What is the Emergent Church?

On Saturday, May 10th, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Josh Patterson and I will be walking through a discussion of the emerging theological currents in the church (universal) today, especially in regards to the “Emergent” and “Emerging” distinctives.  We hope to give the historical framework as it relates to modernity and postmodernity and finally answer the question, “Is The Village an Emergent Church?”. 

In case you cannot make it, the answer is no.  If you want to know why we are not or what any of this means, you should come.

What Do I Mean by Free?

C. Michael Patton has a really helpful analysis of what is meant by “free will” and how Calvinists, such as myself, can affirm such a term when nuanced correctly.

What is Theology?

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.[1]

Theology in its most basic meaning is simply a word about God.  It is a human response to divine revelation whether through Scripture, creation, or community.  It is a reflection of our thoughts on our Creator.

We are all theologians.  Each and every one of us has a concept of God, even the one whose notion leaves him to conclude that there is no God.  Regardless, the truth remains that God exists and has created us in such a way as to beckon us to consider Him.  For the atheist, this deliberation leads eventually to a denial and suppression of the truth (Romans 1:18-20).  For the agnostic, such reflection ends in confusion or uncertainty.  For the religious, the contemplation takes on more concrete form.  Though the conclusions may vary, the consideration itself is ultimately and utterly inescapable.  The question is not whether or not we will be theologians, for without doubt we will and are, but rather the degree to which our understandings correspond to the reality of His existence.  Will we therefore be good theologians?  Surely we all think of Him, but do we think of Him rightly? 

Although all people are theologians, we should not, and indeed cannot, confess that all are equally equipped and correct.  As stated before, the issue is whether we will think of Him rightly.  All theologies, thoughts, beliefs and religions may be sincere, but not all are equally valid or true.  Indeed some are mutually-exclusive.  In the end, there is one faith and it is grounded in the Holy Scriptures as they manifest a sweeping narrative of creation, fall, waiting, redemption, and reconciliation.  This story revolves around the crux – the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus.  It is only around and in Him that we find adequate reflection of truth.

As we walk through our more propositional expressions of faith, we will discuss not only the character of God, but also the character of His dealings with that which He has created, things seen and unseen (Colossians 1:16), indeed all things (Genesis 1:1, John 1:1-3).

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Before pressing on, it is important to note a common misconception about theology.  This misunderstanding relates to the interplay between faith and reason.  Is faith by its very essence illogical?  Is faith forced to cower from a barrage of rationality?  Are they enemies, lovers or strained companions?

Historically, Christian theology has been explained as “faith seeking understanding”.[2]  We must be careful in our conceptions to bear in mind the tense relationship between reason and faith.  While the two are certainly not antithetical as some would claim, neither are they synonymous.  Ultimately, we must confess that faith is primary and is the foundation upon which we build our logical case for the existence of God.  We must remember that the gospel is thoroughly foolish to those who have been blinded to its glories.  While reason can be a great tool in explaining our faith, it can not in anyway be assumed that it can be served as a substitute.  Without faith we are unable to know God.  Without reason we are unable to understand our faith.

No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.[3]

 From the beginning, our Lord has told us that it is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18).  While not contextually referencing the process of theology, it certainly applies.  There are many obstacles lying on the road to understanding, but perhaps none as deceitful or detrimental as individualized interpretation.  We are dependent upon community for comprehension.  We need each other, indeed we need the entire family of the redeemed, whether living or sleeping in order to adequately think on the Lord.  This is not at all to deny the call for an individual relationship with the Lord or the reality of the priesthood of the believer, but rather to demonstrate that the man or woman who studies in solitude does so to his or her peril.  Can a person be a Christian while disregarding community?  Hypothetically yes, but certainly not a healthy or obedient one.

Within the church in which I participate, ministry revolves around the extension and expression of 5 Core Values: Truth, Spirituality, Community, Foot-Washing and Missional Living.  It is upon the first of these values, Truth, that these thoughts will primarily focus, though we would certainly hope and fully expect that as Truth collides with the soul, it will graciously overflow into the various other values.  Our desire is to see God glorified through men and women who become passionate and involved followers of the Lord and not just listeners or attendees of church.

Overall, this work is designed to serve as a somewhat comprehensive body of material proposed to outline particular and distinctive boundaries of beliefs. These thoughts are designed to be neither exhaustive nor cursory in its attention to the theological convictions herein described.  While in no way intended as a primer to the fundamentals of our historical faith, neither will each doctrine receive encyclopedic consideration.  Far more learned men have written far superior works for such purposes and our rich theological tradition is certainly indebted to the Spirit’s work through such men and women.  Given that the most immediate audience to which this work is aimed is a collection of those who wish to teach, the underlying assumption in each section is that at least some familiarity with the concepts will have been or are being pursued elsewhere.

Before we dive in, perhaps it might be helpful to define a couple of terms and also to talk about the importance of this work.

Definition of Terms:

Closed-hand – I consider doctrines to be closed-hand when they are not open for debate or disagreement.  In some instances, we will be closed-handed in areas in which evangelicalism at large is open-handed, such as in the case of the doctrines of election, eldership, and the role of women in the church.

