Class 13 Outline

Class 13

What is True Faith?

 

We must scrutinize and investigate the true character of faith with greater care and zeal, because many are dangerously deluded today in this respect – John Calvin

 

  • The object of faith

 

  • True faith must have the proper object – Jesus Christ
  • The Father is revealed through the Son – Jesus the intermediary
  • Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12)
  • Jesus is the way, truth and life; no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6)
  • Jesus reveals the Father to whom He wishes (Luke 10:22)
  • Only through Jesus Christ do we know God and His glory (2 Corinthians 2:2)
  • To worship God through means He has not ordained is idolatry
  • Statue or pictures of Jesus are idolatry
  • Jesus video idolatry
  • Christ revealed through the word and visible means of sacraments

 

  • The elements of faith

 

  • True faith rests upon knowledge not pious ignorance
  • Rome’s doctrine of implicit faith is wrong
  • Apostle Paul yokes faith to teaching (Eph. 4:20)
  • The foundation is the teaching of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone (Eph. 2:19-22)
  • Faith is based on the knowledge that comes through divine revelation, the Bible, not the knowledge associated with human sense perception (Eph. 3:2-6)
  • Mental ascent is not enough; must have personal trust in Jesus Christ and the promise of the Gospel (confidence)

 

  • Trust – the deep-rooted assurance that the promise of the Gospel is mine

 

  • With faith one has confidence to stand in God’s sight without being condemned based on confidence in the righteousness of Christ as the basis for your justification
  • True faith includes trust – the ability to receive what is yours by faith
  • Westminster Confession defines the principle acts of saving faith as accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for your justification because of the covenant of grace
  • We exercise our faith; man’s will is engaged in this process but in no way does man’s will produce saving faith. True faith affects man’s will (Rom 5:1-2)
  • Faith implies certainty

 

  • Conclusion

 

  • The elements of faith include knowledge, mental assent and trust
  • The principle acts of saving faith are accepting receiving and resting upon Christ alone for your justification because of the covenant of grace