WHAT IS SAVING FAITH?

         TERMS OF SALVATION – SAVING FAITH

                           

If an UPWARD FAITH (Gr. pistis), generally speaking, is belief or trust in a higher power, then SAVING FAITH is a heart belief or trust in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as personal Lord and Savior, upon the authority of the Bible, God’s holy Word. It is a Holy Spirit wrought conviction of the reality and facts God has revealed concerning His Son, Jesus Christ.

ROMANS 10:1-17

ISRAEL’S FAITH-LESS PREDICAMENT (1-3)

¹ “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. ² For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. ³ For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”  (Romans 10:1-3)

     (Israel was very religious, but lost. Very zealous, but lost. With all her religious knowledge she didn't really understand the Messiah's mission. The law was to point up sin in order that the necessity of the Messiah's redemptive purpose in coming to earth would be understood.)

THE GOSPEL’S GRAND FAITH ANNOUNCEMENT (4)

⁴ “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Romans 10:4)

     ("The end" means the end! The rituals of the old economy are finished with the coming of Jesus Christ. His shed blood and imputed righteousness contitute all that is needed to save sinners.)

AN IMPORTANT FAITH/WORKS DISTINGUISHMENT (5-8)

⁵ “For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. ⁶ But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) ⁷ Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) ⁸ But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach…” (Romans 10:5-8)

     (Miraculous interventions - bringing Christ down again from heaven or re-doing the resurrection - don't matter more than a visit from heaven to the rich man's brothers would give them further advantage to salvation (Luke 16:19ff). The historical and completed work of Christ on the cross and in His resurrection are enough to save sinners. Too many seek to replace the Gospel with something spectacular to reach sinners. This is an affront to the Holy Spirit.)

FAITH’S SAVING PROCEDURAL ARRANGEMENT (9-13)

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. ¹² For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. ¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13)

     (Saving faith is not a mere head knowledge, but absorbed knowledge that resides deep in man, in his heart. Believing in this way one calls on the Lord for salvation. The "mouth confession" is the mouth calling out, even crying out, to God repenting of sin and accepting the gift of Jesus Christ. Some may not 'cry out' but quietly express belief in Jesus.)

FAITH’S SPOKEN AND WRITTEN REQUIREMENT (14-17)

¹⁴ “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! ¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? ¹⁷ So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:14-17)

     (The Church must not substitute telling the good news, whatever the form (preaching, personal witnessing, tract distribution, reasoning discourse, etc.), with noble programming and mere Christian atmosphere.  Christlikeness and charitable deeds are, of course, very important, but, the spoken Word, in whatever manner, is absolutely indispensable because "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." We cannot stop with mere religious fervor, enthusiasm or programming. Christian music is most valuable because good lyrics effectively communicate saving truth. We must preach the Word, share the Word in some manor, articulating the message of redeeming grace. People must know what they are believing.)

- Dr. Dick Christen

UNGER’S BIBLE DICTIONARY:

“Condition of Salvation. As has been assumed in the foregoing, faith is the condition of salvation. It is not the procuring cause but the condition, or instrumental cause. It is frequently associated in the Scriptures with repentance; thus the conditions of salvation, as commonly stated in Protestant doctrine, are repentance and faith. But in reality true faith and true repentance are not separate or to be distinguished too rigidly from each other. Faith is fundamental. Repentance implies faith. Faith is not saving faith unless it includes repentance. (See Repentance.) Saving faith may therefore be properly defined for those who have the light of the gospel as such belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as leads one to submit completely to the authority of Christ and to put complete and exclusive trust in Him for salvation. (See John 3:14-16.)”