Open-hand – I consider doctrines to be open-hand when they are of such a nature that most churches do not have an official stance upon the matter.

Why Does This Matter?

            Theology is considered to ground and inform philosophies of ministry.  What we think about God naturally and necessarily influences the way that we do ministry.  While we have seen the dangers in exalting the head over the heart, we also recognize an equally great hazard which awaits those who disregard the Scriptures call for cognitive understandings.  We believe that proper passion is always aided by proper perspective.

            Furthermore, the Scriptures instruct us that those who wish to teach would do well to do so with great caution and consideration, knowing that they will incur a stricter judgment for the words which they speak and the things which they do (James 3:1).  As the authority and covering over the flock entrusted to our care, we wish to do everything possible to assist and disciple those who will teach and disciple others.  Just one of the many ways in which this is accomplished is through training in theological convictions.  While in no way adequately sufficient in the discipleship process, it is certainly a necessary aspect.

Various Scriptures dealing with the need for guarded doctrine: 

• § Romans 16:17-18 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
• § Ephesians 4:11-14 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
• § 1 Timothy 1:3-7 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion,desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
• § 1 Timothy 4:6 If you put these things before the brothers,you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.
• § 1 Timothy 6:3-4a If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the soundwords of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing…
• § Titus 1:9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
• § Titus 2:1 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

             Ultimately, it is my hope to pass on the apostolic teaching and orthodox understanding for the joy of those who desire to teach.  In the end, I realize that such a hope is dependent upon the gracious permission of our great God (Hebrews 6:1-3).

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[1] A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy, (New York: Harper Collins, 1961), 1.[2] This phrase goes back at least to Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) if not even earlier.[3] 17^th century poet John Donne

What is Scripture?

 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

θεόπνευστος – inspired by God, literally meaning ‘God-breathed’

From The Village Church Statement of Faith:

We accept the Bible, including the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament, as the written Word of God. The Bible is an essential and infallible record of God’s self-disclosure to mankind. It leads us to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Being given by God, the Scriptures are both fully and verbally inspired by Him. Therefore, as originally given, the Bible is free of error in all it teaches. Each book is to be interpreted according to its context and purpose in reverent obedience to the Lord who speaks through it in living power. All believers are exhorted to study the Scriptures and diligently apply them to their lives. The Scriptures are the authoritative and normative rule and guide of all Christian life, practice and doctrine. They are totally sufficient and must not be added to, superseded or changed by later tradition, extra-biblical revelation or worldly wisdom. Every doctrinal formulation, whether of creed, confession or theology must be put to the test of the full counsel of God in Holy Scripture.

God has revealed Himself in many ways in different times and places.  In creation, He testifies of His power and divinity.[1]  Through acts of nature, He evidences both severity and kindness.[2]  In the Old Testament, He spoke to His people through prophets.  Now He has spoken finally and decisively in His Son.[3]

The good news of the Son and His redemptive work is contained within the Bible, or what we call Scripture.  It is the written record of God’s self-revelation.  All Scripture points to Christ and it is only when interpreted through such a lens that it is rightly understood.[4]

What Distinguishes Scripture?

Scripture can be defined as those writings which were inspired.  Indeed we all use the word inspiration and bring to it a plethora of meanings; however, as used of Scripture, the meaning is quite precise.  It is derived from the Greek for ‘God-breathed’ and technically indicates the process by which God superintended the prophets and apostles who wrote the particular books of the Bible.  That does not mean that men were merely passive puppets, as though sleep-writing, but rather that God sovereignly dictated His message through the individual personalities, intellects, experiences and styles of those whom He chose to author His message.  It is this understanding of inspiration which must bear upon all subsequent discussion.

2 Peter 20-21 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is {a matter} of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Building upon the foundation of inspiration, this post will consider the doctrines of inerrancy, authority and sufficiency.  After doing so, we will attempt to deal with an issue involved with interpretation, especially relevant to the subjective views of postmodern thought.

Inerrancy

John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it?  Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Scripture is inerrant.  By this we mean that Scripture is without error and is always true in everything of which it speaks.  This does not mean that Scripture gives us exhaustive knowledge of anything in particular, but that the knowledge which it does give is objectively accurate.[5]

God cannot lie (Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18).  Typically we do not like to speak of any limitations upon God’s character (given that He is able to accomplish His entire will), but in this case, the Bible testifies to the impossibility of God to do that which is contrary to His very nature.  His words are truth.

Because the Scriptures are God’s word, the Bible is true.  Because there is no hint of falsehood or error in God, neither does the Bible contain such errors.[6]

Authority

2 Peter 20-21 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is {a matter} of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

As God is the ultimate and supreme authority, His words are not to be taken as anything less than the authoritative standard by which life is to be lived.  This statement is applicable for both the believer and unbeliever as God is the Creator of all. 

Scripture includes the very words of God.  Consequently, to disbelieve or disobey them is to disbelieve and/or disobey God.

