Samuel Hopkins · 1 of 48

Section VI. Concerning Saving Faith. · Part 1

CONCERNING SAVING FAITH.

THERE have been, and still are, various and opposite opinions in the christian world, and among Protestants, respecting saving faith; and very different definitions have been given of it. Instead of particularly describing these, and attempting to refute any of them now, it is proposed to examine the scriptures, and endeavour from them to find what is the nature, and what are the properties of this faith. And if in this way, which is doubtless the most proper to be taken, a clear and satisfactory idea of this subject may be obtained, all erroneous opinions respecting it, which have been imbibed and propagated, will of course be detected.—In this view the following things may be observed.

I. Saving faith is represented in many passages of scripture as consisting in a belief and assurance of the truth and reality of those things which are revealed and asserted by God in the divine oracles. Or a conviction and assured knowledge, that the gospel is true; that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world; and they who have this belief, assurance or knowledge, are considered and declared to be in a state of salvation.

This is the account given of faith in the most express definition of it in the Bible. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.” Here faith is described in the general nature of it; and is said to be that by which invisible and future things are seen as evident realities. Hence it appears, that he who realizes and is assured of the truths contained in divine revelation, has true faith, by which men believe to the saving of their souls, which is the faith here defined, as appears from the words immediately preceding these, in the last verse of the foregoing chapter. “We are of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Now faith, &c.”

When Peter said to Jesus, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus answered and said unto him, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” Upon this we may observe,

1. That the faith which Peter professes, is a belief and assurance that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Son of God, the Messiah who was to come into the world.

2. That Christ declares this to be saving faith, in pronouncing Peter blessed upon this, and asserting that this faith was the effect of divine, supernatural influences.

Very parallel to this is what St. John asserts concerning faith. “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” This is the same confession which Peter made; and this is here declared to be peculiar to a good man, a true christian who shall be saved. By confessing that Jesus is the Son of God, is meant a sincere and true declaration of a belief and assurance of this truth. Such a belief and assurance of this truth, is the only proper ground of this confession, and is saving faith. Both these passages are explained and illustrated by the following words of this same apostle. “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.” Here, a belief of this single proposition, Jesus is the Christ, is asserted to be justifying saving faith, which is peculiar to those who are born of God.

The same description of saving faith is found in the words of St. Paul, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” To believe that Jesus was raised from the dead is the same with believing that Jesus is the Christ: And this is here asserted to be saving faith. This same faith the Eunuch professed, upon which he was baptized by Philip, and admitted among the number of true believers in Christ. “And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Agreeably to this Christ says, “This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” Here eternal life is connected with having a true idea or knowledge of God and the Saviour; or seeing their true character and believing them to be such as they are. This therefore must be the same with that faith to which our Saviour so often promises salvation; and without which he repeatedly says, men cannot be saved.

In all these passages faith is represented as that by which the truth is seen, so that the truths of the gospel become present and real to the mind, attended with an assurance of their truth and reality: And that this belief of the truth, with what it necessarily includes, is the whole of saving faith: And is the same thing which is elsewhere called—Coming to the light. Being in the light.Knowing the truth.Coming to the knowledge of the truth.A belief the truth.A being illuminated.The light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ, shining in the heart.Beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord.

II. Saving faith, in a number of places, is represented in a light, which to some, especially at first view may appear different from the description of it in the forementioned passages, if not contrary to it. It is considered and represented, as consisting in the exercise of the heart, and choice of the will; this being essential to it, and including the whole.

Believing on the name of Christ, and receiving him, is mentioned as being one and the same thing, “But to as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Here receiving Christ, and believing on him, are synonimous expressions, and must mean the same thing. But receiving Christ is an exercise of will or choice, and is the same thing with voluntarily embracing him, as he is offered in the gospel. Faith in Christ, or believing on him, is termed coming to him, as being one and the same. “He that cometh to me, shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me, shall never thirst.” As hungering and thirsting are the same mental exercise, so are believing on Christ, and coming to him. This is farther evident from the words following. “But I said unto you, that ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me; and he that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.” Here Christ speaks of coming to him, as the condition of salvation by him, and as directly the reverse to not believing on him, with which he charges the Jews; and therefore by coming to him he can mean nothing but saving faith, even the same which he, in this discourse, repeatedly calls believing on him. It may be also observed, that what Christ here calls not believing, he in another place denotes by not coming to him. “Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life.” The charge of not coming to him, and not believing on him, is evidently the same. And that coming to Christ, is the same with believing on him, is confirmed from the evident synonimous use of those phrases in the words which follow those which have been mentioned. “And this is the will of the Father, that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him, may have everlasting life. No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, hath everlasting life.” And we find him speaking again after the same manner. “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters,.”

