Faith
By Timothy Glover
Last month, we saw how faith is produced from hearing the gospel. One cannot believe that which is never heard. Still, that which we hear is not first hand information. The revelation of the gospel is known through the apostles (Eph. 3:1-3; Heb. 1:1,2). Thus, John wrote in John 20:30-31 that his writings of Jesus’s deeds were intended to produce faith in Christ. We can neither see the deeds nor hear his words except through his apostles.
To illustrate, suppose you were a jury member listening to eyewitnesses who had some personal contact with the accused. Your belief in one’s innocence or guilt is not based upon your personal experience and first hand knowledge. Rather, your belief is based upon the evidence presented by others. It is the " evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).
Since faith is built upon evidence, we believe God exists not because we see him but because sufficient evidence is available. Correspondingly, we cannot see salvation or heaven. Yet, we place our hope in God who promised that we will receive them. The Christian walks by faith not by sight (empirical knowledge).
However, the nature of faith is expressive or demonstrative. If someone came into the room screaming, "The house is on fire" and I believed it, would I remain relaxed and unconcerned? Would I not act quickly in belief that something had to be done? James teaches that " faith without works is dead being alone" (2:17, 20). Works show Faith (2:18) as Abraham who was " justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar" (2:21). His works were connected with his faith (2:23, Heb. 11:17).
When the Jews believed Peter, they asked, " Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (emph. mine). Did he say, "Well, just believe what I have told you to be true?" They had already done that. He said, " Repent and be baptized everyone of you...for the remission of sins." (Acts 2:38). Paul later explains, " You are all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:26-27). No wonder the Ethiopian, after hearing about the Christ, commanded the chariot to stop when he saw water and said, " What hinders me to be baptized?"
It is most interesting to realize that passages used to prove "faith only" prove the opposite. Acts 16:31 is an example. It reads, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." The next verse explains that (1) " they spake unto them the word of the Lord". You cannot believe what you have not heard (Rom. 10:17). (2) " and he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. This shows his repentance. (3) " and was baptized, he and all his immediately." We are required to believe the gospel and obey it so that through faith we can become children of God.
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