Sufficiency

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

As was already stated, a recognition of sufficiency should not lend credence to the belief that Scripture sheds light upon every question which we might bring to it, but rather that it is enough and efficient to make us wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:15) and to equip us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17).  In other words, scripture is sufficient to lead us to Christ and to show us salvation and righteousness in and through Him.

A Changing Perspective

            Culture is constantly changing.  Historically, mankind’s epistemology[7] has been founded upon three main sources: revelation, tradition and reason (or experiences and feelings).  In the patristic age[8] revelation was seen from a Christian perspective as being the primary means of knowledge.  As the church moved into the age of Roman Catholicity, tradition was exalted alongside or (in some instances) even above revelation.  The church claimed to be the sole authority for interpreting Scripture.

            With the birth of the Reformation, the protest was not only against false doctrines in the church, but also the tendency to raise human interpretation over the clear testimony of Scripture.  As this movement progressed, the reformers somewhat inadvertently yet effectively diluted the role of tradition as an epistemological pillar, leaving only revelation and experience.

            Within a couple of centuries, the dawn of the Enlightenment brought about the rise of rationality and the retreat of revelation.  No longer was knowledge something outside of man, but was rather a subjective truth to be pursued from within.  Though many of the philosophers of this time were Christian, their emphasis on man’s experience and feelings effectively neutered the role of revelation.  It is this movement which produced modernism.

            Late in the 20^th century, philosophers and theologians began to rethink the Enlightenment project and the role of reason and rationality in the search for truth.  As many came to the conclusion that reason and experience were limited in their ability to convey reality, they abandoned this last epistemological pillar.  It is in this general milieu that we find ourselves today.  Absolutes and objective truths are said to be archaic concepts with no ground in reality.  Worldview, language and biases are claimed to be too powerful to overcome and therefore truth (if it exists) is forever lost, being obscured by human limitation.

John 5:39-40 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

An Old Hope

            The postmodern[9] mind sees mankind as reaching upward toward truth.[10]  Because of natural and nurtured worldview biases and predispositions, man is not fully able to reach beyond himself toward that truth.  While truth may be there, it is impossible for man to get outside of himself in order to know it.

            Christian theism however disagrees with the basic premise of postmodern spirituality.  Man is not reaching up for truth, but rather, Truth is reaching down to man.  Jesus Christ is the truth;[11] the revelation of God, and in Him are “hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”[12]

            Man is surely plagued with perverse biases, opinions, experiences and what not which obscure his ability to perceive and know truth.  Even worse, knowledge is veiled and eyes are blinded to reality.[13]  Surely the postmodern is therefore correct in saying that man cannot get outside of himself in order to know truth.  Because man cannot leave himself, the question is therefore whether something outside of man can get within him in order to reveal truth to him. It is here that Christian theology is distinguished.  Though truth is veiled and hearts are darkened, the God Who created those hearts is able to shine light within.[14]

            Therefore, Christianity is not at all concerned with whether man can find truth within or outside of himself.  Rather, the focus is on whether one believes that God is able to reveal His truth as He so desires.  The issue is not our ability but God’s.  If He is sovereign, it must be confessed that He is surely able to overcome our barriers.  To absolutely deny man’s ability to know truth is therefore really a denial of God’s ability to reveal Himself.  This is surely dangerous ground.

            We believe that God spoke through His people to reveal His word.  This word is contained in the pages of the sacred Scriptures which we call the Bible.  Just as God was fully able to reveal Himself to those to and through whom He spoke, so He is now able to reveal truth to those to whom He so desires.         

Pertinent Scriptures:

• Ø John 10:35 … and the Scripture cannot be broken…
• Ø 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
• Ø 2 Peter 20-21 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is {a matter} of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

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[1] Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.[2] Matthew 5:45 …He causes His sun to rise on {the} evil and {the} good, and sends rain on {the} righteous and {the} unrighteous.[3] Hebrews 1:1-2 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.[4] John 5:39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me…

[5] The lack of exhaustive knowledge will be dealt with under the sufficiency of Scripture.

[6] All would admit that various interpreters and publishers have accidentally included grammatical or typographical errors.  Therefore, it is important to distinguish and then remember that these definitions apply to the original texts of Scripture.  It is important to note that there is not a single textual issue in which a major doctrine of the church is at stake.

[7] Epistemology is the study of knowledge.  It is concerned with how we know what we know.

[8] The time period of the church fathers, typically in the 1^st few centuries A.D.

[9] A general term used to describe anyone who has moved past the modern period’s reliance upon reason, logic and rational thought.

[10] This idea is presented well in David Wells’, Above all Earthly Pow’rs

[11] John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

[12] Colossians 2:2-3 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

[13] 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

[14] 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Who is God and what is the Trinity?

Who is God?

 Isaiah 6:3 Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.

In the last post, we discussed that nothing is more essential than to know Who God is. Our conceptions of God (or theologies) absolutely determine our responses to Him and the consequent patterns of our lives.  It is said that orthodoxy (right thinking) determines orthopraxy (right doing). 

