Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 22
December 3, 1970
NUMBER 30, PAGE 8-10a

The Faith Of The Gospel

Billy T. Jones

"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ: that, whether I come and see you or be absent, I may hear of your state, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:27.) Faith, per se, can be in anything or anybody. However, we many times confuse faith with confidence or trust. We grant that the word "faith," as used by people today, has come to mean confidence or trust. For instance, we can say we have faith in some one and mean that we have confidence or trust in them. Such might be the result of an actual, visible experience or it might be because of a recommendation. The child has faith (trust, confidence) in his parents because he has experienced goodness at the hands of his parents.

And so when we start talking of faith, we of necessity need to examine closely Bible teaching concerning first of all, what faith is and second, what kind of faith is the right faith. After a discourse on the faith of old Israel, the Hebrew writer says, "Now faith is assurance (the substance KJV) of things hoped for, a conviction (the evidence KJV) of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1.) Beyond any question this kind of faith could not be classified as simple a trust or confidence. It would be a belief based upon things not seen. As the writer further says in verse 3, "By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear." Therefore, faith includes trust and confidence, but it is that trust or confidence apart from an eye-witness to the fact. As in the case of creation, we never saw it but we believe it nevertheless. Not only do we believe that the worlds were created, but we believe they were created by the word of God. The evolutionist believes that the worlds came into existence, not by the word of God, but rather by some scientific (?) process. This is faith apart from eye-witness to the fact, but it is the wrong kind of faith in the wrong thing based upon the wrong kind of evidence.

The faith of the gospel is the faith produced by the gospel. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one 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." (Romans 1:16, 17.) Our being justified depends upon our faith. But it must be the right kind of faith in the right thing based upon the right evidence. Paul clarifies this in Romans 10:14-17, "How then shall they call on him whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things. But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So belief (faith KJV) cometh of hearing and hearing by the word of Christ (God KJV)." Paul was talking about the faith that saves, the faith that was the result of the inspired preachers preaching the inspired message. How could man believe without any knowledge of what to believe? How could that knowledge be imparted to man without some direction from God? In I Corinthians 2, the apostle explains the process whereby the inspired men received the mind of God. Therefore, the faith of the gospel is incapable of error insofar as the evidence provided, the source of it, and the intent of it (cf. John 16:5-15). If we are lost after receiving a knowledge of the gospel, it will be our own doing and not any fault of the God of Heaven.

Religionists of our day are becoming increasingly concerned over problems among their memberships arising from their "faith". There appeared an article in a recent issue of The Reader's Digest by Mr. David Raphael Klein entitled, "Is There a Substitute for God?". This particular article is a chapter from Mr. Klein's forthcoming book on problems of our society. In this article are some points worthy of everyone's consideration. As the title suggests, many are wondering if there is a substitute for God. But to bring it down to the thing that would apply in our deliberation, note these words of Mr. Klein's: "Meanwhile, the nonreligious parent, or one content merely to observe the forms of faith, has literally no way to influence his child. He recognizes the utter vacuity of no belief at all; yet he can hardly hold up as a model the peculiar lame-duck proposition his own life has become: one foot in materialism and one in old-fashioned morality. How can he teach a child to do right if he cannot justify the right?" What has brought this all about? Is it not the result of people believing in the right thing for the wrong reason? The child believes in God. Why? Because he has been taught by the word of God? No! He believes in God because of family tradition. His parents tell him, "You must believe in God because it is the thing to do. We have always believed in God and our parents believe in God and their parents before them." The child then believed in God because of his parents and not because of the evidence from God's word or any conviction therefrom. Thus it is that the child beholds a double standard in his parents which is contrary to all that he has been taught to believe concerning God. Consequently, he says, "If that is all there is to believing in God, I want no part of it." Who can blame him?

But on the other hand, if the child has been taught the word of God, then his faith would be founded upon undeniable, irrefutable evidence and he would never waver because of hypocrisy on the part of his parents or anyone else.

Down through the years, faith in God has been established in one of four ways: (1) Because of family ties, (2) Because of traditional religion, (3) Because of the acceptability of society, or, (4) Because of a knowledge of God's word. We can easily see how the first three can prove to be faulty ground for establishing faith. People are subject to human weaknesses and hypocrisy. Traditional religion changes as traditions change. Society's demands vary from generation to generation. Only the word of God remains the same. Hence, Paul says we are to "strive for the faith of the gospel. . .". The very language indicates that faith must be the result of the right thing, that is, the gospel. If faith is the result of anything else, sooner or later it will fail because the faith will only be as strong as the source that provides it.

We must teach our children, neighbors, relatives, and friends that the faith that saves must be the result of God's word being planted in their minds and not because of any man's persuasiveness. As the beloved apostle wrote, "And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (I Corinthians 2:1-5)." To the Thessalonians he wrote, "And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when ye received from us the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe." (I Thessalonians 2:13.) And so let us seek to preach only the word of God and if that is done, the faith resultant thereof will be the right thing based upon the right evidence.

It is the eternal purpose of God to "sum up all things in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3-14.) We understand that he meant the ultimate conclusion of His work would be the actual visitation, personal work, and sacrifice of Christ. (cf. Philippians 2:1- 9; Ephesians 3:1-13; Colossians 1:9-23.) Thus it was that Christ said, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem." (Luke 24:46- 47.)

The work of Jesus was to come in the fulfillment of prophecy, to teach and prove himself to be the Son of God (John 20:30-31), suffer and die as the sacrifice for sin, be buried and raised to the right hand of God, and receive all authority and headship over His church. In this accomplishment we see what we are to believe. This is the foundation of the faith that saves. (I Corinthians 15:1-8.)

It is altogether important that we know not only what we believe but why we believe it. All things of God work together for the good of them that love Him. (Romans 8:26-28.) This is most assuredly true concerning the things of the faith. Without the right information, a person can have the wrong faith. This is why so many warnings are given concerning teaching or preaching false or perverted doctrines. (Galatians 1:6-10; 2 John 9, 10; I Corinthians 4:6; Revelation 22:18,19.)

If we are to "contend earnestly for the faith," we must certainly contend for the things that establish and substantiate the faith. Much error has been propagated because of the attempts to uphold the right faith with human creeds, theologies, and doctrines. It is no wonder that the curse of God is to rest upon the head of the person who teaches anything other than the pure gospel of Christ.

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