Salvation and Living Faith

[GraceOverwhelmsMe]

I was in Bible study last evening and the pastor that was leading said there were two kinds of faith:

1) Salvation faith - the faith that, should one possess it, saves
2) Living faith - the faith that produces and moves a Christian forward

I asked the pastor following class if he believes you can divorce these two types of faith (is it possible to possess salvation faith without a living faith). He answered in the affirmative. He continually returned to the idea of not wanting to question somebody's salvation based on the works we see.

I appealed to James 2 to say that faith without works is dead to argue that unless one's faith produces works (great or small), that one does not possess a faith that saves. We are justified by faith alone, but not a faith that is alone. I agree that we are not to judge a man's salvation based on works we personally see, but there are times to confront a brother when he is living in sin and does not appear to be repentant

I guess I'm confused. Is he proposing a form of antinomianism, or is he just afraid of seeming judgemental? Or am I wrong? Is there a way to divorce these types of faith, or would you argue that one shouldn't even create a differentiation (this would be my view).

He is not a member or elder of the church I attend, but is brought in regularly lead Bible studies, and I'm not sure what his theological leanings are. This was the first time I've been in a Bible study that he leads.

 

[Justified]

Westminster Confession Ch XI Sec. II: "Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification: yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but works by love."
Faith alone saves, but faith is never alone. It is antinomian to reject that believers do not progress in sanctification in the Christian life, and it's theoretical, if not practical, rejection of the third use of the law.

Let's be clear though: we are justified by a living faith, but it is not the fact that the faith is alive that makes it justifying, but rather faiths object, Christ. The accompanying graces don't make the faith what it is, just as good fruits don't make a tree good but show that it was in fact a good tree.

The danger the Bible study leader teaches is that he rends Christ by seperating his benefits. By way of our union we receive a double benefit, justification and sanctification. We can't receive one without the other.

 

[GraceOverwhelmsMe]

Thanks that was along the lines of what I was saying to him.

 

[timfost]

If they are two distinct types of faith, I wonder how he defines saving faith? It sounds like it could be intellectual assent. Saving faith, as you pointed out, manifests itself in the fruits of the Spirit.

The only other categories I've come across in reformed theology are historical and temporary faith, both of which are distinguished from saving (justifying) faith.