Faith in Christ is denoted by eating his flesh, and drinking his blood. “Whosoever eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” It is not only evident from the words themselves, that by eating his flesh, and drinking his blood, that uniting act of the soul to Christ is expressed, which is necessary in order to enjoy what he has obtained for men, which must be saving faith: But this is yet more evident by comparing them with the foregoing words, of which these are evidently designed as an explanation. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” And again, “This is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” Here eternal life, and to be raised up by Christ at the last day, is promised in one place to believing on Christ, and in the other to eating his flesh and drinking his blood: therefore it is certain that these are not two different things, but one and the same, which is connected with eternal life, and the condition of enjoying it. But eating the flesh of Christ, and drinking his blood, can mean nothing less than voluntary exercise, by which, from a taste and relish for the character of Christ, and his excellence, the heart receives and embraces him as a suitable and all sufficient Saviour.

Calling on the name of Christ, is spoken of as an exercise of faith, or a proper expression of faith in him. For the scripture saith, “Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.” No one who attends to these words can suppose that believing on Christ, and calling on his name, are two distinct things, or doubt whether they are one and the same exercise.

To the same purpose are those scriptures which represent faith in Christ by looking unto him, and trusting in him. “Look unto me, all the ends of the earth, and be ye saved.” Here looking to Christ, and salvation, are connected. And this is represented as necessary to salvation, and the only condition of it. But this is the same thing with seeking him, coming to him, and accepting of him. In this passage there is doubtless a reference to the direction which God gave to the Israelites to set a brazen serpent upon a pole, in the wilderness, with a promise that every one who being bitten of a fiery serpent, looked upon it, should live: For this was a designed type of Christ, which our Saviour therefore applies to himself: and at the same time declares that looking upon the exalted serpent, denoted faith in him. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Trusting in God, is often mentioned in the book of Psalms, and in other parts of the Old Testament, as necessary in order to enjoy his favour, to which promises of all good are made; in the same manner as faith in Christ is in the New Testament: from whence it may be safely inferred that they are the same. And agreeable to this, believing in Christ is called trusting in him, by St. Paul. “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” “Isaiah saith, there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in him shall the Gentiles trust.”Trust in Christ, implies the exercise of the disposition or will, even the receiving and embracing of the heart: For men do not trust in any person or object for any thing but that which to them is a good, what is agreeable to them, what they desire and choose. Yea, trusting is commonly used with respect to some great good upon which men set their hearts, and depend upon it for support, satisfaction and happiness. And that trusting in Christ is the same with looking and coming to him, and seeking him, will be evident from the lust mentioned passage, by turning to the words of Isaiah, from which it is taken: For what the Apostle renders, “In him shall the Gentiles trust,” is in the following words in the place quoted, “To it (that is to Christ) shall the Gentiles seek.”

From these passages of scripture, and many others of the like tenor, it may be determined with certainty, that saving faith implies the consent of the will, accepting of Christ; choosing and embracing him, as he is revealed in the gospel; and that this is essential to it; so that where this exercise and consent of heart is not, there is no faith, and no real and proper conviction, knowledge or belief of the truth.

And if what has been said in the foregoing section, on divine illumination, be understood, and kept in mind, the account we have had of saving faith from the scripture, under the two preceding observations, will appear to be consistent and intelligible. It has been there proved from scripture, that a right disposition of mind is necessary in order to have that true discerning in things of a moral and spiritual nature which is implied in saving faith; and that seeing and understanding the truths of the gospel, implies exercise of heart, and the former cannot be distinguished and separated from the latter, even in idea and conception. Therefore a saving belief of the truth of the gospel, supposes and implies right exercises of heart, in tasting and relishing moral beauty, and embracing it as good and excellent; and thus embracing Christ and the gospel implies all that light, conviction and assurance of the truth, which is essential to saving faith; and both these, or rather all this, is really but one and the same whole.

The gospel is all of a moral nature; by it is exhibited the plan of the moral government of God, or his moral, spiritual kingdom, to the best advantage, in the clearest and most striking light. In this, is the greatest and most clear manifestation of the Deity; and it comprises the sum of all the moral beauty and excellence that is to be seen by created intelligences, in the whole universe. In Jesus Christ, the glory of God, his moral beauty and perfection, shines with the brightest effulgence, and to the greatest advantage. The glory of God, the bright emanation of the divine fulness, beauty and perfection, is to be seen in the face of Jesus Christ. He is the image of God. In him, as in a mirror, the rays of the divine glory center, and by him are to the greatest advantage reflected on all finite intelligences. He therefore who sees Jesus Christ in his true character, as a beautiful, suitable and all sufficient Saviour, or understands the gospel, sees and understands what is the sum of all moral beauty and perfection; which is the glory of the gospel, and infinitely distinguishes it from every thing which is merely human, or is not divine; and without which the gospel would be infinitely unworthy of God, and want the evidence which the believer has that it is from God. Therefore he who discerns not this moral beauty and excellence, which is the same with having no taste of heart for it, the gospel is hid from him. He does not understand it; has no true idea of Jesus Christ; and consequently discerns not the proper and all convincing evidence that he is the Son of God, and a suitable and all sufficient Saviour: Therefore does not, and cannot believe it, with that faith which it demands.

