Our Faith and The Faith
by Steve Dewhirst
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 3, 30 September 1991
In Paul’s declaration of the gospel’s power to save, he concluded with the words of the prophet Habakkuk, "The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:16-17). Man’s fellowship with Deity has always been conditional. God has always demanded a faith that surrenders to His will (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 1:5). To be "just" or "righteous", man must be moved by his faith to conform to God’s ideals.
But the word "faith" is used in different senses in Scripture. When Paul speaks of walking "by faith", he refers to the belief in one’s heart, and its subsequent effect on one's daily conduct. To have true faith is to be possessed of a deep, abiding confidence in God that compels us to do His will. Unfortunately, faith can become weak (Romans 14:1) and even dead (James 2:26) if it no longer has sufficient influence to cause us to obey God.
Man’s faith is belief, but belief in what? Consider another Bible usage of the term "faith": "I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). Therefore, "the faith" refers to the revealed will of God for humanity. It serves as the foundation for an individual's faith. Man can have no real faith in God without "the faith" that tells him of God! As Paul says in Romans 10:17, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
So then, our faith and "the faith" are closely related. However, "the faith" and an individual’s faith are not the same! Certainly, individual faith must embrace what is declared in "the faith," but "the faith" is the standard, a role that an individual’s faith can never fulfill. Why not? Because even though "the faith" is perfect, being the revelation of an omniscient God, man is not omniscient. It’s that simple. God’s wisdom is infinite. Man is finite. We cannot view everything from God's viewpoint. We do not have His perspective. This is not to say that we cannot understand God or the Bible. Indeed, while no man really knows "the mind of the Lord" (Romans 11:34), we do "have the mind of Christ" (I Corinthians 2:16). But what does that mean? That we have the same spiritual understanding as Christ Himself? Hardly. All that man has of the "mind of Christ" is what God has chosen to reveal in His Word, and even then, our understanding is limited. This is no indictment of God’s Word, but of our limitations. For example, we believe that "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" because the Bible says so; to that degree, we have the mind of God. But do any of us claim to comprehend the creation fully? It is clearly outside the realm of human experience and understanding. And in that respect, we do not have the mind of God. Our neighbor’s faith must square with "the faith", God’s Word. Our neighbor is not bound to square with us. Our faith is not the standard.
Ephesians 4:5 supports the idea of "one faith". I Corinthians 1:10 charges men to be "perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." Obviously, we must strive to come together in an understanding of Divine will, through a common study of "the faith". A common love for Truth is the only valid basis of unity.
How then can the Scriptures command us to have tolerance toward brethren who differ (Jude 22-23; Romans 14)? There seems to be a three-fold rule:
- We must recognize that the charge to "live by faith" (Romans 1:17) is given to individuals, so that each man is obligated to walk as he believes "the faith" teaches.
- We must accept Paul’s charge that each man "be fully convinced in his own mind" (Romans 14:5). We must allow men the courage of their convictions.
- As much as is humanly possible, we need to try to see the hearts of those who differ from us. Is he genuinely striving his best to serve God with a humble spirit of submission (Romans 14:6), or does he bear evidence of dishonesty? Is the issue at hand of sufficient doubt so that he really could hold his position with an honest heart, although we differ sharply?
Tolerance demands neither the compromise of our faith nor the approval of sin. But tolerance does demand humility. We are not so perfect as to possess complete wisdom and understanding of all questions. Our faith is based on our understanding and adherence to "the faith". But while "the faith" is without error, we are not!
Consider the myriad of issues facing brethren today: the covering, the war question, the Lord’s Supper offered at the evening service, the gift of the Holy Spirit, weddings and funerals in the church house, the Deity of Jesus while in the flesh, and perhaps today’s hottest issue: questions of divorce and remarriage. All important questions. All with biblical answers.
We must turn to "the faith" for the final answers. But let’s not confuse "the faith" with our own faith. Let’s acknowledge our potential for being wrong. Scripture will not allow fellowship with every error. But let’s use good judgment: stand for truth always, and be tolerant whenever possible. «