We are speaking of God, what marvel is thou do not comprehend? For if thou comprehend, He is not God. Augustine of Hippo 

Plumbing the depths of the knowledge of God is an exhausting and eternal task, but one full of joy and glory.  After spending our days and nights studying His character through His word and works, we are forced to sit back and breathlessly and humbly proclaim: 

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR?  Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN?  For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things to Him be the glory forever. Amen.  – Romans 11:33-36

His judgments are unsearchable and His ways unfathomable.  Can we therefore know Him?  Indeed we can.  After all, John tells us that eternal life is found in knowing Him.[2]  Surely we can never fully understand Who He is or what He has done and is doing, but that does not mean that we cannot know that which He has revealed of Himself.[3]  While we cannot know Him exhaustively, we can surely know Him deeply and truly.

            Who is this God?  What a lofty question to try to flesh this out in just a few (web)pages of text.  In light of the fact that our God is infinite, we will only have opportunity to explore a sliver of His nature, character and characteristics.  For the purpose of expositing some teaching distinctives, we will focus merely on the trinity and His incommunicable attributes.[4]

 The Trinity

 ”There is one God: infinite, eternal, almighty and perfect in holiness, truth and love. In the unity of the godhead there are three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, co-existent, co-equal and co-eternal. The Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Holy Spirit, yet each is truly Deity. One God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – is the foundation of Christian faith and life.”[5]

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!

 God is one.  This is fundamental for a proper perspective of Who God is.  The Old Testament repeatedly drilled this into the minds (if not necessarily the hearts) of the sons of Israel.  Christianity is not polytheism.  We believe in one God and only one God.  However, we also believe that His oneness is a complex unity.

Theologians have grappled with this complexity for centuries and have deemed this truth “the trinity” or “the Triune God”.  First coined by Tertullian in the late 2^nd or early 3^rd centuries, the historical understanding of God’s nature is that He exists as three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  It is indeed a confusing topic; so much so that it caused one to write of the doctrine, “try to explain it, and you’ll lose your mind; but try to deny it, and you’ll lose your soul.”  Like the author, we too uphold both the complexity and necessity of a Trinitarian understanding.  So, how are we to conceive of this which is ultimately incomprehensible?

In matters such as this, it helps to think of Scripture as defining boundaries of belief.  Its goal is not always to give exhaustive knowledge, but insight which is sufficient to lead one to salvation and godliness.  In this case, we simply do not have meticulous Scriptural evidence.

We know that the Father is divine.[6]  We know that Jesus is divine.[7]  We know that the Hoy Spirit is divine.[8]  Although Scripture typically reserves the name “God” for the Father, it is certainly appropriate to say that the Son and Spirit are God.  They are fully God.

However, in saying that the Son and the Spirit are God, we are not saying that the Son is the Father.  They are distinct persons.  The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit and the Spirit is not the Father.[9]

There is only one God.  In eternity, this single and unique God has communed in perfect harmony, love and joy as Father, Son and Spirit.  The doctrine of the Trinity is perhaps best summed up by three crucial statements: 

1. God is three persons
2. Each person is fully God
3. There is one God

While the exact way in which these truths interact is mystery, the important thing is that we do not deny any.  Historically, a denial of or focus on one at the expense of the others has always led to controversy and, ultimately, heresy.  We must uphold all three and then embrace the mystery.  Below is a brief overview of attempts to focus on one statement at the expense of the others. 

Modalism – Belief in One Person (denial of 3 persons) Who Appears in 3 “Modes” 

            Modalism[10] is an emphasis on the third statement certainly at the expense of the first.  It claims that God is not three distinct persons but rather only one person who appears in three forms or modes at various times.  Modalism has repeatedly been struck down due to its heretical denial of the distinctions within the godhead.

Arianism – Denial of the Full Deity of the Son 

            Arianism[11] teaches that Christ especially was not fully divine, but was rather the first of God’s creation.  Though Christ has preeminence as head of all creations, He is not fully and truly divine in nature.  It was during the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.) that Arianism was officially declared an unorthodox and heretical understanding.[12]           

Paradox

            Ultimately, Christians must learn to live with tension.  We have finite and feeble minds which think in terms of simplicity.  Our God however is infinite and above our greatest conceptions.  We therefore must embrace paradox instead of attempting to humanize our God.  Christ has testified to His unity with and yet distinction from the Father.  His resurrection has validated His message.  We must therefore live with and in this tension. 

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[1] What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. — A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

[2] John 17:3 This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

[3] Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.

[4] His incommunicable attributes are those which are not shared in by His creatures.  For example, being omnipotent (all-powerful) is restricted to deity (incommunicable), while wisdom might be shared by some creatures (communicable).

[5] Village Church Statement of Faith

[6] Genesis 1:1, John 1:1, Luke 22:42

[7] John 1:1-4, Colossians 1:15-17

[8] Matthew 28:19, Acts 5:3-4

[9] This is a rejection of the heresy known as modalism which states that God is only one person and merely reveals Himself as Father, Son and Spirit at various times.

