[44] These words of Paul, “I believed, and therefore have I spoken,” are taken from the 116th Psalm of David.
That, therefore, oral confession proceeding from sincere faith conduces to salvation, Paul testifies with these words: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Rom. 10:9,10.
This faith exhibits also its outward fruits of love worthy of the faith; wherefore the believer, according to the teaching of the apostle Peter, must give all diligence to show forth from his faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly love, and charity; and walk in the Spirit, whose fruits, as love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, are seen on them outwardly. 2 Pet. 1:5–7; Gal. 5:16,22,23; 6:1; Eph. 5:9. By these good fruits, and by brotherly love, as external signs of the true faith, they are known as good trees, the salt of the earth, the light of the world, a light which is put on a candlestick, to give light unto all that are in the house, a city set on a hill which cannot be hid. And thus they let their good works so shine before men, that they, seeing them, may glorify God, the heavenly Father. Matt. 7:17,20; 12:35; 5:13–16.
For, as children who in their appearance and deportment show forth their father’s form and qualities, are thereby judged and known to be the children of such parent, even so the believers, having, through the new birth, become partakers of the divine nature (inasmuch as they pattern after God in virtues), are thereby judged or known to be his children; and, in order that they might well express this image, they are abundantly admonished by Christ and his apostles in regard to it. So, for instance, with these words: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;” “And every man ... purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” Forgive one another, as God hath forgiven you. 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:23; John 3:6; 1 John 4:7; 5:1; James 1:18; John 1:13; Rom. 8:16; Matt. 5:48; 1 Pet. 1:15; 1 John 3:3; Luke 6:36; Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:13.
Again: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Matt. 5:9. The Lord says further: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye (show that ye) are the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Wherever, then, such similarity with God appears, through the putting on of the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, these show forth the image of Christ in their mortal flesh. Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10; Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 5:17. They are an epistle of Christ, in which Christ can be seen, and read by all men; and they are justly called Christians; and, consequently, are true children of God, and members of Jesus Christ: therefore they must be recognized and accepted by all those who truly fear God, as belonging to one body, which is the church of the living God; and as having through this fruitful faith, fellowship with God the righteous Judge, with Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, with the church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, with an innumerable company of angels, and with all the spirits of just men made perfect. 2 Cor. 3:2; Acts 11:26; Rom. 12:5; Eph. 4:4,16; 1 Cor. 12:13; Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:15. Of this church Christ is the foundation, Head, King, Shepherd, Leader, Master and Lord. 1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 4:15; Jer. 33:15; Luke 1:33; John 10:11,14; 13:14. She alone is his body, adorned bride, dove, flock, and people, spiritual flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones. Rom. 12:5; Rev. 21:2; Sol. Song 2:14; 4:1.