There are two types of faith. One type of faith is willingness to believe in something, which isn’t proved, or a hope in something that may be. Then there is a saving faith, which is granted by God to those who He has elected, and predestined.
The first type you might have had in a person. For instance, perhaps they told you that they would do something for you, and you believe that they will. Then you act on that faith in hopes that they will fulfill their promise to you. Some people have that type of faith in God, in a general sense. They believe there is a God, and they hope He is merciful. They might even believe He is merciful. They might even believe they are saved. Have you talked with someone who has many heretical beliefs, bad fruit, and still insists that they are a Christian? I’m sure you probably have. This person doesn’t have the second type of faith.
The second type of faith is the saving kind. It isn’t something we can come to without God. It must be granted to the person by God. You can want to believe, but without God granting it, you could never have it. Have you ever been talking with someone, sharing the gospel with them, and had them say, “Wow! That really sounds like a great gift, I just can’t believe in a God that would_______.” They can understand the gospel intellectually, they might even like it as a philosophy, but they just can’t believe it.
The second type of faith, when God grants it to a person, allows them to believe in Him rightly. It allows them to believe in the work of Jesus on the cross. Without it the cross is just another mythology. The true believer has the faith to do things that doesn’t make sense to the world. We have the faith to put into practice the doctrines of the Bible. God fulfills His promises and makes effectual that which He has willed. The believer will produce fruit in keeping with the spirit of salvation. The believer will persevere until the end. The believer will operate with the presupposition that the Bible is true. The believer will love Jesus. The believer will love others. You get the idea. They don’t do the things they do because they want to believe, they do them because they actually believe. This is a gift from God. It is coupled with true repentance when a person is justified by Christ.
Tag: The Son
Proof-texting, its dangers, and benefits.
Proof-texting is the practice of quoting a verse, or verses from the text of the Bible, to support, or refute a doctrine. This practice has been used by the orthodox and the heretic. The dangers of proof-texting are varied and manifold. With proper presuppositions proof-texting can be a valuable tool for supporting orthodox doctrines.
First, we will go over the problems with proof-texting. The biggest problem is when a person or group starts with a false presupposition. For example, a Mormon starts with the presupposition that Jesus is a created being. They hold this false presupposition because they believe the words of a false prophet, and teacher in authority over God’s very own word. The Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Muslims, do the same thing.
With this presupposition when they run into texts like John 3:16 “…For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life…” They wrongly understand the word, “begotten” to mean that Jesus was the progeny of the Father. They then, in turn use this as a proof-text for their false doctrine that deny the eternal deity of Jesus, in stark disregard for His proclamation of being the, “I Am.” This, in turn requires more eisegesis, and proof-texting, in an attempt to refute the true doctrines, in conflict with their false ones. When apologetically engaged with a heretic or cult member they are usually more than thrilled to proof-text ad nauseum. This can quickly become counterproductive. If this is done in a public forum it can be disastrous. The onlookers could be convinced of the heretical doctrines.
Our apologetics should be from a capable well rounded understanding of the entire Bible in its own context. It should be founded on the presupposition that the Bible is the truth, and the authority, on What God has to say to man. When we start with a true presupposition, and are exegetical in our reading of the Bible, we can proof-text like Paul to the Jews in Hebrews. When proof-texting is done correctly it can win people’s minds to the truths of the Bible. There is nothing like a good section of scripture quoted in context at the right time to hammer home sound doctrine. God’s word is authoritative and when we speak truthfully with the authority of scripture it is a powerful thing to witness.
Snyder's Soapbox 