[10] Also called Sabellianism after one of its leading proponents or patripassionism (that the Father suffered upon the cross).

[11] A similar theology is espoused by Jehovah’s Witnesses today.

[12] The debate centered around the use of two Latin words, homoousios (“of the same nature or substance”) and homoiousios (“of a similar nature or substance”).  The Nicene Creed explicitly confessed the former, that the Father and Son were of the same nature and not merely similar.

 

What are God’s Attributes?

Attributes

            In thinking of Who God is, it is often helpful to try to understand not only His triune nature, but also His character.  These attributes should cause us to stand in awe before Him in utter worship.  As stated before, we will only examine those attributes of God which are not communicated to His creation, although a more thorough study of those other attributes such as love, justice, joy, etc. would educate and enrich the reader.  We will therefore focus on six such characteristics: self-existence, omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, immutability and eternality.[1]

Self-Existence: God is the only Being in all existence Who is utterly self-existent, having no need of anything or anyone outside of Himself, in no way dependent on anything for His pleasure or existence.[2]

Pertinent Scriptures:

• v Acts 17:24-25 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things…
• v Job 41:11 Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine.
• v Psalm 50:10-12 For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all it contains.

Omniscience can be a hot topic in certain circles these days.  According to God’s self-revelation, omniscience refers to God’s possession of all wisdom of past, present and future contingencies and actualities.  He not only knows what has happened, but what could happen and what certainly will happen.  His knowledge of the past, present and future is therefore absolute, certain and exhaustive.

            The Biblical text is therefore directly contrary to that rather recent theory which is called “open theism.”  This ideology believes that the nature of the future is such that absolute knowledge of all outcomes is incompatible with human freedom.  Therefore, open theists claim that God is limited (either by nature or choice) in what He knows of the future.  In response to this theory, we would certainly claim that the nature of God trumps any supposed understanding of the nature of future.  God surely and decisively knows not only what might happen, but what will surely happen.

Pertinent Scriptures:

• v Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’.
• v 1 John 3:20b … God is greater than our heart and knows all things.
• v Psalm 139:4,16 Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it all… Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

Omnipotence is the ability of God to accomplish His entire purpose in the heavens and the earth.  We serve a God Who is not only powerful, but indeed all-powerful.  While a more thorough exposition of the topic will be undertaken in subsequent posts on Reformed theology, may it suffice for now to maintain that God is ultimately and decisively sovereign over all things.

Pertinent Scriptures:

• v Psalm 115:3 But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.
• v Psalm 135:6 Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
• v Daniel 4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’

Omnipresence is the doctrine which refers to God’s ability to exercise His sovereign will at any place or multiple places, at any time.  Since God is spirit (John 4:24) we should not conceive of Him as being spatially located.[3]  Thus, we can say that God is unlimited with respect to space.[4]

Pertinent Scriptures:

• v Psalm 139:7-8 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
• v Jeremiah 23:24 “Can a man hide himself in hiding places so I do not see him?” declares the LORD “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.

Immutability is the doctrine which refers to God’s unchangeableness.  While this doctrine is sometimes expressed in confusing fashions, it is most properly understood to indicate that God is unchanging in four specific regards: his being, perfections, purposes and promises.[5]

            The question then arises as to whether or not God ever changes His mind or repents.  The problem comes up in passages such as Exodus 32:9-14 and Isaiah 38:1-6 in which Moses’ and Hezekiah’s prayers respectively seem to change God’s intended plans.  It is also seen in God being grieved at creating man (Genesis 6:6) and making Saul king (1 Samuel 15:10-11).  As we discussed under omniscience, open theism attempts to explain these passages by insisting that God is somehow limited in His knowledge of the future and therefore His mind truly changes as circumstances dictate.

            However difficult texts such as the above appear to be, we need not strip God of His sovereignty in order to understand them.  Rather, it is preferable to read them in the light of such passages as:

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it?  Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

1 Samuel 15:29 Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind.[6]

From these passages, we see that change and repentance are characteristics which are limited to God’s creation.  God is immune to and unacquainted with change in the ways in which we experience it.  At the same time, God is immanent in this world and works within time and place.  As times and places change, so does God’s unchanging response to those things.  This is seen in the story of Jonah in which Jonah proclaimed that Ninevah would be judged and yet the repentance of the city led to God’s mercy being displayed.  In some sense, it could be said that God changed His mind, but, ultimately, the narrative should be seen as an indication of God’s eternal and unchanging purpose to bring Ninevah to repentance.

Pertinent Scriptures:

• v Malachi 3:6 For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
• v James 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.           

Eternality: God is eternal, having “no beginning, end, or succession of moments in his own being” and seeing “all time equally vividly” yet also seeing “events in time and acts in time.”[7]

            Time as humans understand and experience it, is a created measurement.  As being the Creator, God therefore stands not only above, but also beyond and outside of time.  He sees past, present and future all together.  All of history is therefore equally present in God’s awareness.

