Elder Sylvester Hassell on Means (14)

One of the most difficult subjects for "Primitive" "Hardshell" Baptists is faith and its relation to salvation. Since they deny that the gospel or word of God is a means or instrument that God uses to save sinners, they have been led to take positions on faith and its relation to salvation that are unbiblical, strange, and not Baptistic. They have several tactics in use when discussing this question. Sometimes they will say that faith has no role in salvation, affirming that unbelievers go to heaven. After all, they say, those who die in infancy are saved and go to heaven without faith. Other times they will give a definition to the word "faith" that they have no right to do. In this post (here) I cited from Elder Charles Waters (1849-1920) who exemplifies these claims. I will also have things to say about what Sylvester Hassell said about faith and its definition and relation to salvation. In that post I cited Waters who said these things (all emphasis mine):

"I do believe that all who are regenerated will and do have faith, but deny that the "faith" -- that is, the believing response to God -- is in all cases "cognitive" or "informed" faith -- for cognitive faith necessarily depends on hearing the rational proclamation of the gospel; rather, I do not hesitate to affirm that it is, in all cases, below the level of consciousness--Lazarus-like, the sinner responds believingly to Christ in response to His Divine fiat in regeneration, being made willing in the day of His power, believing according to the working of His mighty power, and coming to Christ in "vital" relationship (Ps. 110:3; Eph. 2:8; Eph. 1:19; Jno. 6:37, 44)." 

"Cognitive faith is indeed present in some, but the gift of faith is present in all of God's children; hence, I concur that no one goes to heaven without faith, but deny that no one goes to heaven without rational knowledge of the truth."

"A teaching does indeed take place in the new birth, for God teaches the heart directly and immediately to know Him (Jno. 6:65). Cognitive faith, however, must necessarily come after this initial work of grace in the soul, for it depends on the instrumentality of the preached word."

"Obviously, if such cognitive (or evangelical) faith is necessary to eternal salvation, then every infant who dies in infancy and every individual without average mental capacities would miss salvation. But my position -- i.e. the position that defines "saving faith" (if I must use the term) as that faith that is given to the soul in the work of regeneration -- is adequate to include every potential case in which a person is in need of salvation. By the same token, I do believe that the ultimate evidence that a person possesses salvation is an evangelical faith in the Lord Jesus Christ -- a faith that expresses itself in voluntary obedience to Christ. Where such faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is present, a person gives indisputable evidence of salvation."

In Zion’s Advocate for August, 1898, page 225, Elder Waters stated - "Every saved child of Adam is saved eternally, faith or no faith; infants and idiots must be so saved for they cannot believe, though they must be regenerated, faith (belief) therefore is not necessary to eternal salvation.”

Earlier in "Zion’s Advocate and Herald of Truth" for June 1891 Waters wrote:

“Faith is the fruit of the spirit and not the soil into which the spirit is planted. Hence it, like repentance, knowledge of the truth, power to hear the gospel and further the growth in Christ is the evidence of spiritual life in the soul and not the means by which life is obtained. Eternal life may exist without all or any of these evidences. Take, for instance, the case of John, the Baptist, had he not the spirit before his natural birth when he leaped at the salutation of the mother of his Lord? Regeneration had certainly taken place but could it have been manifested by his exercise of faith, repentance, etc.? Certainly not. Upon this principle we can rejoice in the hope of the salvation of the infant, the idiot and the heathen who has never heard the name of Jesus. Spiritual and eternal life may exist then apart from a belief in Jesus, repentance towards God or knowledge of spiritual things, all of which are consequent upon and follow after regeneration, and it may please the Lord to remove the subject of his grace from this time state, ere he has developed this spiritual growth, and rear him up beyond the River.”  (Zion’s Advocate and Herald of Truth of June 1891)

There are so many absurd statements in the above citations that it boggles the mind. There are also many contradictions. It is also very revealing that Waters gives no scripture to prove the several propositions he states. He speaks of "the definition that he gives of saving faith." But, his definition of "faith" has no validity, being an invention of his own. He cites no lexicon or dictionary that defines faith as he does. His unfounded statements about faith and his several contradictions are these:

