1. The importance of faith: Right with God by J. Blanchard pg.104, 105,107.
a. The just lives by it (Heb.10:38)
b. It is what gives us the victory (1Jn 5:4)
c. It’s absence is sin (Rom 14:23)
d. Without it God cannot be pleased (Heb11:6)
2. Why faith is not believing?
a. ) To believe is to accept anything as truth.
b. The devils believe yet they are full of all sin (Jam 2:19)
c. All men believe, but all men have not faith (2Thes 3:2
d. Faith is not believing and trusting, these are both mental human works.
e. If anyone says that faith is “believing God”(or trusting God) then they present faith as the work of man coupled with the object of that work-God. Faith cannot be our work of the mind tied in to God.
f. If anyone says that faith is believing with works ,faith is not believing, and the bible says that faith and works go together, not that faith is also works (Jam 2:20,22,24)
3. there are not many different types of faith; there is one true faith Eph 4:5
4. Faith is set in direct contrast to our believing we must believe, but the faith is Jesus own Gal 2:16
5. The one faith that we are saved by is the faith of Jesus Christ, not our believing Phil 3:9; Jam 2:16
6 The definition of faith given to us in Heb 11:1
a. Heb 11:1 gives us a definition of faith. It tells us that “now faith is …..”This is a definition.
b. But Heb 11:6 tells us How to get faith; we get faith by believing. But faith is not the believing (Heb 11:6)
7. So then what is faith? Heb 11:1 tells us that it is the revealed truths of God.
a. “Evidence” the Greek word is “elegchos” and it means :…..a proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested…..that by which invisible things are proved and we are convinced of their reality” Kenneth S. Wuest, word studies in the Greek New Testament Vol 2 p. 193.
b. Evidence of unseen things are given by the “revealed word” of God (1cor 2:10; Jn 5:39); Jn 17:17).
c. The word substance is the Greek word hupostasis”. It means “title deed” Kenneth S. Wuest, By Paths in the Greek New Testament P. 18-19.
d. Thus faith is the title deed of things hoped for, or the evidence of things not seen. Title deed is the knowledge explanation of the thing we hope for, the evidence of the things we do not see.
8. Only the revealed truths of God gives us such evidence (Pr 22:17-21)
9. Other scriptures showing faith to be the “revealed Truths” or the word or spirit (1Tim 4:6; Rom 10:6, 8).
10 Heb 11 shows faith to be the revealed truths of God Heb 11:3,7,9,10,17-19
11 thus faith is the revealed truths of Christ
12 God revealed truth to us by his Spirit 1cor2:10; 1Jn 2:27.
13 Thus here are scriptures as interpreted as the revealed truths of God’s word or Spirit.
a. The “just living by faith” is living by the revealed word of God.
b. Overcoming by faith is overcoming by the revealed word of God Rev 12:11; Ps 119:11
c. Justification by faith is therefore justification by the word of God (Knowledge) Isa 53:11
d. Thus scriptures with faith should be interpreted as the revealed truths of the word.
14. What Luther taught on faith? See James M. Kittlelson, Luther the Reformer P.94 Martin Luther, Commentary on Epistle to the Galatians p. 458,459,460,461,464.
15 What Karl Barth said about faith: faith is Knowledge; it is related to God’s logos and is therefore a thoroughly logical matter. The truth of Jesus Christ is also in the simplest sense a truth of facts. Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline p.25
APPENDIX
Luther on the faith: humility and faith both were gifts of God ………faith therefore was not a matter of believing this or that through its development it does not become visible but a clearer faith by growing more and more….. This understanding is faith itself, knowledge of things invisible and trustworthy. It is a hidden understanding, for it is one of those things that a man cannot know by his own power…. Therefore neither humility nor faith were human undertakings both were gifts of God that came with the righteousness of God. James M. Kittelson Luther the Reformer p.94.
Luther on faith…faith sheweth unto me Christ in whom I trust…. Martin Luther, ST Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians p.458
i. ……for faith resteth in the understanding …..Ibid p.459
ii. ……that is, upon such matters as faith teacheth us to be hoped for Ibid
iii. ….. For faith is a teacher and a judge, fighting against errors and heresies, judging spirits and doctrines…. Ibid
iv. Therefore when I am instructed by faith in the word of God, and lay hold of Christ believing in him with my whole heart….. Then am I righteous by this knowledge…Ibid.
v. ….even so hope without faith is a presumption in spirit, and a tempting of God; for it hath no knowledge of Christ and of the truth which faith teacheth, and therefore it is but a blind rashness and arrogancy. Wherefore a godly man afore all things must have a right understanding instructed by faith, according to the afflictions, that it may hope for those good things which faith hath revealed and taught. Ibid p 460
vi. “To be short, faith is conceived by teaching: for thereby the mind is instructed what the truth is”.
vii. Notwithstanding if the spark of faith should not give light to will, it could not be persuaded to lay hold upon hope. We have faith then, whereby we are taught, we understand and know the heavenly wisdom, apprehend Christ, and continue in his grace. Ibid p 461
viii. …..but raise up our mind strongly through faith, which ligteneth, teacheth and guideth the same.
ix. ….the scripture exhorteth us with most sweet and comfortable promise taught and revealed unto us by faith
x. Faith which teacheth the truth, and defendeth from errors….
xi. For faith telleth what is to be done, it teacheth , prescribeth and directeth, and it is a knowledge.
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