Biblical Universalism - Northland Books

Posting #6

Isn't Faith Necessary in Light of John 3;16?

The question, "Isn't faith necessary?" looms large in the heart and mind of everyone one who tries to understand the implications of premise "B" (Posting # 1), namely:

“All persons will be saved except those who the Bible declares will be finally lost."

In Postng # 3 we considered the teaching of the Scriptures concerning those who will be finally lost. The Bible clearly teaches that all persons, due to their sin in Adam (original sin, inherited sin) are sinners by nature and are worthy of eternal death. However, nowhere in all of Scripture do we read, neither is it implied nor to be inferred, that anyone suffers eternal death solely on the basis of their sin in Adam, APART FROM individual, personal, willful persistent unbelief and sin on the part ofthe person so rejected.

But the Bible not only warns against the serious consequences of persistent unbelief and sin, it places as great an emphasis—if not greater—on the urgency and necessity of believing. Those who would be saved must "repent," "believe," "obey," "come to Christ," "follow him" and so on. There appears to be some prerequisite, condition or requirement for a person to be saved. If nothing else, "Isn't faith necessary?"

Yes

The answer is an unqualified YES for every accountable adult to whom the gospel is presented by the Holy Spirit. Urgent demands (absolute requirements) to repent, believe and to walk in joyful obedience are found throughout the Bible.

But we must pursue the question, "Why are faith, repentance and other acts of obedience (even "good works" James 2:24) ESSENTIAL unto salvation for those to whom the gospel is meaningfully presented?

God's Sovereignty

We note first of all, none of these essential responses to gospel presentation are requirements or conditions for salvation without which God is either unable or unwilling to save the sinner. To claim that any such human act is essential BEFORE the miracle of grace can occur restricts the sovereign power of God to "save whom he will."

There can be no human act or attitude that is ESSENTIAL in order to establish sinners in the state of grace. Any human act, in this present age (even those directed by the Holy spirit) in so far as it remains the sinner's act or attitude, is tainted with sin and imperfect as a "filthy rag" (Isa. 64:6). Nothing that is imperfect and stained with sin can be ESSENTIAL to our union with Christ. As Spurgeon noted, not one stitch of our own making can be found in our celestial garment. Or, to use the analogy of Martin Luther, "We have no more to do with our being born again, than we had to do with our being born the first time."

We Must Pursue the Question Further

But the question remains — "Isn't faith necessary for salvation?" The answer is that in the very nature of the case, all the demands to repent, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and live in joyful obedience through him are addressed ONLY to accountable persons to whom the gospel has been has presented in a meaningful way. For such persons faith in Jesus Christ is absolutelynecessary and unbelief is damnable.

This is so, not because faith is a prerequisite, condition or requirement for salvation. This necessity arises from the fact that, for those to whom the gospel is presented, to reject or remain indifferent to its call to faith and obedience is to disobey the will of God as it has been made known to them. To persist in rejecting or remaining indifferent to God's will for them will be the cause of their eternal death. There is "life or death" urgency in proclaiming the gospel.

THERE IS NO CONDITION, PRESCRIPTION OR PREREQUISITE FOR BEING RECONCILED TO GOD

There is nothing we can contribute toward our reconciliation with the creator. Reconciliation is exclusively God's work. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself" (2 Cor. 5:17, 18 emphasis added).

This reconciliation was completed for all who will be saved 2000 years ago when Christ said; “It is finished!” This was done by "The power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time" (2 Tim. 1:9).

That salvation is exclusively God's work completed for us in Christ, and is not dependent on some human act to establish us in the state of grace, is seen in the analogy between Adam and Christ in Romans 5:12-21. "For just as through the disobedience of the one man [Adam] the many were made [Greek-"constituted"] sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man [Jesus Christ] the many will be made [Greek- "constituted"] righteous" Vs. 19. No further human act was necessary to make Adam's sin the sin of those he represented, so also no further human act is necessary to make the righteousness of Christ the righteousness of those who were represented by him.

TRUE FAITH IS A TRUST IN AN ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED WORK

Faith is a matter of trusting the good news of God's Word regarding our already established new standing in Christ. This "new standing" was determined apart from any faith, act, or attitude of ours. It was established by the one "who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago" (2 Tim. 1:9). It was long ago that all those who will be saved were objectively saved (See Posting # 7).

True faith is a knowledge, a conviction and a deep-rooted assurance "that, out of sheer grace earned for us by Christ, not only others, but I too, have had my sins forgiven, have been made forever right with God and have been granted salvation" (emphasis added, Heidelberg Catechism, Q & A 21). Saving faith looks back to an already accomplished work.

THERE IS NO "BECAUSE" IN JOHN 3:16

When it is noted that faith is not a condition or prerequisite for salvation, immediately John 3:16 and similar texts come to mind, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." This familiar text does not say, “God so loved the world because the world believed in him.” John 3:16 does not say, and the Bible never says, they "have eternal life" because they believe in him. There is no "because" in John 3:16.

There is a "because" in John 3:18: "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only son." The first part of verse 18, just like John 3:16, is descriptive (it describes the actual situation that already exists) and therefore has no "because" in it. The last part of verse 18 does have a condition or prescription (a "because") for condemnation. They stand condemned "because" they have not believed. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).

John 3:16 and parallel texts are a description of the actual situation that pertains to every one who believes in Jesus Christ. This is a comforting and unshakable truth -- "Whoever believes in him is not condemned” (John 3:18a). This is a declaration that salvation is by grace. “But whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18b). Condemnation is by works.

AREN'T GOOD WORKS NECESSARY?

There is a necessity to do good works that is parallel to the necessity to have faith. "You see a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone" (James 2:24). “Works" just like “faith” merit nothing. But to refuse to do these works is to reject or remain indifferent to God's will for us. Such persistent indifference to or refusal to do good works brings the fatal consequence of condemnation in the same way that refusing to believe brings condemnation. So it can be said we are "justified by what" we do (Rom. 1:5, 15:18) in the same way that it can be said we are “justified by faith.” Neither works nor faith are requisits or conditions to establish us in the state of grace. However, personal, persistent and willful refusal to do good works or to believe will bring one to condemnation.

Although there is nothing we can contribute toward our reconciliation with the Creator, there is much we must do to enjoy that salvation. We must trust God's Word that our reconciliation to God was accomplished for us 2,000 years ago. This trust necessarily leads to obedience (Rom. 1:5). We end up necessarily and joyfully doing many things -- but none of these contribute to bridging the gap between us and God, or persuading God to act on our behalf. God "so loved" us before Jesus came into the world "that he gave his Son" (John 3:16).

IS THERE INJUSTICE WITH GOD?

On the one hand, God surely has the right to sovereignly and graciously grant his salvation to those whom he will. On the other hand, those who are finally lost have personally, willfully and persistently chosen to reject or remain indifferent to whatever light has been given to them. They receive the just consequence of their deeds. No question of fairness arises out of the revealed cause of salvation or the revealed basis of damnation.

However, "His discriminations" do not make sense to us. They are not "logical." Those who will be finally saved would have followed the same path as those who are finally lost, if it were not for the sovereign, electing grace of God that gives them the gifts of repentance, faith and a willingness to do do good works. Hereby we recognize the truth of God's Word that all boasting is excluded.

How can that be? The answer eludes us and we may not put God on trial. Believers gratefully recognize that they have no obligation to resolve this perceived problem. One merely traces the lines laid out in God's inspired Word and humbly accepts them.

Return to Postings or contact the Author, Neal Punt at: whenindoubt3@charter.net