            At the same time (no pun intended), God acts within time.  This is clear from the Biblical narrative in which God acts in an orderly manner at various times and in various places.  As Galatians 4:4-5 and Acts 17:30-31 indicate, it seems as if time itself was awaiting for the birth of the Savior and all time thus revolves around that event.

Pertinent Scriptures:

• v Psalm 90:2-4 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You turn men back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, O sons of men.” For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.
• v Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
• v John 8:58 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
• v 2 Peter 3:8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

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[1] We realize that some of these attributes are listed in various theologies as being communicable.  For example, omniscience is sometimes said to be merely an absolute form of the communicated attribute which is reason or wisdom.  While this argument is valid, we simply view the absolute nature of the attribute as lending it to the category of incommunicable.[2] Sometimes called aseity (“from himself”).  This self-existence and lack of need does not therefore imply that God is distant from His creation.  As Wayne Grudem has said, “God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything, yet we and the rest of creation can glorify him and bring him joy.” – Grudem, Systematic Theology, page 160.[3] This statement refers to the Father, Spirit and pre-incarnate Son.  Since Christ’s incarnation, He has mysteriously taken on human nature in such a way that without compromising His omnipresence, He has also restricted Himself to physical position.  Currently He is seated at the right hand of the Father awaiting His return (Hebrews 10:12).

[4] “God does not have size or spatial dimensions and is present at every point of space with his whole being, yet God acts differently in different places.” – Grudem, Systematic Theology, page 173

[5] These words are used by both Louis Berkhoff and Wayne Grudem in their individual works, both entitled Systematic Theology.

[6] It is important to note that this very passage is given in the context of God’s rejection of Saul as king, indeed just 18 verses removed from God’s declaration!

[7] Grudem, Systematic Theology, page 168.

What is Salvation?

 

Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.

Salvation is a rather broad concept incorporating various elements.  It basically means that those who are recipients of such a gift are delivered from a number of things.  From what are we saved?  For those who have been given such a gift, we have experienced, are experiencing and/or will experience salvation from Satan, death, sin, ourselves, the condemnation of the law and even God Himself.  We are beneficiaries of grace which encompasses the entirety of our lives.  This post will primarily deal with salvation in a generic sense, that we are saved from sin and its effects.

In order to understand salvation, we must understand sin.  While we will delve more deeply into the topic of the prevalence of sin in later posts, for now, it will do to define sin as preferring anything to God.  As Scripture says,

“Be appalled, O heavens, at this, and shudder, be very desolate,”  declares the LORD.  “For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”[1]

God is our greatest good and to desire anything but for the reflection of His glory is to dishonor Him.

In the beginning, we were created good.  We enjoyed uninterrupted fellowship with the Almighty and perfect harmony with each other (man and spouse) until the day when the woman was deceived by the serpent and the man ate of the fruit.  This choice brought about the curse of death, both spiritual and physical for mankind.  Henceforth, we were all born into this cycle of meaninglessness.

However, even from the fall there were hints of restoration, that things would be made better.  Throughout the Scriptures, men and women of God look forward to salvation.  This salvation ultimately pointed to the birth of a child named “Jesus, for He would save His people from their sins.”[2]

This saving, or salvation, was accomplished though not through military might or wise teaching, but primarily and ultimately through His death.  As the Scriptures have said, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming Himself a curse on our behalf.[3]  He bore our sins and died in our place.  In this way, Christ has “atoned” for the sins of His people.  This atonement is an essential aspect of salvation, although not the only element.

See ”Atonement” and “Pictures of Salvation” for futher study, in which we hope to accomplish two things.  First, we hope to paint a couple of pictures of the atonement.  Second, we hope to paint a couple of pictures of the entire event of salvation.

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[1] Jeremiah 2:12-13

[2] Matthew 1:21

[3] Galatians 3:13

What is Atonement in relation to salvation?

  

Atonement

Many pictures of the atonement have sprouted forth throughout the history of the church.  Although they have historically been deemed “theories” of the atonement, such a term can be somewhat misleading.  To be sure, they each have their distinctive contributions, but it is not therefore true to say that each is equally valid.  On the contrary, certain pictures and aspects of the atonement are much more necessary to a proper understanding of Christ’s work on the cross.

Penal Substitution:

At the heart of the atonement is “God satisfying himself by substituting himself for us.”[1]  This doctrine is essential to a considered view of the cross.  We must declare with closed hand[2] that Jesus bore the penalty (penal) of sin in our place (substitution).  While many today would claim that such a view is a case of divine child abuse, such a position is sensational at best.  Both Father and Son were working in Trinitarian harmony in the work of atonement.  Christ Himself bore the wrath which we deserved.