1. Faith is not always cognitive requiring knowledge or something to believe

2. Faith is below the level of consciousness and without rational knowledge of truth

3. Faith (belief) is not necessary for eternal salvation

4. Eternal life may exist without faith, repentance, or knowledge of the truth

5. Faith is given in regeneration but is also a later evidence of regeneration

6. There are two kinds of faith, only one which is necessary for salvation

7. Truth is taught in regeneration but not cognitively nor imparts any knowledge of truth

8. A believing response to God is not cognitive or consciously done

9. Faith is always below the level of consciousness

The Few Things He Says That Are Right

1. Teaching takes place in the new birth

2. Cognitive faith depends upon the instrumentality of the word

Questions

1. Does Waters say faith is necessary for salvation or not?

2. Does Waters give any scripture to support his definition of faith?

3. Does Waters tell us what is learned in regeneration?

Everything Waters said in the above citations may be summed up in this one sentence that he wrote:

"Spiritual and eternal life may exist then apart from a belief in Jesus, repentance towards God or knowledge of spiritual things." 

Where is the scripture that affirms this? This summary statement of Hardshell belief is so strikingly against the scriptures that anyone familiar with the scriptures must be stunned that anyone would say such a thing. Let us see a few texts of scripture that totally refute what Waters said, which is what Sylvester Hassell and his Hardshell brothers also believed. First, concerning the necessity of faith in Christ for salvation and the fate of those who believe not.

"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8: 24 nkjv)

"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3: 36 nkjv)

Concerning the necessity of repentance, notice these scriptures:

"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." (Acts 3: 19 nkjv)

"When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.” (Acts 11: 18 nkjv)

Concerning the necessity of knowing the Father and Son, notice these scriptures:

"in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power." (II Thess. 1: 8-9 nkjv)

"And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’" (Matt. 7: 23 nkjv)

As concerning the biblical definition of faith see my post titled "pisteuō and pistis" (here). In it I wrote:

According to Strong, "pisteuō" (the verb "believe") means "to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in," and is "used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled..." It is an "acknowledgment of some fact or event," an "intellectual faith." 

Thus, according to Strong, the word "believe" necessarily involves cognition or knowledge.  It involves "thinking" and being "persuaded" and "convicted," the "intellect," and "acknowledgment."  Thus, the Hardshell notion of a "believing" that excludes the thinking of the mind, or knowledge, is foreign to the idea behind the meaning of the word. 

The apostle John said:

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us." (I John 4: 16)

Notice that John puts knowledge before believing, saying "known and believed."  This too uproots the Hardshell notion that divorces faith from knowledge. 

Waters says:

"...the sinner responds believingly to Christ in response to His Divine fiat in regeneration, being made willing in the day of His power, believing according to the working of His mighty power, and coming to Christ in "vital" relationship (Ps. 110:3; Eph. 2:8; Eph. 1:19; Jno. 6:37, 44)." 

This contradicts what he said elsewhere in the citations. If a sinner responds believingly, then how is this non-cognitive or below consciousness? By this statement Waters affirms that one comes to believe in Christ when he is regenerated. Then why does he say that faith in Christ is not necessary for it? He said "Spiritual and eternal life may exist then apart from a belief in Jesus" but now he says a sinner responds in faith to Christ when he is regenerated, and is made willing, and comes to Christ. This is speaking out of both sides of the mouth, blatantly contradicting himself. Also, notice the scriptures he references to uphold this affirmation (which affirmation is true). 

The faith of Eph. 1: 19 and 2: 8 is faith in Christ via hearing the gospel. Also, the salvation in those passages is eternal salvation, quickening, or regeneration, so we affirm that quickening is "by grace through faith." He says "coming to Christ" per John 6: 37,44 is the means for becoming joined to Christ in a "vital" relationship or in regeneration. That being so, his whole system of soteriology is overthrown. Coming to Jesus or believing and trusting in him is something people do cognitively. Further, Jesus said that "all who the Father has given to me" do in fact "come" to him. But, Hardshells do not believe that all the saved (elect) come to Christ, for coming to Christ is conversion, and they do not believe that all the regenerated are converted. 

