THE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE OF SALVATION BY FAITH

William S. Cline

 

The Biblical doctrine of salvation by faith is greatly misunderstood in the religious world. Multitudes hold the doctrine of salvation by faith only and immediately reject any doctrine which teaches that a saving faith is an obedient faith. Therefore, it is important that we consider the biblical doctrine of salvation by faith.

 

The Fact of It

 

No passage more clearly states that salvation is by faith than Romans 5:1. Paul wrote, “Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The theme of Romans is “God’s Plan for Man’s Righteousness.” In Romans 1:16-17, we have the thesis statement: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, but the righteous shall live by faith.” Paul then develops that theme. In chapter one, he argues that the Gentiles were lost and in need of salvation. In chapter two, he argues that the Jews were lost and in need of salvation. In chapter three, Paul concludes that all men are lost and in need of salvation (3:23). Having drawn that conclusion, he promptly states the remedy: “being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood” (3:24-25).

Paul then proceeds to give us a great example of saving faith which encompasses the story of Abraham (Rom. 4). After giving the theme of Romans, the problem to be dealt with, the answer to that problem, and an example of saving faith, Paul summarizes by stating, “Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1)

No doctrine is more clearly taught in the New Testament than the doctrine of salvation by faith (cf. John 3:16; Acts 10:43; Eph. 2:8; Gal. 3:26).

 

The Meaning of It

 

Perhaps we should raise the question, “What is meant by salvation by faith?” A brief review of the simple facts stated above should easily draw the following conclusion:

 

• Paul began Romans by stating that the gospel was the power of God unto salvation;
• He then proved that Gentile and Jew (and thus all men) stood in need of that salvation;
• He stated that such salvation was by grace through faith (Rom. 3:24-25);
• He gave an example of saving faith (Rom. 4);
• He then drew the unavoidable conclusion in Romans 5:1 that salvation by the gospel was salvation through faith. Such is the force of the connecting word “therefore” in 5:1. Thus, when we speak of the biblical doctrine of salvation by faith we are speaking of salvation through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

The Kind of It

 

When Paul wrote of salvation by faith, he was not (so far as concerns the principles involved) introducing some new method of justification. It was not a proposition of salvation by faith only, but rather salvation through obedient faith. He went to great lengths in chapter four, by appealing to the example of Abraham, to show that we are saved just like Abraham was; in short, by believing and proving it by obedience. Abraham’s faith was a walking faith, and we are to “walk in the steps of that faith” (Rom. 4:12).

It is sound exegesis to discover the use made of a word or a phrase in Scripture, and thereby to interpret other like phrases in the light of such discovery. The phrase in question “by faith” is treated extensively in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. A few of the many examples found there will illustrate its use:

 

• “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain” (Heb. 11:4). Every step that Abel took in offering that sacrifice is included in the phrase “by faith.”
• “By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house” (Heb. 11:7). Such was a tremendous task, requiring years of labor, but all the years and all the labors are included in the phrase “by faith.”
• “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days” (Heb. 11:30). Thus, the phrase “by faith” included thirteen trips around the city of Jericho—the walls did not fall down by faith only!

 

Since “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17), the necessary conclusion is that Abel, Noah, and the Jewish nation, out of faith, obeyed the instructions which came from God. Biblical faith is that which causes one to believe and obey God, even when God’s instructions are contrary to human wisdom, judgment, and experience. Biblical faith walks in the steps of obedience knowing that God’s grace is extended only to those who have faith enough to obey God without question.

 

The Time of It

 

It was “by faith” that Abel was justified, but his faith acted in obedience. “By faith” Noah was saved, but only because he had a faith that obeyed God. “By faith” the walls of Jericho fell down, but they did not fall down until the faith had produced obedience. “By faith” Abraham was justified, but justification did not come until he had obeyed God (Jas. 2:21-23).

In like manner, we are children of God “by faith,” but not until faith has acted in obedience. In Galatians 3:26, Paul wrote, “For ye all are sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus.” Having stated the fact of sonship, he explained, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ” (3:27). The Galatian Christians were not “in Christ” where all spiritual blessings are (Eph. 1:3), until their faith had acted in obedience!

In Romans 6:17-18, we read, “Thanks be to God, that whereas ye were the servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; and being made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” Thus Paul, in pointed and plain language, gave us the time of salvation by faith. Salvation by faith is after (not before) the obedience which is produced by Biblical faith.

 

Conclusion

 

Noah, “by faith,” took God at His word and did what God said. In so doing, he saved himself and his family. We, too, can be saved if we will take God at his word and do what he has said. A faith that will not do what God commands will not justify anyone.