Hearts Cleansed by Faith?
Let’s look at one other instance where some might argue against not only baptism, but against any kind of obedient act which might lead to remission of sins.
In Acts 15, at the conference in Jerusalem, we read where Peter testified that God used him as an instrument for the conversion to Christianity of the Gentiles. In connection with this, Peter declared that the Lord “made no distinction between us (the Jews) and them (the Gentiles), cleansing their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9). There are many religious people who assume that this means that salvation is given upon the basis of faith alone, in spite of the other sections of Scripture which teach that there are acts of obedience which we must perform in order to obtain salvation from sins. Is there a contradiction here? Is salvation by faith alone, or are there other conditions of pardon from sins?
First, let’s look at Acts 15:9, where we must note that the translation from the Greek text in the King James Version is incomplete. The translators of the KJV left out a very important word, and that word is the definite article “the”. This verse reads in the Greek, “cleansing their hearts by the faith.” So, what is under consideration here is not faith or simple belief, but the faith or the gospel system of faith. Note also that Peter is making a comparison here between the Jews and the Gentiles in terms of how man is saved from sins. In using the term “the faith,” Peter was describing the gospel system as opposed to the system contained in the Law of Moses!
To emphasize the meaning of this term, “the faith,” all we must do is look at a couple of passages which explain it. First, in Galatians 1:23, we read where Paul talked about his journey into Judaea, and the fact that those who were members of the Lord’s church did not know Paul when he came there: “But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.” In this verse, we see that Paul’s use of the term “the faith” describes the body of believers and saints who were members of the body of Christ—the church of Christ—who became such by their obedience to the doctrine which was taught by those in “the faith.” Note also, what Jude wrote in verse 3 of his epistle: “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”
So, this term, “the faith,” can be seen as applying to the body of doctrine and instruction which, when obeyed, makes one a Christian. Note also what Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:22, that the soul is purified by“obedience to the truth.” Let’s also compare what Peter said in Acts 15 with what Luke wrote regarding the conversion of the Gentiles in Acts, chapters 10 and 11. It is there that the inspired historian tells us that several conditions were essential for the remission of past sins. First of all, notice that the three men who came from the house of Cornelius to seek out Peter made a simple statement in regard to how they were told that they would be saved: “Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved”(Acts 11:14).
It was the words of Simon Peter to this household, it was the teachings of Peter, the teachings concerning “the faith” which would be the essential instrument in bringing about the salvation of this Gentile household. Look, then, back in Acts 10:42-43: “And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” So, we see that Peter would preach to these Gentiles, and that belief in the words of Peter concerning “the faith” was one of the essentials of this salvation and remission of sins.
Look next in Acts 10:47-48: “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”
If we couple these verses with what is recorded in Acts 2:38, that repentance is a prerequisite to baptism, then we see that these Gentiles were not just saved by “faith” or belief in Jesus Christ, but that they were saved by hearing the words of Peter concerning “the faith,” or system of belief which was taught by the apostles, and that their salvation hinged on their belief of these words, coupled with their repentance and baptism into Christ.
Conclusion
As in our last class on this subject, it’s my hope that each of us will spend more time in study of God’s Word, so that we might be better able to teach the gospel, bringing those who are lost into the fold of the Lord’s body. I enjoyed Lin Aker’s expository comments on the third chapter of 1st Peter last Sunday evening. His comments on 1 Peter 3:15 were especially helpful to all of us, in that we are to always be ready to give an answer…for the reason of the hope that is in us. We do have that hope of eternal life within us, and it is imperative that each of us be ready to defend the reasons for that hope, and I think I’m not off the mark in saying that those who argue that there are contradictions are in reality attempting to destroy our hope by fostering doubt in our minds regarding the inspiration of the Scriptures. In closing our class this evening, let me encourage each of us to be more diligent Bible students, and let’s try to encourage all our brothers and sisters to do the same.
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