Faith Quote by Sinclair B. Ferguson
““The genius of the divine way of salvation by faith is that in it we are personally, actively united to Jesus Christ, but in a way that contributes nothing to His work. Faith is by definition noncontributory; it is the reception of Christ, not an addition to His finished work. B. B. Warfield finely puts it this way: It is not faith that saves, but faith in Jesus Christ… It is not, strictly speaking, even faith in Christ that saves, but Christ that saves through faith. The saving power resides exclusively, not in the act of faith or the attitude of faith or in the nature of faith, but in the object of faith.14 In this sense, even though we are actively involved in faith, we are passive with respect to the accomplishing of justification. In the deepest sense, then, it is by grace that we are saved through faith, and that (whether the grace, the faith, or the union of the two in justification) is the gift of God; it is not of works, lest anyone should boast (Eph. 2:8-9; notice the reiteration of the theme of non-boasting of Rom. 3:27).””
About This Quote
Source The: Systematic Theology, B. B. Warfield, 1905
Salvation comes through Christ himself; faith merely receives Christ’s work and does not add to it.
In simple terms: Faith is receiving Christ’s work, not contributing to it.
Key Takeaway
Rely on Christ’s work, not personal effort.
Themes
theology
salvation
grace
Mood
reflective
doctrinal
Type
theological
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal devotion
- church teaching
- spiritual reflection
Key Concepts
faith doctrine
justification
Christocentric view
Questions to Reflect On
- What does it mean to be “passive” in justification?
- How does this view affect daily Christian practice?
A Different Perspective
May overlook the role of active faith in living out salvation.
