Lesson 25 August 4, 2002

Review

Biblical Faith is Non-Meritorious

Biblical faith is not a work, it is the one thing you can do without doing anything

(cf. John 6:27-29; His commandment 1 Jn. 3:23; Rom. 4:4-5).

Faith is the only way that is consistent with grace! (Rom 4:16a)

(1) Faith is an admission of one's spiritual inability and helplessness to merit or work for salvation or as a believer to handle our own life apart from God's grace provision as revealed in the New Testament (Rom. 4:1-5; Eph. 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; Gal. 2:20).

(2) Faith is a rejection or repudiation of any confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:1-9; see also Jer. 17:5-9; Rom. 3:9-24).

(3) Therefore, recognizing one's helplessness and the sufficiency of Christ, biblical faith rests in God's complete and finished work and provision in Jesus Christ or Christ's merit (Rom. 4:4-5, 16; 11:6; Heb. 4:10).

Faith is Not Necessarily Demonstrated by What You are Doing for God.

The issue is what is the motivation.

Phil. 2:12-13; 4:13