File001's video: On the Nature of Saving Faith

Saving faith, given by God's sovereign grace to His elect as an instrument of receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, concisely yet thoroughly set forth in chapter 14 of the "1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith". Some comparison drawn between it and temporary (non-saving) faith, as well as Arminian concept of faith, with application to eternal security/preservation of the saints. For further study on the topic, I would highly suggest reading Jean Calvin's "Institutes of the Christian Religion" Book 3, Chapters 11-18 on the justification by faith. The following is a quote form Book 3, Chapter 1, Section 7 which I find particularly applicable to what modern Independent Baptists have done with evangelism, where the faith they promote (usually combined and equated with sinner's prayer, adding to the Gospel) in and of itself saves, or rather "activates" salvation, merits salvation, or allows God to save them (who up to that point had already done all He could, but cannot actually save the lost sinner without him doing his part). An invitation to such faith is in general preceded by a very, very shallow Gospel presentation, that does not properly go through the whole nature of God, nature of man, and work of God in salvation and His purpose therein. Rather, it is entirely focused on man - how he can escape hell. Conceptually, there is no difference between this and sacramental system of Roman Catholicism. Instead of faith (and repentance) being a natural answer of a man who has previously been regenerated by the Holy Spirit through hearing God's word, and given the gift of faith (monergism), faith originating in man (dead in sins, incapable of pleasing God, mind you) brings about his own regeneration - basically saving himself, or at least cooperating with God who had enabled him to save himself by such act of faith (synergism). Completely backwards. Such faith is focused on self and MY level of understanding the Gospel, MY ability to maintain that faith, instead of focusing on the Savior, and taking comfort in all HE has done to accomplish salvation of His people. It will at best lead to constant doubt (which can open the door for the real saving faith to come), or at worst provide a false assurance ("Believe? I've been done that!") which will lead such poor person to hell. "When he objects that the power of justifying exists not in faith, considered in itself, but only as receiving Christ, I willingly admit it. For did faith justify of itself, or (as it is expressed) by its own intrinsic virtue, as it is always weak and imperfect, its efficacy would be partial, and thus our righteousness being maimed would give us only a portion of salvation. We indeed imagine nothing of the kind, but say, that, properly speaking, God alone justifies. The same thing we likewise transfer to Christ, because he was given to us for righteousness; while we compare faith to a kind of vessel, because we are incapable of receiving Christ, unless we are emptied and come with open mouth to receive his grace. Hence it follows, that we do not withdraw the power of justifying from Christ, when we hold that, previous to his righteousness, he himself is received by faith. Still, however, I admit not the tortuous figure of the sophist, that faith is Christ; as if a vessel of clay were a treasure, because gold is deposited in it. And yet this is no reason why faith, though in itself of no dignity or value, should not justify us by giving Christ; Just as such a vessel filled with coin may give wealth. I say, therefore, that faith, which is only the instrument for receiving justification, is ignorantly confounded with Christ, who is the material cause, as well as the author and minister of this great blessing. This disposes of the difficulty—viz. how the term faith is to be understood when treating of justification." Excerpt from the Dividing Line program aired on December 19, 2016 https://youtu.be/PVGEin3dcHY "1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith", Chapter 14 https://www.the1689confession.com/1689/chapter-14 "Institutes of the Christian Religion" by Jean Calvin https://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.toc.html Alpha & Omega Ministries https://www.aomin.org/ https://www.youtube.com/user/AominOrg https://twitter.com/AominOrg https://www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=aominorg Dr. James White https://www.youtube.com/user/DrOakley1689 https://twitter.com/DrOakley1689 https://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakeronly=true&currsection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Dr._James_White Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. Copyright ©2016 Alpha & Omega Ministries