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What It Takes to Be Saved 15 – Man’s Part - Faith
What It Takes to Be Saved 15 – Man’s Part - Faith
Mike Willis
The author of Hebrews wrote, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (11:6). But, what is included in faith?
1. FAITH MUST COME FROM THE WORD OF GOD. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17). This defines the content of what one believes. Many people have faith in things not revealed in Scripture and things that are not true. For example, a Muslim has faith grounded in the Koran; a Mormon has faith grounded in the teachings of Joseph Smith. Many people have faith ground in what they think is right. However, saving faith is grounded in what is taught in the Scriptures, which limits the object of faith to what is taught in the Bible.
2. FAITH ALONE IS INADEQUATE. James said, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (2:17). One may say that he believes in Jesus, but unless that faith moves him to repent of his sins, confess the Lord Jesus, be baptized in water, and then commit himself to living as Jesus taught us to live, it is a worthless faith. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). In the Great Commission, Jesus sent forth His apostles telling them what they should preach that a person who wants to be saved from sin by the shed blood of Jesus should do: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).
When Peter preached the first gospel sermon, he concluded his sermon by saying, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36). When the audience asked, “What shall we do?”, the apostle responded, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). That is how one is saved by faith in Jesus Christ.
3. SALVATION BY FAITH MEANS THAT ONE RECOGNIZES THAT HE CANNOT SAVE HIMSELF BY HIS OWN GOOD WORKS. Paul wrote, “What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’ Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Rom. 4:1-5). Salvation by faith acknowledges that one is saved by God’s grace.
When a person, on the basis of his belief in the Lord Jesus, repents of his sins because Jesus commanded him to repent (Luke 13:3), he is not trying to earn his salvation by works; when he confesses his faith in Jesus, he is not trying to be saved by perfect obedience; and when he is immersed in water for the remission of his sins, he is not trying to save himself. He is appealing to the Lord Jesus Christ to save him (1 Pet. 3:21).
Jesus said, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46). A faith that does not move one to obey the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ is not a saving faith. Do you have saving faith?
