253 – Calling – Repentance and Faith #2

SEMESTER 4

253 – Calling – Repentance and Faith #2

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE: SOTERIOLOGY IV LESSON # 53

E OF CALLING

(REPENTANCE AND FAITH # 2)

Read Acts 20:20-21.

INTRODUCTION:

Without repentance there is no salvation, and without faith there is no hope for the sinner. This is not, as some suppose, to demand a right mixture, but rather to see a biblical relationship in the two results of divine calling. Scripture clearly teaches that grace is imparted through faith (Eph. 2:8). Let us know then, without fail, what this thing called faith really is.

I. SAVING FAITH BY SIMPLE DEFINITION

1. Let us be sure we understand the differences between faith or belief, and believe.

i. Faith (or belief) is a noun (Greek “pistis”) and it is a con­dition or attribute of the soul.
ii. Believe is a verb (Greek “pisteuo”) an action or disposition produced by the attribute of faith.

2. Let us be aware of some of the most common, deceptive substitutes for saving faith.

i. A mere persuasion that historic statements of God and Christ such as creation, incarnation, etc., are true.
ii. Mental assent to the reality of relationships between God, His Son, etc.

III: The devils also believing and trembling.

3. Campbellism, even among Baptists, relegates saving faith to this mere mental assent.

i. This error is precipitated by the misuse of such Scriptures as I Jn. 4:15 and I Jn. 5:1.
ii. This shallow interpretation of the above Scriptures is forbidden by such Scriptures as Rom. 10:9,10,14,17.

4. The above Scriptures (I Jn. 4:15, I Jn. 5:1) speak not of faith, of a lost man unto salvation, but a saved man in confession and commit­ment of one’s life.

II. THE SOURCE OF SAVING FAITH

1. Some claim that faith is something all men have and that the mere voluntary exercise of it determines destiny.
2. Scripture, on the other hand, unquestionably describes them as inseparable graces.

III: Two sides of the same coin, or two names of the same disposition

3. When one is mentioned alone, as the means of salvation, the other is always supposed. (Mk. 1:15)
4. This inter-relationship of faith and repentance is seen and well-illustrated in Mk. 6:1-15.
5. Were this not true, some Scriptures would teach salvation by faith without repentance, and others would teach salvation by repentance without faith, thus all manner of hopeless contradic­tion. (Compare Lk. 13:5 and Jn. 5:24)
6. Both faith and repentance are gifts. (Eph. 2:8, II Tim. 2:25, Gal. 5:22, Acts 5:31, Rom. 2:4, Heb. 12:17, Acts 18:27)
7. The Word is a gift, the ability to hear it (Rom. 10:17), and the ability to understand it (I Cor. 2:14) are also gifts.

III. THE NATURE OF SAVING FAITH

1. Faith is not a meritorious human activity.

i. Indeed, without identity it can be both evil and foolish.

III: The wicked deeds done through faith in evil gods.

ii. Biblically, it is excluded from deeds worthy of salvation. (Rom. 3:28, Rom. 4:4,5,16)

2. The merit lies in the Christ, the object of faith, and any merit of faith credited to faith, is taken from Christ.

III: The error of “appropriating or applying” His blood.