Point 16: Of Implicit Faith

Our consent.

We hold that there is a kind of implicit or unexpressed faith, and indeed that the faith of every man in some part of his life — as in the time of his first conversion, and in the time of some grievous temptation or distress — is implicit or enfolded. The Samaritans are said to believe (John 4:14) because they took Christ for the Messiah and thereupon were content to learn and obey the glad tidings of salvation. And in the same passage, verse 51, the ruler with his family is said to believe, who did no more than generally acknowledge that Christ was the Messiah and yielded himself to believe and obey his holy doctrine, being moved thereto by a miracle wrought upon his young son. And Rahab (Hebrews 11:13) is said to believe — yes, she is commended for faith even at the time when she received the spies. Now in the word of God we cannot find that she had any more than a confused, general, or enfolded faith, whereby she believed that the God of the Hebrews was the true God and his word was to be obeyed. This faith, as it seems, was wrought in her by the report and relation of the miracles done in Egypt, whereby she was moved to join herself to the people of God and to believe as they did. By these examples it is manifest that in the very servants of God, there is and may be for a time an implicit faith. For the better understanding of this point, it is to be considered that faith may be enfolded two ways: first in respect of knowledge of things to be believed, and secondly in respect of the apprehension of the object of faith, namely Christ and his benefits. Now faith is enfolded in respect of knowledge when sundry things that are necessary to salvation are not as yet distinctly known. Though Christ commended the faith of his disciples — such a faith against which the gates of hell should not prevail — yet it was unexpressed or wrapped up in regard of sundry points of religion. For first of all, Peter who made confession of Christ in the name of the rest was at that time ignorant of the particular means whereby his redemption should be wrought. For after this he went about to dissuade his master from the suffering of death at Jerusalem, whereupon Christ sharply rebuked him, saying: Get behind me, Satan, you are an offense to me. Again, they were all ignorant of Christ's resurrection until certain women who first saw him after he was risen had told them, and they by experience in the person of Christ had learned the truth. Thirdly, they were ignorant of the ascension, for they dreamed of an earthly kingdom at the very time when he was about to ascend, saying: Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? (Acts 1:6). And after Christ's ascension, Peter knew nothing of the breaking down of the partition wall between Jews and Gentiles, until God had better instructed him in a vision (Acts 10:14). No doubt we have ordinary examples of this implicit faith in sundry persons among us. For some there are who are dull and hard both for understanding and memory, and thereupon make no such progress in knowledge as many others do. Yet for good affection and conscience in their doings, so far as they know, they come not short of any, having withal a continual care to increase in knowledge and to walk in obedience according to what they know. Such persons, though ignorant in many things, yet have a meaning of true faith, and what is wanting in knowledge is supplied in affection. In some respects they are to be preferred before many who have the glib tongue and a brain swimming with knowledge. To this purpose Melanchthon said well: We must acknowledge the great mercy of God, who puts a difference between sins of ignorance and such as are done wittingly, and forgives manifold ignorances to them that know but the foundation and are teachable — as may be seen by the Apostles, in whom there was much want of understanding before the resurrection of Christ. But as has been said, he requires that we be teachable, and he will not have us to be hardened in our sluggishness and dullness. As it is said in Psalm 1: He meditates in his law day and night.

