Chapter 12 - Hardshells On Faith (A Primer)

I have already addressed the Hardshell idea of "Two kinds of salvation in the Bible," and the reason for their invention of such a concept, showing that it was invented as a "way of getting around" those Scripture passages which teach against the Hardshell theory of "Regeneration without the word (gospel)," or their idea that the "gospel and the salvation it produces is not dealing with eternal salvation." If the Hardshell finds a passage that says that one is "saved" by believing the gospel, he arbitrarily assigns the passage to a "timely deliverance" rather to an eternal one. On the other hand, if he finds a passage that makes "salvation" seem to depend upon God alone, without means, then such a passage will be talking about eternal salvation.

The Hardshells do this with many passages of Scripture besides those that use the term "salvation." They do the same with other passages that use words like faith, repentance, sanctification, conversion, birth (begetting), obedience, life, forgiveness, etc.

The Hardshells not only insist on "two kinds of salvation" in the Bible, but also two kinds of faith, two kinds of sanctification, two kinds of births, two kinds obedience, two kinds of following Christ, two kinds of repentance, two kinds of hearing Christ's words, two kinds of life, two kinds of forgiveness, etc.

I always felt convicted by the Lord in this kind of Bible "interpretation." It is clearly a case of "eisogesus." In taking the Hardshell premise to the Bible, I was to apply that premise to every salvation passage, regardless of what the context might say. To the Hardshells any passage that connects "salvation" with "faith" and with "believing truth" and "believing the gospel" MUST be interpreted in such a way that it will be shown NOT to be dealing with regeneration or with eternal salvation. It is certainly not handling the word of God "honestly" or with an "honest heart." It is rather a "corrupting" of the word of God, a handling of it "deceitfully." (See II Cor. 2:17 & 4:2)

The Hardshells constantly preach that to "rightly divide the word of truth" (II Tim. 2:15) involves being able to precisely see which passages of Scripture speaks of "time salvation" versus which ones speak of "eternal salvation," and to be able to decide which passages speak of "a faith which IS necessary for eternal salvation," and which passages, on the other hand, speak of a "faith which is NOT necessary for eternal salvation," but only for a "time salvation," or a "gospel salvation." Which passages speak of a "timely sanctification" versus those that speak of an "eternal sanctification" (one necessary for eternal salvation)? Which passages speak of a "time forgiveness" versus those that speak of an "eternal forgiveness"? Which passages speak of a "conversion" that is "regeneration" and which "conversion" passages are speaking only of a "time salvation"? Well, if you can do that, like the Hardshells, then you are fulfilling the apostolic command to "rightly divide the word of truth"!

If a passage speaks of a sanctification that God does, and in which there seems to be no means or conditions attached, then the passage can be taught to mean that sanctification which IS a necessary adjunct of election, regeneration, and eternal salvation. If a passage speaks of our being "begotten," and it seems to be done by God without any mention of means, faith, or any evangelical obedience, then it will be "categorized" (or "pigion holed") as dealing with the new birth or with regeneration. On the other hand, if if it is a "begetting" or "birth" which has faith and gospel preaching involved, then the passage will be "interpreted" as dealing with some other kind of figurative birthing and begetting that will have to deal with timely deliverances, and not at all to the new birth or to regeneration, or with anything eternal. I plan to have a later chapter where I sum up the numerous examples of the "eisogesus" that the Hardshells have demonstrated in the previous chapters, expanding upon their violation of sound Biblical Hermeneutics, and to be titled, "Hardshell Hermeneutics."

Two Kinds Of Faith?

My dad wrote, in an article titled, "FAITH," wrote the following:

"Relative to the Doctrine of Faith, we again must understand that there are two kinds of faith. This is clear in the scriptures. Again, Elder T. S. Dalton made this so very clear in the famous Mount Carmel Church Trial of many years ago in Virginia. He said this on the witness stand in answer to the following question: "You believe that God given faith is essential to the salvation of God's people, do you not?" Elder Dalton answered: "I will say this, that there is a belief produced through the preaching of the Gospel and there is a belief of the sacred truth of God; but that belief which is produced through the preaching of the Gospel is not a necessary adjunct in the eternal salvation of the sinner. But there is a faith that is implanted by the Spirit of God in the soul of every man that will ever enter Heaven, and no man will ever go to Heaven without that Divine eternal faith by the Spirit of God." ("Faith," from "Studies in Bible Doctrine," page 6 - emphasis mine)

Dad then adds these comments:

”Now here it is clear that Elder Dalton believed in TWO kinds of faith. This has ever been the position of Old Line Primitive Baptists. The Bible says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). This verse says that the faith under consideration is “a gift of God.” This means that it is not of the creature. It is supernaturally given. It is not worked up by man. But someone may object and ask about dying infants. First, let me say that I believe all those dying in infancy are of the elect of God. God implants a faith in these infants as he did John the Baptist. See Luke 1:15 and 1:44.