But such a true idea of Jesus Christ, such a knowledge of him in his true character, such a sight of his moral beauty and excellence, supposes and takes place in the exercise of a right taste and disposition of heart, without which it cannot possibly be perceived. For, as has been proved, a discerning and sight of beauty, especially of moral beauty and excellence, depends upon the taste and disposition of the heart, and it cannot be discerned by the speculative understanding, as distinct from the will, and independent of it. But such taste and disposition of heart, which discerns the moral beauty and excellence of Christ and the gospel, and opens to the mind the all convincing evidence of their reality, necessarily implies, and carries in it, approbation of the gospel, and a cordial embracing it as excellent and divine, which is the same with receiving Jesus Christ, and trusting in him as a worthy and all sufficient Saviour.

All this, it is presumed, has been made so evident in the foregoing section, from scripture and the reason and nature of things, that it is needless to enlarge on the subject here, or repeat what has been said there. However, it may be proper to mention several passages of scripture, in addition to those there cited, which represent that light, knowledge and belief respecting the truths of the gospel, in which saving faith consists, to imply a right temper of mind, which is the same with a benevolent heart, without which there can be no true light and discerning with respect to those things; and therefore no saving faith.—And consequently that an evil heart, that is, a rebellious disobedient heart, under the power of selfishness, pride and lust, does not, and cannot believe on Jesus Christ with that faith which is reasonable, and which the gospel requires.

Christ says to the unbelieving Jews, “How can ye believe which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” Here a selfish, proud, worldly spirit, which alienated them from God, and rendered them so unfriendly to him, as not to desire the honour which he gives, is represented as inconsistent with believing on Christ, or a sight of that evidence of the truth of the gospel which is implied in saving faith. Therefore a contrary temper of mind to this is necessary in order to believe in Christ, and is implied in saving faith; which must be a benevolent, humble, spiritual disposition, which is friendly to the divine character, and sincerely desires the spiritual blessings which he gives, the honour which cometh from God.—According to this, all the mere speculative knowledge, all the light and conviction, relating to the truths of the gospel, of which unrenewed men are capable, falls essentially short of true faith in Christ; so that they are wholly destitute of any thing of the kind. Therefore men must have an obedient, holy disposition of heart, in order to exercise saving faith. It is with such a renewed heart that men believe unto righteousness. With such an heart the Eunuch believed on Christ. St. John asserts this in the strongest terms, in the following words, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.” Thus faith in Christ implies renovation of heart, a right disposition of mind. Where this is not, there can be no faith.

We find the same thing implied and inculcated in our Saviour’s parable of the sower, as he explains it. He that received seed into good ground, is he who with an honest and good heart, heareth the word, understandeth, receiveth and keepeth it, and bringeth forth fruit with patience. Upon this it may be observed, that what is called understanding the word, by Matthew, is expressed by receiving it by Mark. From hence it is certain, that understanding the word is the same with receiving it; or, at least, that one implies the other. But receiving the word is an exercise of heart, which appears with great certainty from the words which Luke uses, “Which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it.” It is the honest and good heart which understands, receives and keeps the word; and he who has not such an heart, that is, an upright and benevolent heart, does neither receive, nor understand it. It is needless perhaps to observe, that saving faith consists in understanding or receiving the word, the truth of the gospel, which, according to this representation, is found in an honest and good heart, and in no other, and implies the upright, disinterested, benevolent exercises of such a heart. Before we leave this passage, it may be useful to observe, that according to this representation of our Saviour, the word of truth does not make the evil, hard, selfish heart, good; but where it finds such an heart, it produces no saving good, but leaves it as bad as it finds it. The heart must first be made honest and good; for such an heart only understands, receives, loves and keeps the truth, and brings forth good fruit; as the seed takes root so as to bring forth fruit, only in good ground.

