II

GRACE AND FAITH

(NB, Chapter 2)

A. Grace
1. Definition: the unmerited favor of God towards man.
a. It is a free gift from the love and mercy of God.
b. It is God’s work in us.
c. It cannot be bought, earned, or deserved.
2. Salvation comes only by God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).
a. God gives both desire and power (Philippians 2:13).
b. Grace does not eliminate man’s choice. Man must still accept or
reject God’s work
3. Grace leads to good works (Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 2:11-12).
4. The relationship of grace and faith: Mankind is not automatically saved
because of God’s grace; God’s grace must be appropriated by faith.

B. Faith
1. Faith is man’s positive response to God’s grace; the means by which man
accepts God’s grace.
2. Justification by faith (Romans 3:20-25).
a. Sinners are declared righteous through their faith in the atoning
sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
b. Benjamin Warfield: This does not mean believing instead of
doing right. It means pleading Christ’s merits instead of our own.
3. God is the source of faith.
a. Universal prevenient grace: the grace that precedes salvation and
that is given to all mankind; the ability to have faith. (Titus 2:11).
b. God gives faith to all (Romans 12:3).
c. Faith comes by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
d. Man is responsible for using and developing his faith.
4. Definition of pisteuo (the Greek word for faith).
a. Amplified: to adhere to, trust, rely on. Believing on the lord
Jesus Christ means to have an absolute personal reliance upon
Him as Savior.
b. Vine: firm conviction that produces a full acknowledgement of
God’s revelation, personal surrender, and conduct inspired by
that surrender.
c. Erdman: a personal relationship to Christ, which means trust,
obedience, and love, and which results in holy conduct.
d. Bloesch: total commitment; lifelong discipleship; includes
knowledge, trust, and obedience
5. The components of genuine faith.
a. Knowledge: understanding what is believed.
b. Assent: acknowledging the truth of what is believed.
c. Appropriation: applying that truth to one’s life
 6. Examples of insufficient or inadequate belief. It is possible to have a
degree of mental belief but not have saving faith (Matthew 7:21-27; John
2:23-25; 12:42-43; Acts 8:12-17; James 2:19).
7. Faith and obedience are inseparable (Romans 1:5; 10:16; 16:26; Acts 6:7;
Hebrew 11:6-8).
a. This is evident from the definition of genuine faith.
b. Love issues forth in obedience (John 14:15, 23; I John 2:3-5).
c. Old Testament believers had to obey. For example, at the
original Passover, mental acceptance was not enough; they had
to apply the blood. This was part of their faith (Hebrews 11:28).
d. Bonhoeffer: “Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who
is obedient believes.”
8. Faith and works must go together (Titus 3:8; James 2:14-26; Hebrews 11).
a. Romans: We are saved by living faith (a relationship of reliance,
trust, and obedience), not by dead works (works done to earn
salvation).
b. James: Living faith will always produce living works (works that
flow from our relationship with God). The kind of faith that
saves will always produce works. A lack of works is evidence of
a lack of genuine faith.
9. We must continue in faith (Romans 1:17; Colossians 2:6).
10. The object of faith must be God and His Word.
a. There is no merit in faith itself.
b. We are not saved by faith in and of itself; we are saved by the
One in whom we have faith.

C. Faith and the Acts 2:38 Experience

1. Faith brings and includes repentance (Mark 1:15).
2. Faith brings water baptism; baptism is an initial act of faith and not
something apart faith (Mark 16:16).
3. Faith brings the baptism of the Holy Spirit; receiving the Spirit is part of
saving faith (John 7:39; Acts 11:15-17; 19:2; Galatians 3:14; Ephesians
1:13).
4. These are not works of man to earn salvation, but God’s work in us. God
breaks the chains of sin at repentance, washes away sins at baptism, and
fills us with the Spirit.

D. Confession, Belief, and Calling on the Name (Romans 10:8-13)

1. Mere verbal confession and mental belief do not save.
a. Demons do this.
b. The example of Matthew 7:21.
2. Context of Romans 10.
a. Written to Christians. This passage does not explain conversion
to a sinner, but describes for Christians what is the underlying
basis of their salvation is.
 b. Explanation of Israel’s condition. God has rejected them because
of their unbelief and refusal to confess Jesus as Lord.
3. Salvation means safety, preservation. We have continued salvation by
continuance in right relationship with God.
4. Quotation of Deuteronomy 30:14. That context shows the necessity of
obedience.
5. Confession of Jesus as Lord.
a. This speaks of a truthful confession, implying total obedience to
Jesus (Luke 6:46).
b. Includes water baptism (Acts 22:16).
c. Includes receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4; I Corinthians
12:13).
6. Belief in the resurrection.
a. True belief includes obedience. (See B-7.)
b. The resurrection makes the atonement effective (Romans 4:25),
so this includes application of Christ’s death, burial, and
resurrection to our lives. (See III-B.)
c. We apply the resurrection to our lives by receiving the Holy
Spirit (Romans 6:4-5; 8:9-11).
7. Calling on the Name (Romans 10:13).
a. This is not a formula for salvation; it emphasizes the universal
availability of salvation (Romans 10:11-13).
b. Associated with baptism of water and Spirit (Acts 2:16, 21;
22:16).

E. One Plan of Salvation Through History

1. Based on Christ’s atonement.
2. By God’s grace.
3. Receive through faith.
4. Faith always expressed by obedience to God’s specific will, to His
instruction for the age.
5. Old Testament requirements such as circumcision and blood sacrifice are
consistent with this and so are New Testament requirements such as
repentance and water baptism.

F. Saving Faith
1. Definition
a. Acceptance of the gospel of Jesus Christ as the sole means of
salvation.
b. Appropriation (application) of that gospel to our lives, by
obedience to its requirements.
2. Grace is conditioned on man’s faith. God grants saving grace upon certain
conditions, namely the obedient faith response. Meeting these conditions
does not constitute salvation by works; a person does not thereby earn,
merit, or accomplish his own salvation. (See the analogy of a $1000 gift,
NB, p. 62.)
 3. Grace and faith do not eliminate the necessity of the new birth.
a. Grace is the source of the new birth.
b. Faith is the means of receiving the new birth.

Scripture Memorization: Mark 16:16; John 7:38-39; Ephesians 2:8-10.

Definition: grace, faith, justification, saving faith (two parts), three components of
genuine faith.