The second kind of implicit faith is in regard of apprehension: when a man cannot say distinctly and certainly, I believe the pardon of my sins, but he does unfeignedly desire to believe the pardon of them all, and he desires to repent. This case befalls many of God's children when they are touched in conscience for their sins. But where men are displeased with themselves for their offenses and do withal constantly from the heart desire to believe and to be reconciled to God, there is faith and many other graces of God enfolded — as in the little and tender bud is enfolded the leaf, the blossom, and the fruit. For though a desire to repent and to believe is not faith and repentance in nature, yet in God's acceptance it is, God accepting the will for the deed. Isaiah 42:3: Christ will not quench the smoking flax, which as yet by reason of weakness gives neither light nor heat. Christ says in Matthew 5:6: Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied — where by persons hungering and thirsting are meant all such as feel with grief their own want of righteousness and withal desire to be justified and sanctified. Romans 8:26: God hears and regards the very groans and sighs of his servants, even though they are unspeakable by reason that they are sometimes little, weak, and confused. Yet God has respect to them because they are the work of his own Spirit. Thus when we see that in a touched heart desiring to believe there is an enfolded faith. And this is the faith which many of the true servants of God have. Our salvation stands not so much in our apprehending of Christ, as in Christ's comprehending of us. Therefore Paul says in Philippians 3:12: He follows after perfection, if that he might comprehend that for whose sake he is comprehended of Christ. Now if any shall say that without a lively faith in Christ none can be saved, I answer that God accepts the desire to believe for lively faith in the time of temptation and in the time of our first conversion. Put case: a man that never yet repented falls into some grievous sickness, and then begins to be touched in conscience for his sins and to be truly humbled. Hereupon he is exhorted to believe his own reconciliation with God in Christ and the pardon of his own sins. And as he is exhorted, so he endeavors according to the measure of grace received to believe. Yet after much striving he cannot resolve himself that he does distinctly and certainly believe the pardon of his own sins. Only this he can say: that he does heartily desire to believe, that he wishes this above all things in the world, and he esteems all things as dung for Christ — and thus he dies. I ask now, what shall we say of him? Surely we may say nothing but that he died the child of God and is undoubtedly saved. For however it were a happy thing if men could come to that fullness of faith which was in Abraham and many servants of God, yet certain it is that God in sundry cases accepts of this desire to believe for true faith indeed. And look as it is in nature, so is it in grace: in nature some die when they are children, some in old age, some in full strength, and yet all die as men. So again, some die babes in Christ, some of more perfect faith, and yet the weakest having the seeds of grace is the child of God, and faith in its infancy is faith. All this while it must be remembered: I say not there is a true faith without all apprehension, but without a distinct apprehension for some space of time. For this very desire by faith to apprehend Christ and his merits is a kind of apprehension. And thus we see the kinds of implicit or enfolded faith.

This doctrine is to be learned for two causes. First, it serves to rectify the consciences of weak ones, that they not be deceived touching their estate. For if we think that no faith can save but a full persuasion such as the faith of Abraham was, many truly bearing the name of Christ must be put out of the roll of the children of God. We are therefore to know that there is a growth in grace as in nature, and there are differences and degrees of true faith — and the least of them all is this enfolded faith. This in effect is the doctrine of Calvin: that when we begin by faith to know somewhat and have a desire to learn more, this may be termed an unexpressed faith. Secondly, this point of doctrine serves to rectify and in part to expound sundry catechisms, in that they seem to propound faith to men at so high a reach as few can attain to it, defining it to be a certain and full persuasion of God's love and favor in Christ. Whereas, though every faith is for its nature a certain persuasion, yet only the strong faith is the full persuasion. Therefore faith is not only in general terms to be defined, but also the degrees and measures thereof are to be expounded, that weak ones to their comfort may be truly informed of their estate. And though we teach there is a kind of implicit faith which is the beginning of true and lively faith, yet none must upon this occasion content himself therewith, but labor to increase and go on from faith to faith. And so indeed will every one do who has any beginnings of true faith, be they never so little. And he who thinks he has a desire to believe and contents himself therewith has indeed no true desire to believe.

The difference.

The pillars of the Roman Church lay down this ground: that faith in its own nature is not a knowledge of things to be believed, but a reverent assent to them whether they be known or unknown. Hereupon they build that if a man knows some necessary points of religion, as the doctrine of the Godhead, of the Trinity, of Christ's incarnation, and of our redemption, it is needless to know the rest by a particular or distinct knowledge. It suffices to give his consent to the church and to believe as the pastors believe. Behold a ruinous building upon a rotten foundation — for faith contains a knowledge of things to be believed, and knowledge is of the nature of faith, and nothing is believed that is not known. Isaiah 53:11: The knowledge of my righteous servant shall justify many. John 17:3: This is eternal life, to know the eternal God and whom you have sent, Jesus Christ. In these places, by knowledge is meant faith grounded upon knowledge, whereby we know and are assured that Christ and his benefits belong to us. Secondly, this kind of assent is the mother of ignorance. For when men shall be taught that for sundry points of religion they may believe as the Church believes, that the study of the Scriptures is not to be required of them, that to their good they may be barred the reading of them, so long as they know some principal things contained in the articles of faith, and that common believers are not bound expressly to believe all the articles of the Apostles' Creed — few or none will have care to profit in knowledge. And yet God's commandment is that we should grow in knowledge and that his word should dwell plentifully in us (Colossians 3:16). Again, the Papists say that the devotion of the ignorant is often service better accepted than that which is done upon knowledge. Such (say they) as pray in Latin pray with as great consolation of spirit, with as little tediousness, with as great devotion and affection, and oftentimes more than the other, and always more than any schismatic or heretic in his own language. To conclude, they teach that some articles of faith are believed generally by the whole Church only by a simple or implicit faith, which afterward by the authority of a general council are set forth to be believed by the Church by express faith. Roffensis against Luther gives an example of this when he confesses that purgatory was little known at the first, but was made known partly by Scripture and partly by revelation in process of time. This implicit faith touching articles of religion we reject, holding that all things concerning faith and manners necessary to salvation are plainly expressed in Scripture, and accordingly to be believed.