The following words of Christ are to the same purpose, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” To understand the doctrine which Christ taught, to see the divine stamp which is upon it, and to know that it is of God, is the description of saving faith, or the character of a true believer. They who have a heart to do the will of God, and none but such, have this discerning of true faith. Such an heart therefore, or a disposition and will, to do the will of God, is essential to saving faith. This is a discerning, wise and understanding heart, which sees the evidence of divine truth, and knows it to be of God. Whereas he whose heart opposes the revealed will of God, which requires love, remains in darkness and unbelief.

It must be farther observed,

III. It appears from the scriptures that love is implied in saving faith, and is essential to it; so that where there is no holy love, there is no true faith. This is asserted by St. Paul: by which he distinguishes true faith from all counterfeits, in the following words. “In Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.” The Apostle does not here say, that faith worketh love or produces it, as if faith preceded, as the cause of love; and that love is connected with faith, and follows it, as the certain consequence and effect of it. But he says, faith worketh by love, as some machines move by wind or water, springs or weights. He asserts that love is the life and active nature of saving faith. By this it is a living active faith, love being the life and soul of it; so that where there is no love, there can be no more than an inactive, dead faith. The Apostle James says, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” The operative nature of anything, is the life of it. Things are said to be alive, from the active nature which is observed to be in them. The active nature of man is the spirit which is in him: Therefore, as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without a working nature is dead also. What this working nature, or active fruitful spirit is, which is in true faith, St. Paul tells us in the words before us: It is love. Love is the spirit and life of faith by which it acts, and produces all its operations, and is distinguished from a spurious, dead faith. These two Apostles perfectly agree in this point. According to them, that which distinguishes true saving faith, from every kind, of faith which is not so, is the life and operative nature of it, which consists in true love.

And that St. Paul is to be understood as has been now explained, when he said, “Faith worketh by love,” is confirmed by his following words. “Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.” Here he asserts, there can be no faith that is of any worth, where there is not love. It follows, that saving faith implies love, in the nature of it. No faith availeth any thing, but that living, active faith, to which love is essential, and of which it is the life and active nature. And when he goes on to say, “Love beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things,” the most easy, natural and consistent meaning of these words is thought to be, that love is the active nature and life of christian fortitude, faith, hope and patience, that these christian graces are exercised and maintained by love, which is the foundation and soul of the whole, so that where there is no love, there is nothing borne, believed, hoped for, or endured, as christian exercises. Love believeth all things, that is, every exercise of true faith, is an exercise of love; and he who has love, believeth all things which are the proper objects of faith, and ought to be believed. In this view we see the force and propriety of his concluding words, “And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Love is the greatest, as faith and hope are comprehended in love, as the active nature, life and essence of them.

That love comes into the essence of saving faith, will be evident by attending to a quotation of St. Paul from the prophet Isaiah. The words of the prophet are, “Men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear—what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.” For which the apostle uses these words, “For them that love him.” Waiting on God, or waiting for him, in the Old Testament, is the same with faith and trust in God; and therefore is the same with what is called faith or believing, in the New Testament. But for this, St. Paul uses the word love, which he would not have done, had not love been so essential to faith, and so far implied in it, that to trust or believe in God, and to love him, express nearly the same idea, and are in a measure synonymous.

The words of Christ to Nicodemus represent love as implied in saving faith, and essential to it. “He that believeth on him, is not condemned: But he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” On these words may be observed the following things.

1. That our Saviour here represents men as condemned, or not, according as they believe on him, or not. He that believeth is not condemned: But he that believeth not is condemned.

2. That the ground of this condemnation is their loving darkness, and hating the light or truth. It follows from this, that loving darkness is the reason and ground of unbelief; and therefore that the love of the truth is necessary in order to believing on the Son of God, and is implied in it. Yea, it appears from this representation, that loving darkness rather than light, and so refusing to come to the light, is unbelief itself. And therefore, coming to the truth in the love of it, or in the exercise of love, is saving faith.

This is very parallel with St. Paul’s account of this matter. He says, “Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should belief a lie: That they all might be damned, who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” It appears from these words, that not receiving the love of the truth, or not loving the truth, and not believing the truth, are one and the same thing: And that having pleasure in unrighteousness, and believing the truth, are opposite to each other; therefore receiving the love of the truth, or loving it, and believing the truth, are not distinct exercises, but one and the same.

What our Saviour says to the Jews, implies, that love to God is essential to saving faith. “I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: If another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” Here Christ ascribes their unbelief, and rejecting him, to their want of love to God; and speaks of their unbelief as an evidence that they had no love. Therefore, love is here represented as so essential to faith, that where there is no love, there can be no faith. And faith is such a concomitant of love, that where there is no faith, it is certain there is no love. And the last words do plainly assert, that it is impossible any one should believe on Christ, who has no suitable respect or love to God.