Christianity 101- Part 5: Saving faith
Sometimes the word faith is used in the Bible to represent a body of doctrine such as Jude 3 that exhorts us to contend for the faith. Faith is also sometimes used to express a belief that God will answer prayers of a temporal nature. Often faith is expressed as a mere mental assent much like a belief in a historical fact. The Bible tells us that eternal life comes by grace alone, through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone and is a free gift of God. But what is the definition of the faith that saves?Saving faith is that faith and trust a sinner puts in the atonement of Jesus Christ to pay his sin debt. Scripture tells us, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins? (1 John 4:10). Saving faith is the instrument or means by which a person gains access to eternal life that the atonement of Jesus Christ secures. This faith is a gift of God and will also be accompanied by the gift of repentance (Eph 2:8-9 & Acts 11:18). Scripture is clear that honoring God with lip service, and not from the heart, is not saving faith (Matthew 15:8, James 2:17). Therefore, a person that has been given the gift of saving faith has crossed from death unto life due to being regenerated (born again) with power by the Holy Spirit of God (John 3:3). By virtue of this power and their new God given nature, Christians will have a new attitude and a new focus that will result in a Christian walk according to the Spirit with minds that are set on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:4-5 & Eph. 10). Christians will also be very thankful to God for the mercy and salvation that has been given to them from God.
Therefore, the definition of a true Christian is a person that has saving faith as described above. Just as the photo above shows, being a disciple by following Jesus, performing good works, and Christian service flow from being a true Christian. However, performance of Christian service do not make one a true Christian as works and deeds cannot justify (save) a person. Justification (being saved) is by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone and it is the amazing grace of God.
Next in Part 6 we will look at the Christian discipleship that flows from the power of God’s grace.
posted by jazzycat at 7:34 AM
5 Comments:
Wayne, Amen! When we put our faith Christ's finished work on the cross and in Christ's imputed righteousness to us then and ony then are we saved.
Cristina
June 02, 2007 12:22 PM
"due to being regenerated (born again) with power by the Holy Spirit of God (John 3:3). By virtue of this power and their new God given nature, Christians will have a new attitude and a new focus that will result in a Christian walk according to the Spirit with minds that are set on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:4-5 & Eph. 10)."
So very good! It is so sad that a certain system denies these truths, so sad in deed.
June 02, 2007 8:59 PM
o
June 02, 2007 11:03 PM
Cristina,
Thanks. Finished work is so true. Our debt paid by Him and his righteousness counted to our account.
Mark,
I agree. There is power in the blood. God wills sanctifying power, Jesus prayed that we be sanctified, and the Spirit indwells us to accomplish sanctification. These principles come straight out of Scripture without any parsing of Greek words or appealing to lengthy convoluted spinning of the text.
Sanctification is not perfect, but it happens in Christians.
wayne
June 02, 2007 11:29 PM
Amen Wayne! The power of the Holy Spirit saves us and gives us a new heart so that we can walk according to the Spirit of God and not according the lusts of our flesh!
June 04, 2007 1:26 AM
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