Have you ever wondered why faith is the instrument of justification? Â Why not repentance, love or hope which are each gifts of God just as much as faith is? Â John Murray has several helpful thoughts on the question.
The differentiating quality of faith is that the nature and function of faith is to rest completely upon another. It is this resting, confiding, entrusting quality of faith that makes it appropriate to and indeed exhibitive of the nature of justification. Â It is consonant with its source as the free grace of God, with its nature as a forensic act, and with its ground as the righteousness of Christ. Â Faith terminates upon Christ and his righteousness and it makes mention of his righteousness and of his only. Â This is the Savior’s specific identity in the matter of justification – he is the Lord our righteousness. Â And in resting upon him alone for salvation it is faith that perfectly dovetails justification in him and in his righteousness. (Collected Writings, v. 2, pp. 216-217)