As was true at the time of the Reformation, it is also true today.. There is much confusion in the minds of people concerning the nature of faith. What is this thing called "faith."
While the Greek language has many words to define the nature of love, this is not the case with "faith." There is a single word that is defined as faith or faithfulness. The verb form means "to believe." Sometimes you hear Christians defined as men and women of "great faith" as if faith is a quality which somehow enlarges the individual. Hebrews 11 lists the great heroes of faith who trusted the promises of God. While this is a beautiful chapter which defines faith as the "substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen," it might leave the impression that "faith" cannot be equated with certainty. So when asked the question, "are you going to heaven when you die?" one might respond, "I sure hope so." This is not what is defined as "saving faith."
There is a "general faith" in God. Most today would assert, "I believe in God." The adherents of Judaism have a general faith in God, meaning they believe that God exists and that he rewards those who keep his laws and obey his commands. Our government speaks of the activities of those religious groups who perform good deeds as being "faith based" organizations. This definition can be applied to any religious organization that acknowledges God. Martin Luther distinguishes between fiides generalis (general faith) and the fides specialis (special faith) or personal faith by which an individual is saved. Our national motto "In God We Trust" and when the President concludes his speeches with the phrase "God bless America" is demonstrating a "general faith" in God.
When we speak the words of the Apostles' Creed, with the exception of the phrase "the forgiveness of sins" we are expressing historical faith or fides historica. Faith in this context identifies the articles which we accept as true. The devil also believes the historical events in the life of Jesus. The Augsburg Confession states:
Men are also admonished that here the term “faith” does not signify mere knowledge of the history (such as is in the ungodly and the devil), but it signifies faith which believes not only the history but also the effect of the history, namely, this article of the forgiveness of sins — that is, that we have grace, righteousness, and forgiveness of sins through Christ. (Tappert: The Confession of Faith," 2 XX 23)
Some years ago on Issues etc. I was interviewing a noted archaeologist who was providing evidence for the historical facts in the life of Jesus. A woman called in and said, "I don't need any evidence. I believe these things by faith." While the historical events in the life of Jesus; his death and resurrection, comprise the body of truth that we confess, these events are facts of history. I do not accept the historicity of these events by faith no more than I accept the facts of the Civil War by faith. These events are facts of history based on eye-witness testimony. Faith embraces the effects of these historical events. Our faith is founded on facts.
The Formula of Concord precisely identifies the nature of saving faith.
That faith’s sole office and property is to serve as the only and exclusive means and instrument with and through which we receive, grasp, accept, apply to ourselves, and appropriate the grace and the merit of Christ in the promise of the Gospel. (Tappert: 2, III, 38)
Faith justifies solely for this reason and on this account, that as a means and instrument it embraces God’s grace and the merit of Christ in the promise of the Gospel. (Tappert: 2 III 43)Facts about Faith:
1. Saving faith is a gift of God produced by the hearing of Law and Gospel. The person who is convicted of sin and stands under the judgment of God and hears the Good News of the Gospel whereby sins are forgiven through the shed blood and perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is at work creating faith.
2. This faith is not a mere general faith in Jesus nor a faith that simply believes the historical events in the life of Jesus. Saving faith receives, apprehends and personally appropriates the benefits offered in the preaching of the Gospel so that the person is assured of their forgiveness and their eternal life.
3. Faith is both passive and active: passive because it is the work of the Holy Spirit and active because it actively appropriates the benefits offered in the Gospel.
4. Faith needs to be continually strengthened by the hearing of the Gospel, the pronouncement of Absolution and receiving the body and blood of Jesus in the Sacrament. The devil is at work to destroy faith. It is a grave error to suggest that the Gospel is to be preached to unbelievers while Christians should be taught how to live.
5. The Christian is not saved on account of or because of their faith but rather because of the shed blood and perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.
6. Faith and promise are inseparably linked. Martin Luther wrote: "Promise and faith belong together naturally and inseparably. For what is the use of making any promise if there is no one to believe it? On the other hand, what would be the advantage of faith if there should be no promise? (Lectures on Genesis: 12:4) To claim by faith "health and wealth" is presumption since God has not made such a promise.
7. We are saved by faith alone. Good works are not an addition to faith but are the results of faith. Good works spring spontaneously from a daily relationship with Jesus who is the Vine and we are the branches.
This esteem of faith does not disparage good works, for out of this faith springs all good works. Yet, we may not impute to the worthiness of faith or good works our justification before God; but ascribe and give the worthiness of it totally to the merits of Christ's passion; and declare and attribute the knowledge and perception of those merits to faith alone. The very true and only property of faith is to take, apprehend, and hold fast the promises of God's mercy, which makes us righteous; and causes me to continually hope for the same mercy; and, in love, to do the many good works ascribed in the Scripture, that I may be thankful for the same. Thus, I feel myself to come, as it were, in a new garment before God; and now, by His mercy, to be declared just and righteous: which before, without His mercy, was sinful and wicked; and by faith to obtain his mercy, which the unfaithful cannot enjoy.
Note: The Augsburg Confession and The Formula of Concord are confessional documents of the Evangelical Lutheran Church found in the Book of Concord.
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