By Faith Alone

Faith Alone has different meaning for different peoples.

1. The protestant view of faith alone.

2. The Baptist view of faith alone.

3. The Christian view of by faith alone.

In a Christian perspective faith can only come by God's word.

Rom 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

In Paul's usage only that which came from God's word as preached by the Apostles and prophets was true faith.

It was delivered to the Church vs the Church formulating it through human conscience.

Jud 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Real faith is always originated with God and not man, it was delivered to man, in this case by Christ and then confirmed by the Holy Spirit.

In a true Christian sense, faith alone implies salvation is only through the message God delivered to the church, it is not belief in what the church delivered to the world apart from God's faith.

Human tradition isn't real faith ,even if from a supposed hierarchy. Real faith is from God. Catholic tradition isn't always true faith, much of it is from human invention.

By faith does not imply merely believing, for the message itself has action for us to take. The word faith is a message to be received and often includes action. Faith requires action because the faith had action stated and included. ie God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the forbidden tree. God told Abraham to leave Ur.

Faith to Abraham necessitated action and travel.

Faith is the message sent from God. The Bible is a record of those messages.

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

God spoke to a select group of people, and those communications were preserved in the Bible.

Adam and Eve

Cain

Abraham

Jacob

Joseph

Moses

The prophets

Us

Real faith is the message given by God to man.

In a Baptist sense faith is belief and never requires action, but in a Christian sense faith is believing in a message and can require action.

Two very different concepts.

In a Christian sense the writers of the New Testament used the word faith to highlight that the message originated outside of human thought, it came from God. The word faith was not meant to teach belief only, but fulfillment of the message sent from God.

It implies the fulfillment of scripture, not belief scripture will be fulfilled by inactivity..

Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

God acknowledged Abraham's faith after Abraham asked God about his future heir, thus Abraham living toward a future promise unrealized. Abraham did not see God's promise as fulfilled but unfinished.

Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Baptists see being counted righteous as justification, the end of all promises, but Abraham died without having received all.

Abraham had to continue to act in faith sojourning with his Son and Grand son. Who were still unborn when his faith was accounted.

Heb 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

How could the promises be fulfilled early when they were still unfulfilled with his family being born.

And by faith offered Isaac whereby he was justified concerning the resurrection.

Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Heb 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

Heb 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Abraham was not justified by faith in Genesis 15:6, because it did not concern the promise of the resurrection, only the promise of an heir through his own loins. God's trial of Abraham proved his faith in the resurrection.