Jennifer Rothnie
Well-Known Member
Faith is a work when one must come up with it on their own or make the decision to accept it. It isn't a work if it is given as a gift and our hearts regenerated so we don't have to decide to accept it or not.
Scripture does not state that 'faith becomes a work' if we have to respond on our own to the gospel in belief or if we do not have 'our hearts regenerated first'. Faith in scripture is simply being persuaded of the truth - that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, who died on our behalf to reconcile us to God. Furthermore, scripture says that 'the work God requires' is that we believe (Jn 6:28-29), as opposed to dead works, not that we are doing dead works or trusting in our own righteousness if we decide to place our trust in Christ!
Indeed, faith is in every way contrasted with boasting in scripture. Boasting is excluded because of the law that requires faith, not works, because to place our faith in Christ is humbling, whereas to claim any work earning us our Salvation would be boasting.
To say, "I placed my faith in Christ" or "I accepted Christ as my Saviour" isn't something we can boast in, for by doing so we admit several things that are contrary to the nature of pride:
1) We acknowledge that we are sinners.
"This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience, as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life." I Tim 1:15-16
By acknowledging our sin, we place the glory on Christ for His mercy in saving those who believe, not in anything we did.
The proud will either not admit their sin (I John 1:8) or they will love their sin and hide from anything that might convict them regarding it (Jn 3:19-20)
2) We acknowledge that we are under condemnation for our sin and need rescue.
By placing our faith in Christ, we are humbly admitting that the just penalty of our sin is death (Rom 6:23, Jn 3:18) and hence we need saving. The proud will often deny they need saving at all.
3) We acknowledge that it is Christ alone who can save.
The proud will not admit that Christ is the only one who can save them and deliver them from death to life. If they believe they need saving at all, they look to themselves for saving (karma, good works, enlightenment, etc.)
4) We acknowledge that Christ saves us out of His mercy as a free gift to those who believe.
By acknowledging that salvation is a free gift offered by Christ, we humbly admit that it is not something 'owed' to us for oue owin merit, nor did Christ 'have' to die on our behalf to bring salvation. (Rom 6:23, Rom 5:16, Rev 22:17, Tit 3:5)
During Paul's ministry, the fact the gospel was open and preached to Gentiles as well was a huge stumbling block for the Jews, who thought the Messiah was to come in power to overthrow Rome, not die to let Gentiles be reconciled to God. (I Cor 1:23-24) The fact that salvation was free, to all sinners, was also a stumbling block to the proud pharisees.
5) We acknowledge that Christ has all authority and is Shepherd of our lives.
By placing our faith in Christ we submit to Him, dying to sin and self (I Pet 2:24-25, Eph 4:22, Col 3:9). We then, in humility, submit to Christ (Eph 5:24). Our whole lives become humble service to our King (Rom 12:1, Col 3:23-25, Heb 9:14)
6) Faith leads us to continual humility in regards to our fellow man
Just as faith leads to a lifelong submission to Christ, so faith also leads us to submit to one another (Eph 5:21) and continually keep a proper perspective in our dealings with others in the church (II Cor 10:7-18, Gal 5:13)
"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. For it is l not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends." II Cor 10:17-18
"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." Rom 12:3
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So then, faith is in every way contrasted with boasting, for it is based in humility, in a proper regard for one's position in regard to Christ. If a man proclaims, "I have placed my faith in Christ!" this is not a boast, but humility, for he is testifying that, "I was a sinner under condemnation for my wicked deeds, one in need of salvation, a salvation that only Jesus the Messiah could provide. I believe the Messiah is who He claims, with all authority given to Him. I have repented and given my life to Him, have died to myself and risen with him, and God for the sake of Christ's righteousness and His glory shall grant me eternal life."
What does it mean in Rom 3:27 that boasting is excluded because of the law that requires faith?
On a related point, scripture says it is salvation, that is the graciously offered gift we must receive through faith - not that faith itself is a gift that only certain people may receive through pre-regeneration of the Spirit.
In Eph 2:8 the gift is salvation, by grace and through faith. The process of salvation is taken as a whole in regards to source, reason, and mechanism. Paul contrasts salvation by grace and through faith with 'works', for man cannot achieve salvation by his own merit.
It's a similar train of thought to Rom 5:18-21. While we were all condemned by the law and sin reigned, the death of Christ brought justification by His own blood. In this grace reigns (the 'by'), through righteousness and through Jesus (the process), to bring eternal life (the 'what').
The process is given in even more detail in Rom 3:22-26: Righteousness is given through faith to all who believe. We are justified by grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God displayed Christ publicly (grace) as a propitiation (atoning sacrifice) whose blood is applied to us through faith.
What does it mean that it is by grace we have been saved, through faith, and that this is not of ourselves but is the gift of God?
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