J.A. Matteson
Work is ordained by God and is good. The relationship between effort exerted and an anticipated payoff is well established in our daily experience. But turned on its head is the meritorious correlation between salvation and effort, causing many to stumble. "Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith" (Hab. 2:4). What is the status and source of faith? Does it find its origin with God, and thereby is it the divine means to the divine end of reconciliation? Or in the final analysis does justification depend on fallen sinners who, spiritually blind, deaf, and dead muster sufficient effort to take hold of the offer of grace and are, therefore, saved? The issue is larger than merely that over the debate of faith vs. works. Rather, the underlying biblical premise is that of grace vs. merit. Grace is the basis of salvation and faith the means by which justification is accomplished. Faith to be unmeritorious, by necessity, finds its source in grace, being inextricably fused to and eternally purposed in the perfect will of God. If this were not so, as the semi-pelagians assert, then faith originates within fallen sinners and justification is meritorious, whereby in the final analysis sinners save themselves. This construct, in essence, is no different than New Testament Judaism; for to rely on oneself for faith is, practically, no different than to rely on oneself for works. But praise be to God who created from nothing the heavenly host and who calls to Himself a people for His own possession, creating justifying faith within them where none existed. To God alone be the glory.
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