Our consent.

We hold that there is such a thing as implicit or unexpressed faith, and that the faith of every person is implicit in some part of their life — such as during the time of first conversion, or during a time of severe temptation or distress. The Samaritans are said to believe (John 4:14) because they accepted Christ as the Messiah and were willing to hear and obey the good news of salvation. In the same chapter, verse 51, the official and his household are said to believe — he did nothing more than generally acknowledge that Christ was the Messiah and submitted himself to believe and obey His holy teaching, moved to do so by a miracle worked for his young son. Rahab is said to have believed (Hebrews 11:13) — indeed, she is commended for her faith at the very time she welcomed the spies. Yet we cannot find in the word of God that she had more than a general or undeveloped faith, by which she believed that the God of the Hebrews was the true God and that His word was to be obeyed. This faith seems to have been produced in her by reports of the miracles in Egypt, which moved her to join herself to God's people and believe as they did. These examples show clearly that even among God's servants, there is — and for a time may be — an implicit faith. To understand this better, consider that faith may be implicit in two ways: first, with respect to knowledge of things to be believed; and second, with respect to grasping the object of faith — namely Christ and His benefits. Faith is implicit in terms of knowledge when several things necessary to salvation are not yet distinctly understood. Although Christ commended His disciples' faith — a faith that the gates of hell would not overcome — it was still unexpressed and undeveloped in regard to several points of doctrine. Peter, who confessed Christ on behalf of the rest, was at that point ignorant of the specific way his redemption would be accomplished — as shown when he tried to dissuade his Master from suffering and dying at Jerusalem, and Christ sharply rebuked him: 'Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me.' Furthermore, the disciples were all unaware of Christ's resurrection until the women who saw Him first told them, and they learned the truth by experiencing it in Christ's own person. They were also ignorant of the ascension — right at the moment He was about to ascend, they were still dreaming of an earthly kingdom: 'Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?' (Acts 1:6). And even after the ascension, Peter knew nothing of the breaking down of the barrier between Jews and Gentiles until God instructed him in a vision (Acts 10:14). We have ordinary examples of this implicit faith around us today. Some people are slow both in understanding and memory, and therefore do not advance in knowledge as far as many others. Yet in sincerity and conscience in their actions — as far as they understand — they are not behind anyone, and they maintain a steady desire to grow in knowledge and walk in obedience to what they know. Such people, though ignorant in many things, still possess the essence of true faith, and what is lacking in knowledge is supplied by genuine devotion. In some respects they are to be preferred above many who have a quick tongue and a head full of knowledge. Melanchthon spoke well to this point: 'We must acknowledge the great mercy of God, who distinguishes between sins of ignorance and sins committed knowingly, and who forgives many ignorances in those who know only the foundation and are willing to learn — as we can see in the apostles, in whom there was much lack of understanding before the resurrection of Christ.' But as has been said, God requires that we be teachable — He will not allow us to remain hardened in laziness and dullness. As Psalm 1 says of the blessed man: 'He meditates on God's law day and night.'