The question that was asked by Elder Dalton was -- "You believe that God given faith is essential to the salvation of God's people, do you not?"

Elder Dalton's answer left the distinct impression that the faith produced through the preaching of the Gospel was NOT a God given faith! They actually preach this awful stuff. They say that the "faith" that one "receives" (by "implantation") is "God given and God created," but the "faith" they get "through the gospel is NOT "God given" and NOT "God created."

They really have no other choice than to say that their faith in Christ, through the gospel, is NOT God's creation. Rather, they believe that this "gospel faith" is something that they have created themselves, by their own free will and abilities. As I have said, the teaching of the Hardshells on "gospel salvation" is no different from what their "twin brother" teaches about salvation in general!

Continuing on, dad adds this commentary to the above words of Dalton:

”All of these verses prove that there is a faith that is implanted in us supernaturally when we are regenerated. No one will go to heaven without this faith. The preacher has nothing to do with this faith.”

And again he adds these remarks:

”But there is another kind of faith spoken of in the Bible that does come through the gospel.”

He then cites Romans 10:17 and says,

”Just what kind of faith is under consideration here? There is no question in my mind but that he has reference to a DOCTRINAL faith or a CREED faith. The only way that you and I know about the birth, death, burial and resurrection of Christ is through the word of God. When we believe this we have a doctrinal faith.”

And then he writes:

”The salvation, which is of the creature, is not regeneration, but a salvation of those already born of God...Men believe only as they have been given the ability. God gives the ability in regeneration to believe the gospel. This is proven in I Cor. 3:5. “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?” This shows that God gives the ability before the gospel makes a believer.”

And then he says:

”The Bible teaches that a child of God may quit believing with this second kind of faith that is of the creature.”

”And that his faith may be overthrown. This is not talking about that faith that is supernaturally implanted in regeneration; for that can never be overthrown. But he is speaking of the faith that is of the creature being overthrown.”

The Hardshells have not been uniform in how they handle the numerous passages that make faith essential to regeneration and to eternal salvation. If you ask them, individually, "Do you believe that one must believe in Christ to be saved?" you will get different responses. Most of today's Hardshells will not give a clear positive yes to the question, but will rather deny that faith in Christ is necessary for regeneration and for eternal salvation. Others, however, will try to avow that people can actually "believe in Jesus" on the "sub-conscious level!"

The Hardshells have a hard time with the subject of faith. This subject bothered me the whole time I was with the Hardshells. The Bible, and especially the New Testament, places such am emphasis on faith. Later I will look at several passages of scripture and seek to apply Hardshell "logic" to them on this subject of faith.

Faith involves belief. The question must be asked of the Hardshells, What is it that a regenerated person believes when he is given this "implanted faith" in "regeneration"? To this pertinent question one will not get a uniform response from the Hardshells.

Some will argue that these regenerated souls will, by this "implanted faith," come to believe one or more of the following things (consciously).

1. A Belief in God or gods (Creator or creators)

2. A belief that they have sinned against God or the gods and deserve to be punished. This belief involves a sense of shame, guilt, and fear of coming judgment.

3. A hope of deliverance in the after life by some means.

And then, of course, as I indicated, some will want to try and say the "regenerated heathen" will have a soul belief in "Jesus," on the sub-conscious level, although they will not know that they believe. Yes, I admit, this is really silly.

Now, the question must be asked of the Hardshells -- "If you can believe that God can cause a man to come to the above beliefs, why do you think he cannot cause one to believe more than this?" You might say, "Because it takes the communicating of an intelligent message to create any additional kind of "belief" (or "faith") than this." Answer this then;

If one of God's purposes in "regenerating" the elect is to "teach" them, to bring them to some "beliefs", then why does he not just go ahead and teach them who he is (for "he who comes to God must believe that he is..." Heb. 11:6), so that they will not remain heathens, and worship false gods, but rather worship the "God of Abraham," the God of the Hebrew nation and prophets?

