Faith Must Be Based Upon the Entire Bible

We have spoken this week of faith as an experience of the human heart which revolutionises human behaviour and provides a principle by which to direct the whole course of human life. However, it is most important to add that faith is not merely something subjective, something private and personal in the heart of each believer. It is this, but it is also more.

Faith is based on definite, objective facts. What are these facts? It is possible to give a very wide answer to this question. On the other hand, it is possible also to confine our answer within quite narrow limits.

In the widest sense, faith is based upon the entire Bible. Every statement and every promise in the Bible is a potential object of faith. As we have already said, faith comes through hearing the Word of God; and faith is therefore based upon everything that God’s Word contains. For the Christian believer there is nothing within the statements and promises of God that is outside the scope of his faith. This is plainly stated by Paul.

“For all the promises of God in Him [Christ] are Yes, and in Him Amen., to the glory of God through us.” (2 Cor. 1:20)

Side by side with this we may set Romans 8:32.

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

All things that God possesses – all His blessings, all His promises – are made available freely to each person who will receive them through faith in Christ’s atoning death and resurrection.

There is a tendency today to base the interpretation of Scripture on a system of dispensations in such a way that only a small proportion of God’s blessings and promises are made available to Christians.

According to this system of interpretation, many of God’s choicest blessings and promises are relegated either to periods in the past, such as that of the Mosaic covenant or the apostolic Church, or to periods in the future, such as the millennium or the dispensation of the fullness of times.

However, this does not tally with Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians 1:20, which we may amplify as follows:

“For all the promises of God [not some of the promises of God, but all the promises of God] in Him [Christ] are [not were nor will be, but are here and now] Yes, and in Him Amen. [not merely Yes, but a double affirmative Yes and Amen.], to the glory of God through us [not through various groups in different ages, but through us who receive these words today].”

The context makes it plain that “us” includes all true Christian believers. In the life of any Christian believer, there is no need which is outside the scope of God’s promises.

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)