#13 The Second Faith
from Baptismal Truth, by Samuel Froehlich
Out of the first faith to the justification of the godless sinner comes the second faith in which the new man must live after Christ and overcome the world. Without this second faith, with Christ's righteousness of life, the first faith to the justification of the godless sinner, is an empty, vain thing. James 2 verse 14. and hardly in any other part has the evangelical doctrine of salvation been more grossly misunderstood and corrupted, than in this doctrine of justification by faith alone, to the exclusion not only of the previous works of the Law, but also of the subsequent righteousness of life or sanctification. The godless sinner is indeed justified only by his faith in the substitutionary sacrificial death of Christ with reference to his previous life; but the regenerated children of God must be justified by their new life of obedience, and by the keeping of the new law righteousness comes truly, and without it no man can enter into God's kingdom. Second Peter 1. But as the righteousness of faith comes out of faith, so the righteousness of life, or the power to fulfill the new law (which is more comprehensive than the old), flows out of the baptism into Christ; of this, the babblers out of the circumcision know nothing, because it does not originate in the legalistic work of infant baptism. Their doctrine of the righteousness of faith is altogether suited to infant baptism. As they did not come forth out of their baptism as newborn with the power of the new life, they cannot afterwards, even if they come to faith (which seldom happens), keep the new law of the Spirit (which is nothing else than the new life of the Spirit), and they let the matter rest with the imputed righteousness of Christ and comfort themselves falsely with the hope of eternal life. Christ’s death is important to us, but His resurrection is more important; for if He be not risen, He was not Christ the Son of God, and then we dare not believe on Him, or faith in Him is idolatry – deification of a mere man. Even so it is with faith and baptism. Faith in Christ’s death is important to us for the justification of the sinner; it is the foundation of salvation; but baptism into Christ is more important for the awakening with Christ unto a new life, to the establishment of the righteousness of life. For if we are not risen with Christ in baptism we are not Christians or children of the living God, and faith is vain, empty, and futile; for in baptism, the faith in the effective power of God must be present, which He has worked in Christ; as He has wakened Him from the dead, the resurrection power passes over from Christ to the baptized, who in baptism has been buried with Christ.
Colossians 2 verse 12. Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead.
Galatians 2 verse 19. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
Ephesians 1 verse 19. And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power,