Why does he simply teach them that some god exist, but no more? Why does he teach them that they are guilty sinners who will suffer in the afterlife but does not give them some good news to believe? Why bring them under deep conviction and fear, and into despair of soul, by making them believe these things, and yet not also make them believe in his plan of salvation, the only thing that will relieve those fears? Is God dependent then, brother Hardshell, on man to teach them more than the bare things enumerated above? It seems to me that your own "logic" and argumentation turns around on you.

It seems to me, if such were the case, that God would do better to "regenerate" such heathen right before they die, rather than in infancy (the Hardshells say that most of the elect are "regenerated" in infancy and that most, if not all, of the heathen are elect and saved). The Lord could save all such elect heathen many years of carrying around that proverbial "burden over his debt," years in which were spent in spiritual despair, with no known remedy available through the gospel, by just waiting till a few moments before death to "regenerate" him and give him this "faith." My friends, God does not bring a man under conviction of sin with no remedy revealed.

Let me repeat what dad wrote earlier and make some comments about it. He said:

"The Bible says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). This verse says that the faith under consideration is “a gift of God.” This means that it is not of the creature. It is supernaturally given. It is not worked up by man. But someone may object and ask about dying infants. First, let me say that I believe all those dying in infancy are of the elect of God. God implants a faith in these infants as he did John the Baptist. See Luke 1:15 and 1:44.

According to the Hardshells, "regenerating faith" has these separate qualities and characteristics.

1. It is "supernaturally given."
2. It is a "a gift of God."
3. It is "not of the creature."
4. It is "implanted by God."

According to the Hardshells "gospel faith" has these separate qualities and characteristics.

1. It is NOT "supernaturally given."
2. It is NOT a "gift from God."
3. It IS "OF the creature."
4. It is NOT "implanted by God."

So, as I said earlier, they are forced to admit that their faith in Christ, his atoning death, his coming again, his salvation, is not the "creation of God," but their own creation! It is something that proceeds from themselves, not from God, by their own admission, by their own perverted use of "logic."

Any person who reads the Bible honestly knows that the above views of the Hardshells, regarding the "faith that comes by hearing the words of God," is rank heresy. They credit themselves, not God, for the faith they have in Christ, by the gospel. They credit themselves for having produced, by their own will and works, this faith in the message of Christ.

Wrote Sarrels:

"...in perhaps the vast majority of cases the elements of conversion–repentance, faith, and justification–may be present only embryonically..." (Systematic Theology, page 369)

"The more advanced intellectual Christian concepts about all of these progressive steps which unfold in the believer's experience do not prove that these do not exist embryonically in the obscure, yet spiritual, exercise of the quickened soul in heathen lands. The child of God, be he heathen or cultured, may not understand all that is woven around his life in God, yet in germ all is there. (See Rom:2:14)

What a wild concoction is this Hardshell definition of faith! Here is a man who has "faith," is a "believer," and yet only because he has "embryonic faith"! It is there, this "faith," secretly hidden somewhere in the man's soul, they say, but what is it, according to Hardshellism? It is simply some "metaphysical" "substance," like a "dormant seed," some "germ", or like some kind of "spiritual deposit," something they call an "inner ability," yet without much more further elaboration or definition.

Sarrels wrote:

"Just what God does to the soul substance to fit it for eternal life, we do not know." (Page 344)

This is an interesting confession by this Hardshell apologist. It seems hypocritical, in a sense, seeing that he and other Hardshells seem to know so much about the "metaphysics" of the new birth, their "logic" opening up to them the "mysteries" of the new birth.

But, then, in another sense, it does seem fitting to say that he and the Hardshells do not have the foggiest idea about what it means, Biblically, to be born again and regenerated. They have so divorced regeneration from conversion that it becomes, in essence, a bunch of nothing. Regeneration does very little for a man. It does not change anything about him, does not produce any activity of the soul, it being all something unconscious with him. So it is understandable that Sarrels and the Hardshells would acknowledge that they do not know what God does to the soul in regeneration.

Where is the Biblical evidence for all this baloney that they put forth about "faith?" Where do the Biblical writers distinguish between "embryonic faith," and "gospel faith?" Brother, the only kind of faith there is, in the Bible, is that "faith that comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Rom. 10:17)

I have an open challenge for any Hardshell. Show me one passage of scripture that identifies a man that has "faith," and yet who never heard the word of God! Can you do it? Name the Biblical person. Show us the Bible passage. You can no more find a passage that points to a man with "faith," who is a "believer," and yet who has not heard the gospel and word of God, than you can find a Hardshell church prior to the 1800's.

