Darby/Chafer on the Role of Faith in Regeneration

"Ephesians 2:8-9. '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.' So conclusive is this passage relative to man's inability in the field of saving faith that much has been attempted in the way of exegesis which proposes to make the salvation the gift of God, rather than the faith which receives it. When thus interpreted, the phrase, "through faith" is practically eliminated and serves no purpose. The contrast which the passage sets up between faith and works becomes a contrast between salvation and works, for which there is no ground either in Scripture or reason."

"It is no slight error to confuse these issues and make faith and holiness the cause and election the effect. Faith can serve no greater purpose than to be the means by which that which God has determined may be realized.

1948, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, pages 216, 174.

John Nelson Darby

Now as to the passage in Ephesians 2, it is very simple. What is said of the neuter is this: the adversaries of this truth say the [Greek] "that" cannot agree with "faith," because the latter is feminine; but in the same way it cannot agree with "grace" because it is [also] feminine. Then they say, "It is true, but it agrees with the whole thing, salvation; but this has [makes] no sense. "By grace ye are saved through faith, and that (this salvation) not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." Certainly salvation by grace is not of ourselves, otherwise it would not be grace--impossible to suppose that grace is of myself, so that in this case "and that" has no meaning. But it may well be supposed that faith is of ourselves, as you say; therefore when he has said that it is by faith he adds, "and that, not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." In short, by true faith we have life; we are children of God; but this is so because we are born of the Spirit, who works in us, and produces faith when we are begotten of God by His own will. To be begotten of God is by His operation, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit; but seeing that it is by the word, and by means of faith (the Spirit gives to the word the divine power which produces life, as the incorruptible seed of the living God enduring forever), the word of God becomes the revelation of His Son in us, and Christ thus received is our life.

1879. Letters, Vol. 2, page 480.

"Sanctify them by thy truth; thy word is truth." John 17. I might multiply quotations to the same purpose showing that the saving quickening work of God is by the word, and hence by faith, and by faith as a means, not as a condition.

"The whole Christian system is designated by it [faith] in contrast with law..."