doc. of justification (“faith”) is drawn.

1. Lk 7:50.

2. Can afford no ignorance or uncertainty on issue.

III. Passages for better understanding. (p. 493).

A. Those showing “faith” is not only knowledge and general assent, but at same time includes a desire and a trust which applies promise of grace to each individual.

1. Gal 2:15,16.

2. Gal 2:20,21.

3. Php 3:8-11.

4. Ro 4: 23,24.

5. Ro 8:35,38,39.

B. Those showing properties or effects Scripture attributes to justifying faith (remission of sins, adoption, absolution, access to God, peace, purification of heart, victory over the world, salvation, and eternal life).

1. Must apply promise to ourselves.

2. c.f. Demons (e.g. Mt 8:29).

3. c.f. Hypocrites (e.g. Mt 7: 22,23).

C. The proper and principal object of faith insofar as to which faith justifies and how faith in justification relates to its object:

1. The object of justifying faith is the promise of grace with application of promise to individual believers.

2. Papists try to force conclusion that the object, is in general, the whole content of the Word.

a. e.g. Heb 11: chapter describes various objects of faith (e.g. art. of creation, prediction of coming flood, etc.)

b. We do not deny there are often various external objects with which faith has to do, the question now is: In respect to what object does faith justify?

c. Hebrews discusses how faith after justification exercises itself through suffering and receives various gifts and benefits.

d. Exercises of faith always presuppose, as their foundation, that God is reconciled by faith.

e. 2Co 1:20: Faith in Christ both causes the promises to be made certain and governs them.

1. “yes” (Gk: nai) - promises ratified.

2. “amen” - an expectation in sure confidence.

f. Gal 3:8,9,16,29.

g. Heb 11:10 (re: promise to Abraham)

D. Other names attributed to justifying faith.

1. Heb 11:1 (hypostasis/”substance” is used) (KJV: “substance of things hoped for”) - often misunderstood.

2. Luther: “Faith is a sure expectation”. (p. 496).

3. Heb 3:6,14.

4. Ps 39:7 (LXX - “hypostasis” used in second part)

a. See also Exe 19:5 (LXX ‘ “hypostasis”)

b. Gk hyphistemi correlates to Hebrew root of term being examined (means: “ not to yield or give way to a charging enemy but to stand firm, to receive the force of the attack and sustain it”) (p. 496).

1. Meaning depicts the struggle of faith.

2. 1Ti 6:12.

3. Eph 6:16.

4. 1Th 1:3.

5. 1Th 5:8.

5. Also attributed to faith is “full assurance”.

a. Ro 4:21.

b. Heb 6:11.

c. Heb 10:22.

d. Col 2:2.

6. Also “confidence” or “boldness”.

a. Eph 3:12.

b. 1Jn 2:28,

c. 1Jn 3:21.

d. 1Jn 5:14.

7. Also “trust”

a. Ps 2:12.

b. Eph 3:12 (above).

8. Also “courage” or “cheer”.

a. Mk 6:50.

b. Jn 16:33.

c. 2Co 5:8.

9. Also “boasting” - Ro 5:2,3.

10. Also “keeping” the Word, “guarding” the Word

a. Jn 8:51.

b. Lk 11:28.

11. Also concept of “sealing”

a. Jn 3:33.

b. Eph 1:13,14.

12. Other antithetical words/concepts.

a. “to doubt” e.g. Ro 4:20.

b. “little faith” e.g. Mt 6:30.

Next Lesson “Definition of Justifying Faith” (p. 499).