Pertinent Scriptures:

• Ø Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.
• o Especially relevant given Hebrews 10:4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
• Ø Isaiah 53:4-6,10 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him…But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering…
• Ø Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
• Ø Mark 14:24 And He said to them, ‘This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many…’
• Ø Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
• Ø Romans 8:3-4 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
• Ø 1 Corinthians 5:7 …Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.
• Ø 2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
• Ø Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us – for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’…
• Ø 1 Timothy 2:6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all…
• Ø Hebrews 2:14-15 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
• Ø Hebrews 9:28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many…
• Ø 1 Peter 2:24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
• Ø 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit…

Ransom:

Another view of the atonement especially prevalent in the early church is that Christ’s death was a ransom paid to the devil.  While Christ is certainly called a ransom, it is altogether inappropriate to say that the devil is therefore the recipient.  We must bear in mind that even though authority on earth has been granted to Satan, such power is not truly his by right.  Therefore, God owes him nothing.

Moral Influence:

A third view of the atonement is that the death of Christ was perhaps nothing more than the ultimate expression of love.  While the death of Christ certainly represents the greatest demonstration of love (Romans 5:8), to reduce the act to this one element is entirely inappropriate.  Therefore, “Christ died for us” does not mean He died to show us how to die, but rather, that He died in order that we would not.

Conclusion:

The atonement is a rich and complex doctrine and should be embraced in all of its splendor.  We would certainly do well to see the wondrous truths of the many sides of the cross.  However, to empty it of its primary glory, penal substitution, is to rob the Lord of the brilliant reflection of His work.

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[1] John Stott, The Cross of Christ, page 159.[2] Remember that closed hand is a term for that of which we are unwilling to let go.  We must cling therefore to this doctrine.

What are Scriptural pictures of salvation?

 

Like the atonement in particular, salvation in general has many different pictures which Scripture uses.  We will discuss just four such pictures in this post.

Propitiation

Propitiation invokes ritualistic temple imagery to display the death of Christ.  As the word is originally points back to the “mercy seat,” it points the reader to think of the cross as a sacrifice.  Theologically, it entails the satisfaction of the divine wrath through the sacrifice of the Son.

• Ø Romans 3:25a whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith
• Ø 1 John 2:1-2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
• Ø 1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Redemption

Redemption invokes marketplace imagery to display the death of Christ.  This economic picture highlights a number of truths related to the cross.  In dying in our place, Jesus has effectively redeemed us from: the curse of the law, the sinful flesh, death, futility, etc.  As the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), Christ died to pay what we rightly owed.  Our ransom has been paid.

• Ø Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
• Ø 1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.
• Ø Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us–for it is written, ” CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”-
• Ø Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace…
• Ø Hebrews 9:12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Justification

Justification invokes legal imagery to display the death of Christ.  It is not the process of making us righteous, but rather its declaration through having Christ’s righteousness imputed to us.  Like a trial, we are declared not merely “not guilty” but even “just” through the work of the Son.

• Ø Romans 3:21-28 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where then is boasting? It is excluded By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
• Ø Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
• Ø Romans 5:8-10 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
• Ø 1 Corinthians 6:11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Reconciliation

Reconciliation invokes household imagery to display the death of Christ.  It involves the peace between God and man which was purchased by the death of the Son.  Whereby we were once alienated and hostile toward God, by faith we are reconciled to Him as our heavenly Father.

• Ø Romans 5:10-11 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
• Ø Romans 11:15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will {their} acceptance be but life from the dead?
• Ø 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, {he is} a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all {these} things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
• Ø Ephesians 2:16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

Conclusion:

As we have seen, salvation is a vast doctrine which many different nuances.  We have been reconciled, justified and redeemed by the propitiatory, substitutionary death of the Son of God.  Some of the following posts will discuss how we enter into such a state.

Pertinent Scriptures:

• Ø John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
• Ø Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.
• Ø Romans 10:9-13 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”
• Ø Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
• Ø Titus 3:4-5 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit…
• Ø Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
• Ø Romans 13:11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.

What must I do to be saved? grace, faith and works

 

Acts 16:30-31 “…and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Since her inception, the church has consistently proclaimed that salvation is granted to God’s children by His grace through faith.  This was the message of Jesus,[1] the apostles and the early church.  As Ephesians 2:8-9 says “by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  This understanding of solo fide (“faith alone”) is the basis of Biblical Christianity and lies at the heart of a proper understanding of God’s dealings with His people.

Texts emphasizing the role of faith as the instrument through which we are saved:

• Ø John 20:31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
• Ø Acts 15:8-9 And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
• Ø Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek
• Ø Romans 3:21-31 (28 – by faith apart from the works of the law)
• o nowhere are we said to be justified by works apart from faith
• Ø Romans 4:4-5 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness
• Ø Romans 4:13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith
• Ø Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
• Ø Galatians 2:16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified
• Ø Galatians 3:11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.”
• Ø Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus
• Ø Philippians 3:9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith
• Ø 2 Timothy 3:15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
• Ø 1 John 5:4-5 believing that Jesus is the Son of God
• Ø 1 John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

The evidence for faith alone as the instrument through which God works salvation into His people is overwhelming within the pages of Scripture.  All that is necessary for salvation is that we believe in the gospel – the good news of Christ’s perfect life and obedience, death for our sins and in our place, and resurrection.[2]

While intending to take nothing away from the above foundation, it is imperative that we address a common and dangerous misunderstanding of the doctrine of solo fide which has consistently plagued the church.  This error would seek to minimize the nature of faith to that of mere cognitive assent and/or to denigrate role of bearing fruit.  This is frequently referred to by its opponents as “cheap grace” in that it neglects the call for repentance and good works.

