THE QUALITIES OF SAVING FAITH
Having considered what one is to believe, now I consider the manner in which one is to believe. First of all "faith", even though it is something your do, is not a category of work.
"Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.'" Rom 4:4-8
Faith is not a work. It is an attitude much like hope and love are attitudes. However there are inevitable outward expressions of one's faith. For one's beliefs are evident by one's behavior. Inherent in saving faith is the intention of doing what Jesus said. Intention is not a work, it is an attitude. When a person refers to Jesus as Lord he expresses the intention to do what he said. Like he expresses the intention to stop sinning, as Jesus has told us. But for those who call Jesus Lord without intending to do what he said, Jesus says, "Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?" Luke 6:46
What are examples of the outworkings of saving faith? For example
Calling on the Lord to save you is characteristic of saving faith. (Rom 10:13)
Repentance and baptism are likewise evidences of such faith. "Now when they heard (the gospel), they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ'" Acts 2:37,38a
Loving other Christians is a primary identifying mark of saving faith as John says, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him." 1John 3:14,15
Saving faith is also characterized as a "conviction", by which I mean it's the kind of faith you hold to permanently despite opposition. For Jesus said, "you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved." Mt 10:22 So also it says, "'my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.' But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." Heb 10:38,39 So also John notes of those who leave the faith, "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." 1John 2:19 Thus if one has saving faith, such a person will remain till the end.
Having considered what one is to believe, now I consider the manner in which one is to believe. First of all "faith", even though it is something your do, is not a category of work.
"Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.'" Rom 4:4-8
Faith is not a work. It is an attitude much like hope and love are attitudes. However there are inevitable outward expressions of one's faith. For one's beliefs are evident by one's behavior. Inherent in saving faith is the intention of doing what Jesus said. Intention is not a work, it is an attitude. When a person refers to Jesus as Lord he expresses the intention to do what he said. Like he expresses the intention to stop sinning, as Jesus has told us. But for those who call Jesus Lord without intending to do what he said, Jesus says, "Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?" Luke 6:46
What are examples of the outworkings of saving faith? For example
Calling on the Lord to save you is characteristic of saving faith. (Rom 10:13)
Repentance and baptism are likewise evidences of such faith. "Now when they heard (the gospel), they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ'" Acts 2:37,38a
Loving other Christians is a primary identifying mark of saving faith as John says, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him." 1John 3:14,15
Saving faith is also characterized as a "conviction", by which I mean it's the kind of faith you hold to permanently despite opposition. For Jesus said, "you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved." Mt 10:22 So also it says, "'my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.' But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." Heb 10:38,39 So also John notes of those who leave the faith, "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." 1John 2:19 Thus if one has saving faith, such a person will remain till the end.
