Listening to a Sinclair Ferguson lecture, “Acquitted Through Faith,” I hear him insist that the efficacy of faith is not derived from the character of faith but from the object of that faith.

This is so much clearer than claiming that faith is “passive” in justification which will tend to make people focus on the character of faith and encourage them to perversely work at making sure it is completely passive.  It will also show that we can actually believe what the Bible and the Reformed Confessions say about justifying faith–that it is actively obedient–without in the least making faith a meritorious ground of justification.

That said, parts of Ferguson’s lecture seem to play off trusting God’s promises against trusting God to keep his promises in His sacramental action.  He also, it seems to me, might lead readers into contortions regarding assurance since he reproves people answering the question, “How do you know you are saved” with a statement that begins “Because I….”

The eternal quest for the right quality of faith seems to come up and stalk us even when we repudiate it.