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{Sermons on John 1:47
The Doctrine Confirmed
The Principles and Doctrines of Godliness Are Not Fantasy
Of Faith}
Faith is no fantasy. “Now faith is the substance [assurance] of things hoped for, the evidence [conviction] of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 NKJV).172 Faith has a sure foundation on which it is laid: the pure word of promise to which (as the apostle said) you do well to pay attention (2 Peter 1:19–21). There is a believing on Christ that results in salvation, and a belief that we will be saved by Christ. Believing on Christ for salvation is called “the direct act of faith,” and it is the soul’s accepting Christ as Lord173 and Savior, and venturing upon and resting upon Him for life. This saving faith is founded on the Rock of ages and on the veracity and faithfulness of God, who cannot lie and who said, “Whoever believes in Him [His Son] shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The latter, in the saints, a belief that we will be saved by Christ, is called “the reflex act of faith,”174 and it has its foundation partly on the Word of God external to175 believers and partly on the work of God inside them. And if direct [saving] faith has been first put forth, this reflex act of faith is also of a kind that will never deceive. Those who trust in God have the Word and oath of God; these are two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore they will not be disappointed, but will have strong consolation [or encouragement] (Hebrews 6:18). There are those who believe that they will be saved for an accumulation of valid reasons such as these:176 They find their hearts purified. They believe that their names are written in Heaven because they find the law and image of God written and engraved on their hearts. They believe that they will not come into condemnation because they are in Christ and do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. They believe that they will overcome death because they have overcome the world. They believe that they will reap in mercy because they have sown in righteousness. They believe that they will reap with joy because they have sown in tears. They believe that they will receive the inheritance of sons because they have received the adoption of sons. They find themselves firmly knit and joined to the Lord; they are thus persuaded “that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39 ESV). To those who, on such grounds as these, believe that they will be saved, it will certainly be to them according to their faith. If this indeed describes them, if they are in Christ, if they do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit, if their hearts are purified, and so on, then the Word of the Lord stands good and sure to them. They will not come into condemnation. They will as infallibly be saved as if their particular names had been written into the promise. The veracity of God stands firmly engaged to keep conditional promises when the conditions are fulfilled, just as if the promise had been absolute.
There is a faith that is a mere fantasy, such as:
The faith of enthusiasts who believe based upon unscriptural revelation above and besides what is written;
The faith of ignorant people whose belief is in an unknown god such as the Athenians worshiped (Acts 17:23);
The faith of idlers who believe that they will rest with Christ although they never labored with Him;
The faith of the unholy who believe that they will be saved although they are not sanctified.
Such faith is mere fantasy. Rather than faith, you may call it opinion or presumption. You who are ignorant, idle, unholy, or unsanctified, and yet believe that you will be saved, you believe a lie. You believe something that God has never said will be. Nay, you believe something that God has said never will be. “For it is a people of no understanding; Therefore He who made them will not have mercy on them, and He who formed them will show them no favor” (Isaiah 27:11 NKJV). Such will never inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:10). Hear, sinners, hear: God must be a liar, or your faith a lie.
But the previously described faith of God’s elect is that precious tried faith by which whoever believes will not be disappointed. Christians, you who have obtained this precious faith—a Christ-embracing faith, a heart-purifying, flesh-mortifying, and world-conquering faith—you may venture safely upon it. If ever this faith could deceive, God has deceived you, the Scriptures deceived you, and Christ, who prayed that this faith not fail (Luke 22:32), deceived you. And we may be bold to turn Christ’s prayer into a promise. Let the fanatic world laugh, mock, and call your consolations delusions and your confidence imagination or what they wish. Let them alone; you must give losers leave to talk and laugh. “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward” (Hebrews 10:35).
172The bracketed terms are those used by the NASB.
173Not just as Lord generally, but as your own Lord, Master, Boss, King, and so on.
174“Assurance of salvation” is the term most commonly used today for what Alleine calls “the reflex act of faith.” Likewise, “the direct act of faith” is most commonly simply called “saving faith.” These two newer terms are those used in the Westminster Standards, in chapters 18 and 14, respectively.
175external to: coming from outside, from God’s Word, as opposed to the work of the Holy Spirit within the believer.
176Let the reader carefully note that Alleine is not discussing the means of justification to eternal life here, but evidences of it.
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