Bible Commentaries

John 12:42-43 — that is of men more than the glory that is of God. These two verses are among the most important in Scripture in regard to their bearing upon the question of whether or not one is justified by FAITH ONLY, making it impossible logically to believe that faith alone can justify. Believed on him … is alleged to have been faith of a DIFFERENT KIND from that required for salvation. Hovey called it "a rational conviction … but not a saving trust in Christ."Alvah Hovey, op. cit., p.

John 14:15 — If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. The great tragedy of modern Christianity is that of the elevation of faith above love in the economy of salvation. Love is the sine qua non of redemption. He who does not love cannot be saved. Love, not faith, is the fulfilling of all the commandments, as stated here. Paul went so far as to declare that one might possess

Romans 3:22 — Even the righteousness of God through faith of Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is no distinction. It will be noted that "faith of Jesus Christ" has been used instead of "faith in Jesus Christ," as appears in the English Revised Version (1885) and many

Romans 3:28 — We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Works of the law … as used in the last of this verse, is a reference to the works of the law of Moses, and is excluded, by the distinction noted in the previous verse, from any reference to the works of the

Romans 3:31 — Do we then make the law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish the law. This is another case of Paul's using the term "law" without the article, as a glance at the English Revised Version (1885) margin will reveal; nevertheless, the law of Moses would seem to be the

Romans 4:19-21 — And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, and

1 Corinthians 13:2 — And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. Prophecy … knowledge … faith so as to move mountains … These are to be added to "tongues" mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:1, all of them being miraculous gifts

Galatians 2:15-16 — student is referred to that for a great deal of material that cannot be repeated here. Since the publication of that volume in 1973, further scholarly studies by distinguished theologians have fully confirmed the undeniable accuracy of translating "faith of Christ" instead of "faith in Christ" in this place and a number of other places in the New Testament. Of course, the KJV is correct in most of these places, though not in all; and strong voices have for years been crying out against

Galatians 3:11-12 — Now that no man is justified by the Law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith; and the Law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them. No man is justified by the Law … The reason this is true is cited in Galatians 3:10. There was another important indication of the same truth, which Paul then quoted

Galatians 3:22 — But the Scripture shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. As rendered here, this verse makes no sense whatever, for the paraphrase of the latter part of it is, "that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that have faith! What

Galatians 3:8-9 — And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed. So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. Justify the Gentiles by faith … The New Testament meaning of the word "faith"

Philippians 3:8-9 — … That I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. (Philippians 3:8 b-9) We agree with Monroe who flatly declared that "here is Paul's most concise statement of justification by faith"; Robert H. Mounce, op. cit., p. 771. and there

1 Thessalonians 1:3 — remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father; This remarkable Pauline triad, that is, a double triad of work, labor and patience linked to faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13:13) with "I know

1 Thessalonians 3:6 — But when Timothy came even now unto us from you, and brought us glad tidings of your faith and love, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, longing to see us, even as we also to see you; Your faith … T.W. Manson interpreted faith in this and the preceding verse as "fidelity," that is, "obedient faith";

1 Timothy 1:5 — But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned: End of the charge … The meaning here, according to Wesley, is "the end of the whole Christian institution." Ibid. Thus, as so often in the New Testament, "faith" means "Christianity," not "subjective

James 2:14 — What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him? If a man say he hath faith … Here, at last, is that subjective trust/faith which is so frequently imported into New Testament passages. The word for "faith" here is exactly the one used

James 2:17 — Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. As Ward said, "Faith alone in James 2:24 and faith without works in James 2:26 correspond with what is said here." Ronald A. Ward, op. cit., p. 1228. Is dead in itself … The dead do not

James 2:18 — Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works shall show thee my faith. These words, together with the argumentative form of the verses that follow, imply that a well-known subject of controversy is being dealt with.

James 2:22 — Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect; "The literal meaning here is, "faith cooperated with his works"; R. V. G. Tasker, op. cit., p. 68. and here is the key to understanding all that both Paul and James wrote

James 2:26 — For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead. See under James 2:17, above, for elaboration of the meaning of the comparison here. Ward warned against "pressing the parallelism too far"; Ronald A. Ward, op. cit., p. 1229. but it is not apparent to this student