The second kind of implicit faith concerns apprehension — when a person cannot say distinctly and certainly, 'I believe in the forgiveness of my sins,' but sincerely desires to believe in that forgiveness and desires to repent. This happens to many of God's children when their conscience is troubled over their sins. But where people are genuinely displeased with themselves for their offenses and from the heart desire to believe and be reconciled to God, faith and many other graces of God are present in seed form — just as in a small, tender bud the leaf, the blossom, and the fruit are all contained. For although a desire to repent and believe is not faith and repentance in their full nature, yet in God's reckoning it is — since God accepts the sincere will in place of the full deed. Isaiah 42:3: Christ will not quench the smoldering wick — which as yet, due to its weakness, gives neither light nor heat. Matthew 5:6: 'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied' — by those who hunger and thirst are meant all who feel the grief of their own lack of righteousness and desire to be justified and sanctified. Romans 8:26: God hears and honors even the groans and sighs of His servants — even when they are inexpressible because they are faint, weak, and confused — because they are the work of His own Spirit. So we see that in a troubled heart desiring to believe, an implicit faith is present. And this is the faith that many of God's true servants possess. Our salvation rests not so much on our grasping Christ as on Christ's grasping us. Paul expresses this in Philippians 3:12: 'I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.' If someone says that a person cannot be saved without a living faith in Christ, I answer that God accepts the desire to believe as living faith during times of temptation and during the time of first conversion. Consider this case: a man who has never repented falls into a severe illness. There his conscience begins to be struck over his sins and he is genuinely humbled. He is urged to believe in his reconciliation with God in Christ and in the forgiveness of his sins. He tries, as much as his measure of grace allows, to believe. Yet after much striving, he cannot settle within himself that he distinctly and certainly believes in the forgiveness of his own sins. All he can say is that he heartily desires to believe — that he wishes this above all things in the world, and that he counts all things as loss for Christ. And then he dies. What do we say about him? We can say nothing except that he died as a child of God and is without question saved. It would certainly be a blessing if everyone could come to the fullness of faith that Abraham and many of God's servants had — but it is certain that God in various situations accepts this desire to believe as genuine faith. Consider how this mirrors what happens in nature: some people die as children, some in old age, some in the fullness of their strength — yet all die as human beings. In the same way, some die as infants in Christ, others with a more mature faith — yet even the weakest, who carries the seeds of grace, is a child of God. Faith in its infancy is still faith. One important clarification: I am not saying there can be true faith without any apprehension at all — only that there can be true faith without a distinct apprehension for a period of time. For the very desire to apprehend Christ and His merits by faith is itself a kind of apprehension. And so we have seen the kinds of implicit or implicit faith.

This teaching is worth learning for two reasons. First, it serves to settle the consciences of weaker believers, so they are not deceived about their spiritual condition. If we insist that no faith can save except a full persuasion like Abraham's, then many people who truly bear the name of Christ must be removed from the roll of God's children. We need to understand that there is growth in grace just as in nature, and that there are different degrees of true faith — the least of which is this implicit faith. This is essentially Calvin's teaching: when we begin by faith to know something and have a desire to learn more, that may be called an implicit or unexpressed faith. Second, this teaching helps correct and partly explain various catechisms that seem to set the standard of faith so high that few can reach it — defining faith as a certain and full persuasion of God's love and favor in Christ. While it is true that every genuine faith is by nature a kind of persuasion, only strong faith reaches full persuasion. Therefore faith should not only be defined in general terms, but its degrees and measures should also be explained — so that weaker believers may be truly and comfortingly informed of their condition. Even so, although we teach that there is an implicit faith which is the beginning of true and living faith, no one should be content to remain there — but should labor to grow and move from faith to faith. And indeed everyone who has any genuine beginnings of faith, however small, will naturally do this. The person who thinks he has a desire to believe but is content to stop there in fact has no genuine desire to believe.

The difference.

The leading scholars of the Roman Church lay down this foundation: that faith in its own nature is not a knowledge of things to be believed, but a reverent assent to them whether they are known or unknown. On this they build the argument that if a person knows some necessary points of doctrine — such as the teaching on God, the Trinity, Christ's incarnation, and our redemption — it is unnecessary to know the rest in particular or with any distinctness. It is enough to yield one's consent to the church and believe as the pastors believe. This is a ruinous structure built on a rotten foundation — for faith contains a knowledge of things to be believed, and knowledge is of the very nature of faith. Nothing is believed that is not in some way known. Isaiah 53:11: 'By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many.' John 17:3: 'This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.' In these passages, knowledge means faith grounded in understanding — by which we know and are assured that Christ and His benefits belong to us. Second, this kind of mere assent is the mother of ignorance. When people are taught that for various points of doctrine they may simply believe as the church believes — that study of the Scriptures is not required of them, that for their own good they may be kept from reading them, as long as they know a few central things in the articles of faith, and that ordinary believers are not required to explicitly believe all the articles of the Apostles' Creed — then few or none will care to grow in knowledge. Yet God's commandment is that we should grow in knowledge and that His word should dwell in us richly (Colossians 3:16). The Roman Catholics also claim that the devotion of the ignorant is often more acceptable to God than worship offered with knowledge. They say that those who pray in Latin pray with just as much spiritual comfort, just as little weariness, just as much devotion and affection, and often more than others — and always more than any schismatic or heretic praying in his own language. Finally, they teach that some articles of faith are held by the whole church only through a simple or implicit faith — and that these are later, by the authority of a general council, put forward to be believed explicitly by the church. The bishop of Rochester, writing against Luther, gives an example of this when he admits that purgatory was little known at first, but became known over time partly through Scripture and partly through revelation. This kind of implicit faith regarding articles of doctrine we reject entirely — holding that all things concerning faith and conduct necessary to salvation are plainly set out in Scripture and are accordingly to be believed.