Let us look at the "faith" of Ephesians 2 and see what kind of faith is being spoken of. First, let us look at the entire context, a thing most important to do in Bible interpretation, and see if we can discern something about this "faith" that IS necessary to be eternally saved."

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (1:13-2:10)

There is no indication anywhere in this lengthy context to indicate that the "hearing," "trusting," "faith," "believing," was anything akin to what the Hardshells mean when they speak of "implanted faith." On the contrary, what the Ephesians "heard" to make them "believers," and to create "faith" in their hearts, was not the "direct speaking of Christ," apart from the gospel, but as Paul said, their faith came because they "heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation".

As I have said, Hardshells have a hard time with two key verses in this lengthy Ephesian passage. First of all, the entirety of both chapters concerns only with what relates to eternal salvation. Election and predestination are introduced, in chapter one, as the ground of our salvation. Then, in verses 19,20, he says,

"And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ..."

What "belief" is this except what the context indicates? It is a "belief in Jesus," a belief that absolutely comes only one way, and that is through the preaching of the gospel. (Romans 10:14-17) It was not a "belief" that they had until they "heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation." It was a belief produced by the gospel. And yet, the problem for the Hardshells lies in the fact that this "belief" (1:19) is "created" by God. But, this is not what the PB's believe about "gospel faith." Yet, this passage says that God creates faith, creates a belief in the gospel, a belief in Christ! So, God does "create faith" through means, both the spiritual means of the word of God and the human messengers God sends to communicate that word. So, the Hardshell argument and premise that says that God does not create through means is shown to be false, a position that Paul did not uphold, as seen from what he wrote to the Ephesians.

Also, this faith that is created by the irresistable power of God, being the same power that was exercised in bringing up Christ from the death. But, what is it that is created? It is this "faith"! And, not only does he identify the creation of faith with irresistable power but he also likens it to a resurrection. The Hardshells do not have a problem with the idea of regeneration being a resurrection. In fact, as I have shown, they try to make "logical" arguments, based on the analogy, saying that resurrection and creation cannot be performed by God through creature means. I have shown, however, that this is utterly false. This passage too shows their premise and "logic" to be false. God is creating the faith of the Ephesians, a "gospel" and "saving faith," by the use of means, by the preaching of the word by Paul and others.

Furthermore, he equates this coming to "believe in the Lord Jesus," with being resurrected, born again, called to life, etc. Yet, this is not Hardshell teaching! They do not associate coming to faith in Christ and in the gospel and word of God with it, as Paul obviously does. When a man has come to believe the gospel, he has passed from death unto life, and by no less power than raised up Christ from the dead.

Paul will continue to speak of the Christian being "resurrected" (or "quickened"). But, let it be kept firmly in mind, as Paul leaves the 1st chapter (no chapters in the original too, remember), that this "quickening" of the Ephesians was a word used to describe their "conversions" to Christ "BY the gospel."

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."

There is no question, that if a man follows the context, and has nothing to read into it, that he will easily discover that this being quickened from the dead was equated with coming to faith in Christ Jesus by the gospel. When "life" is begotten in the soul of a sinner, faith is also begotten. John says that our "faith," like our "life," is "begotten." (I John 5:4)

Coming out of spiritual death involves coming out of unbelief, coming to understanding, becoming a convert to Christ, evangelically turning away from sin, etc. Paul certainly did equate being resurrected to life in Christ with a change of belief, a change of conduct, and a change of heart. Yet, the "spiritual resurrection" that the Hardshells talk about does very little for a person, in fact, nothing.

So, they not only have a difficulty with the quickening of 1:19 being connected with coming to gospel faith, but they have a problem when we come to 2:8 where Paul says we are saved "THROUGH faith."

They dare not make this passage, nor the one in 1:19 refer to something other than regeneration and eternal salvation. But, they see that faith and belief are attached. What do they do? Do they give up their anti means heresy? No, they create this wild idea that a man can have "faith" and not know it, having a "faith" that is some kind of "metaphysical spiritual goo" that somehow has changed the person dramatically, when in reality, it has not changed him at all.

This faith of Ephesians 2:8 cannot be any other thing than the faith of the context and it is faith in the Lord Jesus and faith in the gospel concerning him. People who refuse to see are willfully blind and stubborn.

In my next chapter I will look at some pertinent passages dealing with faith and its connection with regeneration and salvation and apply Hardshell "logic" and "interpretation" to them. I will also deal with a few more things in greater depth. It will be a second chapter on the Hardshell understanding about the Bible doctrine of faith.