Bible Commentaries

Exodus 32:15-20 — breaking the tables. Unger's comment on the passage is tailored to support some of the irresponsible findings of the solifidians: "The whole episode shows the inability of the Law to make men good. Depraved man is never saved by Law-keeping, but by faith. Faith alone is the way to justification and salvation in every age, as well as the way to sanctification of life."Merril1 F, Unger, Unger's Commentary on the Old Testament, Exodus (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981), p. 142. Although true enough that

Psalms 39:1 — the presence of the ungodly. Some have "guessed" that David was so impatient with God's treatment of him and so concerned with doubts and unbelief that he was afraid he might say something that would cause his enemies to declare that he had lost his faith. Maybe so; but I find nothing in the psalm that backs up such an idea. Of course, if that was indeed the situation, silence was certainly appropriate, "Because God's people are not at liberty to express doubts or complaints, if doing so would give

Malachi 3:3 — more; but there will be a new "priesthood," namely, the totality of all Christians in Christ, and their offerings "in righteousness" shall be such as were spoken of by Peter, whose language shows that he had this very passage in mind: "The proof of your faith, being more precious than gold… proved by fire… ye are built up a spiritual house… a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God by Jesus Christ, etc. (1 Peter 1:7; 1 Peter 2:5). The sacrifices "in righteousness"

Matthew 14:27 — as did the apostles here. Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. How grandly have those blessed words echoed down the centuries in men's hearts. Christ's holy religion is one that casts out fear. Fear not! That is the first and last commandment of faith.

Matthew 16:9-10 — accounts of the same wonder. Christ was amazed that after all the disciples had seen, they would still have considered their failure to provide bread a matter of sufficient importance that Christ would have rebuked them for it. "O ye of little faith!"

Luke 1:38 — human consequences. How could she hope to explain such a thing to Joseph? What would the neighbors say? And there were the stern provisions of the Law that might require her to be stoned to death (Deuteronomy 22:23 f). Never was there a greater act of faith.

John 8:40 — that proof being that they wanted to kill the Lord. How can this be reconciled with the admitted fact that these spiritual bastards "believed on" the Lord Jesus Christ? (See under John 8:30, and following.) The answer is that theirs was "faith alone"! Today, the world is full of people who "believe on" the Lord Jesus but would rather kill him than to do what he commanded, being in such a state the spiritual descendants of those "believers" on exhibition here.

John 8:56 — Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad. This is one of the most interesting things Jesus ever said. When did this occur? It did not happen in Abraham's lifetime, for "These all died in faith, not having received the promise, but having seen and greeted them from afar" (Hebrews 11:13). Thus, this verse goes beyond what happened in Abraham's life span, suggesting that just as Moses and Elijah had been granted personal conversation

Acts 12:4 — lasted eight days. Intending to bring him forth … Herod planned a public execution of Peter, an event which the Jewish hierarchy and the Jerusalem rabble would have celebrated with the utmost enthusiasm. Things looked very bleak for the Christian faith at that moment.

Acts 3:19 — converted were unbelievers; in (2) they were already believers; and in (3) the people were already believers and had been commanded to repent; and therefore, "converted" in this instance refers to some further action following repentance and faith. Thus it is clear that "turn again" may refer to any of the necessary actions by which one becomes a Christian. In (1) it means that he should believe, repent, and be baptized; in (2) it meant that the apostles should repent; and in (3)

Romans 15:29 — finish delivery of the money to the poor in Jerusalem, then proceed to Rome, preach there and enjoy the company of the famous Christian community of the great capital for a brief season, and then he planned to be off for Spain where new victories of faith would be won, more churches established, and more territory won for the Master. Paul's plans, as made, were never realized. He was arrested and imprisoned in Jerusalem; there was a diabolical plot to murder him; there were tedious delays, dangerous

Romans 7 overview — altogether possible that Christianity itself might have become but an antechamber of Judaism. A full and constant attention to what the problem was should accompany the study of this chapter. Three times Paul had already indicated the severance of Christian faith from its Judaistic parent: (1) In Romans 3:20-24, he had elaborated the truth that no flesh can be justified by the law, that the law and the prophets themselves had foretold the new faith, and that God's grace had provided free and full redemption

2 Corinthians 5:3 — be clad with the glorious resurrection body in the final judgment will have no such thing, but be found naked instead. True Christians will be gloriously clothed in eternity; but for those lukewarm and self-satisfied Christians who think their "faith alone" is all they need, eternal nakedness shall be their disappointment. That is why the apostle John instructed that class of Christians to "Buy of me (the Lord) white garments that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy

2 Corinthians 8:7 — But as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. In everything … Again, Paul's use of hyperbole is in evidence. Not only does this mean a great deal less than "everything,

Galatians 2:20 — I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live by the FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD who loved me, and gave himself for me. (KJV) Here we have followed the KJV,

Colossians 2:12 — Having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. Buried with him in baptism … Note that nothing is said here of baptism being accomplished without human hands, the same being an obvious impossibility. Note too that there is here the plainest

Titus 1:1 — Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, Paul a servant of God … Again and again Paul referred to himself as the "servant of Christ" (Romans 1:1, etc.), but Paul did not consider himself as

Hebrews 12 overview — DIVISION VII (Hebrews 12:1—13:25) CHRIST'S EXPECTATIONS OF BETTER SERVICE FROM US This final division of Hebrews is a sustained exhortation designed to establish wavering Christians more firmly in faith. In preceding chapters, the Christ has already been exalted as the source of available power in believers, and his superiority over anything available to the ancient heroes of the Old Testament has been stressed repeatedly. This great privilege

2 Peter 1:1 — Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained a like precious faith with us in righteousness of our God and the Saviour Jesus Christ: Simon Peter … This inclusion of Peter's original name, along with the one the Lord had given him is significant. "If a forger had been writing in Peter's name, he would

1 John 4:15 — repenting of one's sins, confessing the Son of God, and being baptized "into Christ." As a consequence of such primary obedience, and subsequently to it, the Holy Spirit was given, not to make men sons of God, but because upon such initial faith and obedience they became sons of God (Galatians 4:6). There are two possible meanings of John's words here, and both of them may be correct. (1)    He refers to the Christian's obedience of the gospel at the time he became a