With regard to these expressions considerable confusion prevails in co mm on theological parlance. True faith is personal trust,, or confidence, in God’s gracious forgiveness of sins for Christ’s sake. The term thus stands in contradistinction to implicit faith. (fides implicita), or assent to the doctrines of the Church, though these may not be known to the person, and to historic faith (fides historica), or mere knowledge of, and assent to, the general doctrines of the Bible. Neither a fides implicita nor a fides historica can justify a sinner; for saving faith is always personal trust in the gracious promises of the Gospel.
With regard to the term living faith (fides viva) we must bear in mind that faith is “living” (viva) only because it apprehends the merits of Christ offered in the means of grace. Faith never becomes true or living by the good works that follow it. Through the performance of good works- faith only manifests itself as true and living before men.
We may say therefore that every true faith is living faith; and again, that every true faith reveals itself as living by proper fruits. These distinctions must be carefully observed in order that the element of works may not be injected into justifying faith, Rom. 4, 4. 5.