The Conception of faith in the Christian religion of the New Testament

There Is a unique unity in the Biblical conception of faith. Of course, there are radical differences of time, place, emphasis, and purpose which must give faith a different cast. Basically, however, this unity Is to be found in the idea of revelation and response. God reveals Himself. He takes the Initiative, moving toward men. He did this in the Old Testament in the days of the Law and the Covenant. There was response to that revelation. At Its best, It involved unconditional surrender to Him, and the conviction that He had purpose for the world which would some day be consummated. Men built their lives on that conviction and that faith. With the coming of Christ, however, the action of God was clearly seen. In great Divine Events of Birth, Life, Death, Resurrection, and a promised Parousia God revealed Himself in Christ. To that revelation, the response of faith was demanded. It was a response that involved mental acceptance of certain facts, but it never ended there. To end at that point was fatal, as James indicates. It was a mental attitude that led to a life, a life beginning with an act of unconditional, whole souled surrender to Christ. That act established a new relationship, "union with Christ", which was evident In Christian living. That union brought certain qualities of life and of character which only God could produce. It established a right relationship with God, it brought forgiveness of sin, justification before God, peace with Him. Ultimately, God will complete the Divine action In the world when His purpose is consummated in Parousla. In the kerygmatic preaching of the early Church all this may be found in various ways from various men--Paul, Stephen, Peter, and others. The various components of faith found emphases which appear at times to be contradictory. But there is a basic unity at the heart of these divergent emphases which is neither arbitrarily assumed, nor produced by preconceived prejudice. The more one observes the thought of the early Church, the more the conviction dawns that the unity is there.Thus the Scriptures call us to faith, "The time is fulfilled, the Kingdom is at hand, repent and believe the Gospel" is an unavoidable appeal to men today. Believe God, Believe Christ, give Him your life in complete abandonment—and LIVE