Charles Hodge: What Is Saving Faith?
What is saving faith? Today, Stephen Nichols looks to Charles Hodge’s teaching on Galatians 2:20, exploring how true faith rests in Christ alone, trusts in His love, and clings to His atoning work for our salvation.
Welcome back to another episode of 5 Minutes in Church History. Last week we were visiting with Charles Hodge asking him a very important question, “What is systematic theology?” Well, let’s visit with him again this week and let's ask him probably the all-important question, and that is, “Mr. Charles Hodge, what is saving faith?”
Well, for the answer, let’s look to one of the sermons that Charles Hodge preached in the chapel there on the campus of Princeton Theological Seminary to his students. It was a sermon on Galatians 2:20, and Hodge entitled the sermon “Faith in Christ the Source of Life.” Hodge speaks about how it is important to catch that it is indeed faith in Christ. In fact, he goes on to say that Christ is the object of our faith. He says that as the object of our faith, saving faith consists in receiving and resting on Him alone. He’ll say, “It consists in recognizing Christ, acknowledging Christ, accepting Christ, and appropriating Christ as he is held forth to us in the gospel, as he is held forth to us in Scripture. Saving faith includes, therefore, a resting on Christ alone for salvation.”
Well, Hodge wants to show that not only do we have Christ as the object. We also see that saving faith requires us to mean particular things about Christ. He identifies three things. First that Christ is the Son of God. Secondly, that Christ loves us. And thirdly, that Christ gave himself for us. Hodge adds, “All of these are essential elements in that faith which gives life to the soul.” Well, on that first point, that Christ is the son of God. Hodge says this, “That faith, therefore, which has the power to give life, has the incarnate God for its object. It contemplates and receives that historical person, Jesus Christ, who was born in Bethlehem, who lived in Judea, who died on Calvary as God manifest in the flesh.”
Well, to put a fine point on this, Hodge says this, “A savior less than divine is no savior.” So first we see Christ as the Son of God. Secondly, we have to see that Christ loves us. Hodge says this: “We can see in Scripture that God speaks of his divine love, speaks of his mercy.” Hodge says,
The general declaration is made that God is merciful. The general promise is made that God will receive all who come to him through Christ. But to appropriate these general declarations is to believe that they are true, not in relation to others merely, but to us. We credit the assurance of God's love. We look up to him as propitious. We say to him, “our Father.” We regard God not as enemy, but as a friend for Christ’s sake. This is faith.
Well, the third element, according to Hodge, in this life-giving faith of which Paul preaches, is believing that Christ gave himself for us. That is to say, that he died for us. I think I’ve told you this before, it’s one of my favorite phrases in church history from the Nicene Creed. Christ is truly God and truly man for us and for our salvation. It's that for us part that Hodge is zeroing in on here.
Well, at the end of his sermon, Hodge also wants us to think about what this faith means for living the Christian life. So, let’s go out the door with this. Hodge says,
The clearer the views we can attain of the divine glory of the Redeemer, the deeper our sense of his love and the stronger our assurance that he gave himself for us. The more of spiritual life shall we have, the more of love, of reverence, of zeal, the more humility, peace and joy, and the more strength to do and to suffer in the cause of Christ. We can then regard all these things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. We can glory even in infirmities and afflictions that his strength might be more manifested in our weakness.
Well, that’s Hodge on what is saving faith and what are the implications of saving faith. And I’m Steve Nichols and thanks for joining us for 5 Minutes in Church History.