It is important to note that we are not now embarking upon some fresh heretical understanding of faith alone.  The apostle Paul himself dealt with just these very issues and addressed them regularly in his writings.  This is particularly the thrust of his argument in Romans 6 in which he writes of the believer’s death to sin and life to obedience.  The preaching of grace alone and faith alone, although foundational to proper Biblical revelation, always has a tendency to be perverted into a license for sin by the ignorant, corrupt or immature.  We must continue to stress the former while constantly opposing the latter.

For those who say that faith is nothing more than mental assent or cognitive recognition, the second chapter of James presents some unanswerable difficulties.  Especially important are James 2:17, 2:20, and 2:24.[3]  For the person who interprets the “faith alone” understandings above as easy belief or allowing for license to sin, James introduces a fundamental obstacle to such an interpretation.

So, what are we to do with the evidence for faith alone and the clear testimony of James?  Are we to say that James was not inspired and seek to have his letter removed from the canon as hoped some extreme Reformation scholars?  Are we to confess that Scripture contradicts Scripture such that it is not sufficiently clear on the matter?  Neither is a viable option.  Rather, the proper understanding of James’ epistle is that his intent was not to add to the criteria for salvation, but instead to qualify what true and saving faith really entails.  He is neither nullifying nor limiting the role of faith, but rather is expanding our understanding of the true definition of faith.  If one has faith which does not work, it is not really faith.  It is a misnomer. 

It is therefore still exquisitely true that “all that is necessary for salvation is that we believe in the good news,” but now we know that such belief carries with it by its very nature an inward transformation which produces and manifests repentance and good works.  We are not saved by works, but rather by faith; but the faith which saves is not without works.

Here are some pertinent passages on repentance and obedience as being related to faith:

Obedience to the Faith:

• Ø Acts 6:7 The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
• Ø Romans 1:5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake
• Ø Romans 16:26 obedience of faith

Repentance and Faith:

• Ø Acts 20:21 solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ
• Ø Acts 26:18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.

In light of the fact that faith entails more than mere understanding and acknowledgement, it is necessary for each and every Christian to take stock of his or her faith against the criteria which Scripture provides.  None of us want to see the reality of Matthew 7:21-23 applied to our own lives.[4]  The Scripture is full of related warnings for those who are so deceived.

Warnings:

• Ø 2 Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you – unless indeed you faith the test.
• Ø Colossians 1:23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.
• Ø 1 Timothy 1:19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith
• Ø 1 Timothy 4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons
• Ø 1 Timothy 6:21 which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith

The Lord is not implying, much less stating, that those who profess true faith can decisively fall away from salvation.[5]  Rather, He is once again warning us, as in James, that those who profess faith and yet work out continuous and unrepentant sin are evidencing that their “faith” is not really faith at all.

The good news for the believer is that just as we are saved by faith, so also are we kept into grace through faith.  All that is necessary for salvation is belief and true belief keeps us in God’s promises.[6] 

Continuing by Faith:

• Ø Galatians 3:2-4 This is the only thing I wasn’t to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain – if indeed it was in vain?
• Ø Philippians 2:12-13 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Therefore, having been chosen by God for His glory and our joy and having been blessed with faith in His great and sure promises, let us continue to pursue our Lord in confidence that He will complete what He has begun.[7]

Confidence:

• Ø Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water

In the end, the believer rests in a happy tension of rest and contention.  We rest in the promises of God, knowing that it is by faith alone that we enter into those promises.  At the same time, we struggle against the flesh and the darkness of the world and fight earnestly for the faith to which we are called.

Contention

• Ø Hebrews 6:9-12
• Ø Hebrews 10:35-39
• Ø 2 Peter 1:5-11
• Ø Jude 3 “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.”
• Ø Jude 20-21 “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.”

Conclusion

The Bible clearly testifies to the role of faith as uniquely offering the means to salvation.  We believe and are saved.  In some sense, it is just that simple.

However, we must consistently and conscientiously examine ourselves as to the efficacy and reality of our faith.  The one who loves God and is called by Him should always seek to be growing in grace, knowledge and passion for his Maker and Master.  If, in testing ourselves, we find our hearts dulled and distant, we repent[8] and continue to trust in the gospel which is able and effective to save.

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[1] See especially John 3:15, 5:24, 11:25-26 as John specifically emphasized this element.[2] See “What is the Gospel?” and “Is Christ the Only Way?”

[3] James 2:17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, {being} by itself… But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?… You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.

[4] Matthew 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven {will enter.}  Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

[5] See “Can a Christian Lose His or Her Salvation?”

[6] Study Hebrews 4 for helpful teaching on the interplay between faith and obedience leading into God’s promised rest.

[7] Philippians 1:6 {For I am} confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

[8] See “Can a Believer Repent?”