Faith and Obedience

[arapahoepark]

I am going through Sam Waldron's dissertation Faith, Obedience and Justification and reading Garlington's views. However, Waldron gives only an overview and not really any critique other than saying they aren't in line with the reformers nor the confessions. However one thing stuck out at me when Garlington says

In the OT and Second Temple Judaism, faith and obedience are virutally synonymous...'faith' in the Hebrew Bible is two sided: trust and a commitment (to the covenant) resultant from trust…Paul simply assumes the OT conception as common ground between him and thoee with whom he disagrees

It sounds like Arminianism and Shepherd in many ways (yes I know Garlington is NPPish). How is this 'obedience of faith' or faith and faithfulness idea refuted?

 

[PaulMc]

How about Eph 2:8-9, where faith and works (obedience) are clearly at odds with each other when it comes to justification? Verse 10 then tells us we are indeed to obey; in fact, we have been 'before ordained' thereunto!

 

[MW]

How is this 'obedience of faith' or faith and faithfulness idea refuted?

Calvin: "There is one consideration which ought at once to put an end to the debate—viz. that assent itself (as I have already observed, and will afterwards more fully illustrate) is more a matter of the heart than the head, of the affection than the intellect. For this reason, it is termed “the obedience of faith,” (Rom. 1:5), which the Lord prefers to all other service, and justly, since nothing is more precious to him than his truth, which, as John Baptist declares, is in a manner signed and sealed by believers (John 3:33). As there can be no doubt on the matter, we in one word conclude, that they talk absurdly when they maintain that faith is formed by the addition of pious affection as an accessory to assent, since assent itself, such at least as the Scriptures describe, consists in pious affection. But we are furnished with a still clearer argument. Since faith embraces Christ as he is offered by the Father, and he is offered not only for justification, for forgiveness of sins and peace, but also for sanctification, as the fountain of living waters, it is certain that no man will ever know him aright without at the same time receiving the sanctification of the Spirit; or, to express the matter more plainly, faith consists in the knowledge of Christ; Christ cannot be known without the sanctification of his Spirit: therefore faith cannot possibly be disjoined from pious affection."