Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Faith (Evangelism 101.11)

A Christian in Canada Presents - Faith

What is Faith and where does it come from? 








John Calvin's commentary on Eph 2:8-10 is quoted in the video.http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/comment3/comm_vol41/htm/iv.iii.iii.htm 

And here we must advert to a very common error in the interpretation of this passage. Many persons restrict the word gift to faith alone. But Paul is only repeating in other words the former sentiment. His meaning is, not that faith is the gift of God, but that salvation is given to us by God, or, that we obtain it by the gift of God.

God declares, that he owes us nothing; so that salvation is not a reward or recompense, but unmixed grace. The next question is, in what way do men receive that salvation which is offered to them by the hand of God? The answer is, by faith;and hence he concludes that nothing connected with it is our own. If, on the part of God, it is grace alone, and if we bring nothing but faith, which strips us of all commendation, it follows that salvation does not come from us.

When, on the part of man, the act of receiving salvation is made to consist in faith alone, all other means, on which men are accustomed to rely, are discarded. Faith, then, brings a man empty to God, that he may be filled with the blessings of Christ.

Created to good works. They err widely from Paul's intention, who torture this passage for the purpose of injuring the righteousness of faith. Ashamed to affirm in plain terms, and aware that they could gain nothing by affirming, that we are not justified by faith, they shelter themselves under this kind of subterfuge. "We are justified by faith, because faith, by which we receive the grace of God, is the commencement of righteousness; but we are made righteous by regeneration, because, being renewed by the Spirit of God, we walk in good works." In this manner they make faith the door by which we enter into righteousness, but imagine that we obtain it by our works, or, at least, they define righteousness to be that uprightness by which a man is formed anew to a holy life. I care not how old this error may be; but they err egregiously who endeavor to support it by this passage.

When Paul lays down the cause of justification, he dwells chiefly on this point, that our consciences will never enjoy peace till they rely on the propitiation for sins.

6 comments:

Nolan said...

Why did you flip flop the interpretation of the text by Calvin. You put some remarks Calvin made out of the sequential order of his comments, as well as copying and pasting them out of the context in which he writes. Why?

Kevl said...

If I copy and pasted them out of order that was by mistake not intention.

I don't know what you mean by "flip flop" the interpretation...


Kev

Nolan said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Nolan said...

This is what I meant by "flip flop"

You put some remarks Calvin made out of the sequential order of his comments, as well as copying and pasting them out of the context in which he writes.


But, the link you provide helps clear that up. Sorry for posting here. I know you didn't want me to post here anymore. I really didn't intend for you to post my comments nor posting these either for that matter. I should have emailed you instead or not even bothered at all I suppose. No harm intended.

Nolan

Kevl said...

Hey Nolan,

Thanks for the follow up.

It's not that I don't want you posting. I don't like games, and I think we have had some poor communication in the past.

I think the reason the quotes are out of order (I'll take your word for it!) is because they are copy and pasted from a previous article that I wrote. In that article there was commentary between the quotes.

Kev

Nolan said...

Oh, I see. I think that explains it very well. I appreciate your zeal for evangelism. I watched a couple of your videos and thought they are very well done.

Nolan