Ways Hardshells Define Faith

1. Faith means Christ

2. Faith means Grace

3. Faith means a seed deposit

4. Faith means ability to believe

5. Faith means evidence of salvation

All these definitions are man-made. They do not reflect the true meaning as used in the Bible. I will have more to say on this point in the next chapter. Now let us return to Hassell and his views on faith and its definition and relation to salvation. In the past I have written extensively on Hassell's views on faith. See my post "Hassell on Faith" (here). In that post I cited from his editorial "Faith and it's Relation to Salvation" in "The Gospel Messenger" for May, 1898. In my post I cited from that editorial where he said that "Faith," is “a divinely wrought, loving, and hearty re­liance upon God and His promise of salvation through Christ.” He then says that "this is the best definition of evangelical faith that I have ever seen." In "Questions and Answers," from which I have previously cited, Hassell answers the following question:

"Q. What is the difference between faith and grace? 

 

A. Faith is belief, and grace is favor or gift; it is of God's free favor or gracious gift that we, in our hearts, believe in His Son as our Saviour (Rom. 4:16; I Cor. 12:3; II Cor. 4:6; Gal.5: 22; Eph. 1:19,20; 2:8,9; Philip 1:29; Heb. 12:2)." (you can read "Questions and Answers" here)

This is important. In both these instances Hassell gives the correct definition of faith. But, we will see that he also in other places gives a totally different definition to it, speaking as his companion Elder Waters. In the above editorial I cited these words of Hassell:

"Faith itself, instead of being a work, wholly or partly of the sinner, and a condition or prerequisite of salvation, is divinely wrought, is the work of God in the sinner, and is thus an integral part and evidence of his salvation." 

How can faith be both "an integral part" of salvation and yet be what comes later after salvation as evidence of salvation? Notice this question and Hassell's answer.

"Q. “By grace are ye saved through faith” (Eph. 2:8); how through faith? 

 

A. The Pharisaic and heathen doctrine of salvation by works is false; we are saved entirely by the free grace or unmerited favor of God; and true faith, the fruit of His Spirit (Gal. 5:22; John 16:13, 14; I Cor. 12:3), is the channel or medium through which we realize our interest in His salvation. Even John Wesley, one of the wisest of Arminians, in expounding Eph. 2:8-10, says that not only grace but also faith and salvation are all the gifts of God. “It is of faith, that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed,” says the Apostle Paul in Rom. 4:16."

Here he contradicts what he previously said. Earlier he said faith was an "integral part" of regeneration and now says it is merely "the channel or medium through which we realize our interest in His salvation." Notice that he gives no scripture that says that faith is not a means in salvation but only a means in realizing or manifesting salvation. It is also a gross corruption of scripture for Hassell to say that "saved by grace through faith" means "discovering by faith that you were saved before faith." That is clearly a case of "handling the word of God deceitfully." (II Cor. 4: 2) 

Here is another question Hassell answered:

"Q. Are there any conditions in the New Testament?

A. There are, as in Luke 13:3,5; John 8:34; 13:17; but these conditions of repentance, faith, and obedience are wrought in us by the Spirit of God (Ezek. 36:26,27,31; Zech. 12:10-14; Acts 11: 18; Gal. 5:22; John 16:7-14; I Cor. 12:3; Isa. 26:12; Philip 2:12,13)."

Hassell says just the opposite in other places. So, by the above statement, does he believe that repentance, faith, and obedience are necessary prerequisites for being saved? 

In Hassell's editorial, which I analyzed in my post critiquing his views on faith, he changes the meaning of faith as did Waters, writing as follows:

"Even in that fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom, and in evangelical repentance towards God for sins against Him, there is latent or hidden faith, just as there may be in a liquid a dissolved and unseen solid; and this latent faith, while it does not comfort, yet does some­thing even more important in humbling the soul and caus­ing it to hate sin..."

So, just as the Hardshells say that there are "two kinds of salvation," one eternal and one not eternal ("time salvation"), the former not requiring any action of the sinner, such as faith, repentance, coming to Christ, etc., and the latter requiring works of the regenerated sinner or believer but which is not necessary for being eternally saved, so there are "two kinds of faith," one that is a necessary component of regeneration and the other not necessary for it nor for eternal salvation. In the next chapter I will elaborate on this doctrinal invention and address this idea of "seed faith," an idea that Hardshells borrowed from Paedo-Baptists.