Saving Faith
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1-2).
By faith Abraham trusted in the promise of God, and God declared him righteous (Romans 4:18-25). Like Abraham, God will declare righteous all who place their trust in Jesus.
The promise of God is the announcement in the Bible of the good news of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross for sins.
The good news is, that God has placed the punishment of our sin on Jesus. Jesus has paid our debt of sin by becoming a sacrifice of atonement on the cross, and credited us with His own righteousness. On the cross Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness, so we can be reconciled and accepted by God.
The faith which saves, is personally accepting the testimony of Jesus' death and resurrection. Not just an intellectual assent to the truth of Jesus, but a heart commitment of trust at the deepest level of our being; shown by actions in a changed outlook to life, a commitment to genuinely seek to know God and obey Him as revealed in the Bible, a continuing effort to follow Jesus’ example, and a commitment to live with a sincere intention to submit to God's will and seek to live a life pleasing to Him, demonstrated by personal holiness in loving God and loving people (Hebrews 11:17) - (James 2:14-18).
This level of trust involves believing Jesus is who He says He is, the Son of God, the third person in the blessed Holy Trinity, that He has died for our sins and risen from the dead, is seated now with God in heaven, and will return again to bring judgment and salvation.
If this is the level of faith, belief and trust a person places on the message of the good news of Jesus - this person may be assured they are justified before God, and have gained access into the grace of God by their faith.
This is what it means to be justified by faith, and the result is we have peace with God, and a sure hope we will be accepted into heaven to be with Jesus for eternity, enjoying the glory of God forever.
The promise of Jesus is for all who place their trust in Him. It is not our faith or works which saves us, but it is God’s grace which has provided the means of salvation in Christ, and faith is the response to God’s saving grace, the appropriate response to God's call of salvation in Christ. Our faith is the hand which reaches to take hold of the promise of God in Christ, just like Abraham did.
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.”
(John 10:27-29).
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21).
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