We reference, and consider
briefly, here, that document which is a confession of our faith, according to
the Holy Scriptures, regarding saving faith and continuing in the faith, which
we will comment upon briefly.
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Luke 17:5; Acts 20:32; Rom. 10:14,17; 2 Cor. 4:13; Eph. 2:8; 1 Pet. 2:2. |
Although the chapter and head in
mention is entitled “SAVING FAITH,” in it we see the means by which God not
only gives those who are His to be born again, but to continue and grow in that
faith which He has granted.
This section should be referenced
when one gets to the latter sections regarding the ordinances (Chapters 28-30).
It is interesting to note that
the “means of grace” which are used
are appointed by God, and that these are, primarily, the preaching of the Word,
administration of the ordinances, and prayer; by “other means appointed by God,” we should think of those which have
to do with the exercise of those gifts, no more ours (but as stewards) than the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ,
in the setting of corporate worship, which would be inclusive of that which
occurs outside the corporate setting (hospitality,
mercy, cheerfulness – Romans 12:8).
In other words, all means of
grace given us by God are apprehended and comprehended in Christ, as He is formed in us by the Spirit
regenerating us, and growing in Him in Christian maturity by that same Spirit
of Christ (Titus 3:4-8; 2:11-14).
The late Charles Spurgeon
realized this truth at the beginning of the ministry which the Lord gave to
him, and bountifully blessed; if any have read any of the biographical
literature of our brother gone to glory, they have heard of how he encountered
our Lord at the simple preaching of a lay minister in a small Methodist church,
who spoke the words to him “Look to
Jesus, and be saved,” to summarize and paraphrase.
We also know that our lately
here, but now with our Lord, brother did not lack from preaching of what that
simple statement contained, as to his upbringing – we see that the Holy Spirit
was pleased to reveal the all-encompassing grace of God in Jesus Christ to our
brother through this simple statement, and truly, what more do we need to know?
If we look to Jesus, we are
saved; if we comprehend that this looking is given of God through His Spirit,
such may take place later, or soon after, or simultaneously, along with the
well-established fact, in Scripture, that we have nothing to offer the great
and gracious God in the performance of either this initial apprehension of us
by the Lord, or our further growth in Him (Matthew
5:3; Galatians 4:9b), we know that nothing of our pressing on can truly be
realized if we look to the methods of pressing on, rather than the Author and
Finisher of our faith, so we do not look to other than our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 4:9c; Hebrews 12:2). In Him
is comprehended all that we are now, and all we shall be in the next age;
therefore, it is proper to view that which is praiseworthy in us as being from,
of, to and for Him, by that good pleasure of God which He poured out on us, and
continues to pour out on us (Titus 3:4-6;
Romans 5:1-5; 8:14: Ephesians 1:5, 11; 2:10).
So many times, we concentrate on
the efforts we are to make of confession, repentance, striving against the
flesh, and doing good works, without realizing that we can do none of these
apart from our “seeing Jesus,” not
just as some abstract notion or far-off benefactor who will bless our efforts,
but of Himself, the sole proprietor and executor of those efforts. It is easy
to seek to live by the fruits of faith, concentrating on how unworthy we are,
without realizing that all our worth, and the exercising of that worth in the
aforementioned works, are His. Although it is not unhealthy to realize our own
wretchedness and disability to do those things in accord with the grace of God,
if we do so without understanding the One who died and rose again, who Himself
is imparted to and grown in us by His Spirit, we are trying to work out our own
salvation without realizing that that it is God who both wills and works in us
for His good pleasure (Philippians
2:12-13). As we did not merit our salvation, neither do we gain merit
through the exercise of those godly characteristics which are only evidence of
the infinite worth and righteousness of the Son – we need to acknowledge that
it is with our Lord that the Father is well pleased, and it is in His Son that
we do those things which are of Him, without gaining us any more merit than
when we began (Matthew 3:17; Luke
17:7-10).
Although saving faith is the
heading of the particular link we are expounding somewhat upon, the LBCF goes on to speak of these things
which we have mentioned. In all of what we read, however, the Scriptures are
referenced, and indeed, given the only place of primacy as the inerrant and
inspired Word of God, where we learn the LBCF,
and indeed, all the great Confessions, depend entirely upon His Scripture, and
do not count their own words as being equal with Scripture, but merely
expounding upon that which is contained in Holy Writ; so it is also with all
works of men, both spoken and written, that speak to the “fleshing out” of God’s own words.
In view of these things, may we
understand, with our brethren, that it is only in “looking to Jesus” that we both gain that eternal life and grow in
the fruits thereof, never thinking it is of our own power that we do those
things which are “walk(ing) in
a manner worthy of that calling to which you have been called,” for the
worth has always been, and will always be, of His excellence in all things, and
not of our own doings.
We must remember that the “means of grace” our Lord has granted to
us are only comprehended and apprehended in and of Him, and that, benefactors
that we are of this, it is yet, and always, His worth that is looked to and
realized.
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