Faith Founded on Testimony

"Just as Abraham 'believed God,

and it was accounted

to him for righteousness.'"

"Therefore know that only those 

who are of faith are 

sons of Abraham."

Galatians 3:6

     Scriptures teach us that faith is a revelation of truth on the ground of testimony.  This is illustrated to us in the examples and illustrations of faith delivered to us in the Scriptures.  The earliest example is that of Eve who had sinned when she listened to the serpent and ate the fruit that she was forbidden to eat followed by Adam willfully doing the same bringing sin into the world and all his progeny.  To the woman God made a promise that from her seed would come the one who would bruise the serpent's head; what possible ground would there be for this promise except that it be grounded on the authority of God?  Was not Noah warned of a coming flood?  Was he not commanded to build an ark?  It had never rained before, in fact the world was watered by a mist from the warmth of the air due to the water canopy above the earth, yet he believed and did prepare for the coming flood.  Was it due to some signs of an approaching flood?  No!  The weather did not change, all was going on as before, men were wicked in all their ways, so was it because Noah to his moral judgment that would assure him for his safety?  No!  Simply upon the testimony of God he acted and was saved, him and his wife and three sons with their wives, eight souls in all.  Now Abram (later Abraham) residing in the land of far away from Canaan, in fact in the region of a later city, Babylon, a place of great immorality and idolatry, was given the word from the LORD to leave there and go where he did not know where he was going only later to be given the land of Canaan as a promise from God.  It was to Abraham that God promised to bless all the nations of the earth through his seed; where is the foundation for Abraham's faith?  No other foundation than the testimony of God based upon the authority of God.  This faith as has been illustrated can be illustrated further in the Book of Hebrews chapter eleven.  It is the same throughout the whole Bible.  

     We have no other foundation for our faith in a spiritual world, in the heaven or hell described in Scripture, not even in the doctrines of redemption, in our security and ultimate glorification of the Church (ekklesia); none other than the authority of God.  If faith does not rest on testimony then on what does it rest?  Did not Paul preach Christ crucified, risen, and in the heaven at the right hand of God?  Does not the Gospel rest on the resurrection of Jesus from the dead?  It is further admitted that if Jesus did not rise from the dead then our faith is in vain and we are still in our sins.  Our faith, our assurance, is predicated upon that Gospel that Jesus rose on the third day and rests solely upon the testimony, testimony given in Scripture by God in various ways to that fact of the resurrection.  

     Here is an important point:  if our faith, or our persuasion, rests on philosophical grounds, these truths of the Bible, then upon that philosophical premise the door is wide open for rationalism and rationalism leads to fatalism, such as to be found in Pantheism.  If our faith, our persuasion is resting upon feeling, then once again the door is swung open only this time to mysticism.  Upon the authority of God we can find assurance and be satisfied that our faith based on the testimony of God is inerrant and will not deceive us. 

     Here is a true definition:  faith is the persuasion of the truth founded on testimony.  This is the only manner that faith as a proposition can be found, to be excepted as true, that is, upon testimony, and that upon authority; in the case of the Bible the authority is God.  Therefore, the faith of a true Christian is the persuasion of truth of the facts and the doctrines recorded for us in the Scriptures and that upon the testimony of God. 

     When faith is not founded upon the authority of God and the testimony of His Scriptures, then the door is wide open for error.  Error in practice, in doctrine, in worship because faith is then founded upon emotions, feelings, and demonstration that make a person feel as though they have faith, and yet, not have true faith of a true Christian.  To be sure, and safe, I am speaking of faith, salvation is from God, through His Son's death resurrection and ascension into heaven, that is between a person and the Holy Spirit.  But how we worship, how we demonstrate, whether as solid men and women of the faith, or as in some mystical gyrations that can be found in many pagan religions, and in some churches, for them to be faithful it must be outlandishly demonstrated.  I say this because if we do not found our faith on God, His authority, and a clear and exegetical interpretation of the Bible, that supposed faith is in vain.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

    and the love of God,

and the communion 

     of the Holy Spirit

Be with you all.  Amen.

                       2 Corinthians 13:14

May God Bless You

Richard L. Crumb