BEN F. VICK, JR.
The word “faith” in the New Testament is used in several senses. The context always determines the meaning of any word. This is true of the word “faith.”
“Faith” is applied to one’s personal faith. Jesus spoke of some who had little faith (Matt. 6:30; 8:26). He spoke of a woman’s great faith (Matt. 8:10).
The word “faith” is used for miraculous faith. When a man came to the Lord’s apostles requesting that they cast out a demon in his son, they could not do it. Jesus said to his apostles, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.” (Matt. 17:17.) Jesus rebuked the devil, and the child was cured that hour. The disciples asked Jesus, “Why could not we cast him out?” Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (Matt. 17:20-21.) Jesus was referring to a miraculous faith.
One of the spiritual or miraculous gifts given to early Christians was the gift of faith. Paul mentioned nine spiritual gifts, one of which was the gift of faith (1 Cor. 12:8-10). This kind of faith, a miraculous faith, raised the lame man at the gate called Beautiful. It was not the faith of the lame man because, as far as we know, he did not know Jesus. It was the miraculous faith of Peter.
The revelation was not complete when James penned his epistle. James speaks of the prayer of faith saving the sick. Note, he did not say the prayer of the faithful shall save the sick. Some elders still had spiritual gifts (Eph. 4:8-16). These spiritual gifts were still in existence in the time of James because the revelation was not complete then. This kind of faith could remove mountains, whether we take that literally or figuratively (Matt. 17:20; 1 Cor. 13:2). However, when the revelation was complete, the miraculous faith and other miracles ceased (1 Cor. 13:8-10).
“Faith” is also applied to the conscience. Paul wrote, “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Rom. 14:23.) Whiteside wrote, “This does not refer to faith in Christ or the gospel; but to faith in the righteousness of what we do. If a Christian does a thing without being fully persuaded that it is right, he sins. A man may sin believing he is doing right; but he sins in doing anything, if he doubts that it is right. If he doubts, the act is not of faith.”
The inspired writers also used “faith” about the entire body of truth, the New Testament. Luke says that a great company of priests were obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7). When Paul and Barnabas came to Salamis on the island of Cyprus, they went into the synagogues of the Jews and preached the word of God. They did the same thing at the other end of the island at Paphos. Sergius Paulus desired to hear the word of God. Luke records, “But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.” (Acts 13:8.) When Paul struck Elymas blind, the deputy, Sergius Paulus, “believed, being astonished at the doctrine of Lord.” (Acts 13:12). From this, we gather that the word of God, the faith, and the doctrine of the Lord, all refer to the same body of truth.
So, is “the faith” only about the deity of Christ and our initial obedience to the gospel (Rom. 1:4)? Luke says Paul and Barnabas were: “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith….” (Acts 14:22.) If the disciples were encouraged to continue in the faith, this would include Christian living (Acts 14:22).
The churches of Galatia were troubled by Judaizing teachers who were saying, “Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” (Acts 15:1; Gal. 1:6-9). They had troubled the churches by making a law that God had not made (Matt. 16:19; 18:18). Nothing like that was ever said by an inspired apostle or prophet. The false teachers were pushing their view on something which was not revealed. What was Paul to do? Did Paul say: Well, we ought to love everybody and not cause division over something unrevealed? Hear what the Bible says:
“And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?” (Gal. 2:4-14.)
When in the realm of liberty, men make laws that God did not make, we are not wrong to contend for the faith. If we do not contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, we are wrong. Indeed, Paul was contending for the faith with those false teachers in Galatia. How long did he give way to them? “To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour.” Why? That the truth of the gospel might continue with them.