Faith and Grace
Our salvation comes as a gift of God's grace, but it can only be appropriated by the human response
of faith. To understand the process of salvation properly, we must understand these two words.
Saving Faith.
Faith in Jesus Christ is the only condition God requires for salvation. Faith is not only a profession about Christ,
but also an activity coming from the heart of the believer who seeks to follow Christ as Lord and Savior.
(Mat. 4:19; 16:24; Luke 9:23-25; John 10:1-5,27-30; 12:26; Rev. 14:4-5)
- The New Testament conception of faith includes four main elements:
- Believing and Trusting in Christ
Faith means firmly believing and trusting in the crucified and risen Christ as our personal
Lord and Savior (Romans 1:17). It involves believing from our hearts
(Acts 8:37; Romans 6:17; Ephesians 6:6; Hebrews 10:22), that is, yielding up
our wills and committing our total selves to Jesus Christ as He is revealed in the New Testament.
- Repentance
Faith involves repentance (turning from sin with true sorrow) (Acts 17:30;
II Corinthians 7:10) and turning to God. Saving faith is always a repentant faith
(Acts 2:37-39; Matthew 3:2).
- Obedience to Jesus Christ and His Word
Faith includes obedience to Jesus Christ and His Word as a way of life inspired by our faith,
by our gratitude to God, and by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-6;
14:15, 21-24; Acts 2:38-39; Hebrews 5:8-9). It is an "obedience of faith"
(Romans 16-26). Hence, faith and obedience belong inseparably together
(Romans 1:5; 16:26). Savmg faith without the commitment to sanctification is
illegitimate and impossible.
- Personal Devotion
Faith includes a heartfelt personal devotion and attachment to Jesus Christ that expresses itself
in trust, love, gratitude, and loyalty toward Him. Faith in an ultimate sense cannot properly be
distinguished from love. It is a personal activity of sacrifice and self-giving directed toward Christ
(Matthew 22:37; John 21:15-17; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 6:6; I Peter 1:8).
- Faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior is both the act of a single moment and a continuing attitude
for life that must grow and be strengthened.
Because we have faith in a definite person who died for us (Rom. 4:25; 8:32;
I Thessalonians 5:9-10), our faith should become greater (Romans 4:20;
II Thessalonians 1:3; I Peter 1:3-9). Trust and obedience develop into loyalty and devotion
(Rom. 14:8; II Corinthians 5:15); loyalty and devotion develop into an intense feeling
of personal attachment to and love for the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:21; 3:8-10;
John 15:4; 17:21; Galatians 2:20). This faith in Christ brings us into a new relationship with God
and exempts us from His wrath (Romans 1:18; 8:1); by it we become dead to sin
(Romans 6:1-12) and indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:5; 4:6).
Grace.
In the Old Testament, God revealed Himself as a God of grace and mercy, who manifested love to His people
not because they deserved it but because of His own desire to be faithful to the promises made to Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob. Grace in the New Testament continues this theme; it is God's presence and love that Christ Jesus gives
to believers by the Holy Spirit and imparting to them mercy, forgiveness, and the desire and power to do God's will
(John 3:16; Acts 2:38-39; I Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 2:13; I Timothy 1:15-16). The whole
movement of the Christian life from beginning to end is dependent on this grace.
Grace is the gift of God.
God gives a measure of grace as a gift in order that we may be able to believe the Lord Jesus Christ
(Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 2:11; 3:4).
We cannot be saved by works, good deeds of love, or trying to keep God's commandments. We must be
saved by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Consider the following:
- All the unsaved are:
- Spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1)
- Under the dominion of Satan (Ephesians 2:2)
- Enslaved to sin (Ephesians 2:3)
- Under the condemnation of God (Ephesians 2:3).
- In order to be saved one must:
- Receive God's provision of salvation (Ephesians 2:4-5)
- Be forgiven of sin (Romans 4:7-8)
- Be made spiritually alive (Colossians 1:13)
- Be delivered from the power of Satan and sin (Colossians 1:13)
- Be made a new creature (Ephesians 2:10; II Corinthians 5:17)
- Receive the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39; John 20:22).
No amount of self-effort can accomplish the above.
- What brings salvation is God's grace through faith (Ephesians 2:5,8).
God's gift of grace includes the following:
- First comes the call to repentance and faith (Acts 2:38). With this call comes
the work of the Holy Spirit within a person, giving him the power and ability to respond to God.
- Those who respond in faith and repentance and accept Christ as Lord and Savior receive
additional grace to be Born again of water and the Spirit.
- Those who are made new creatures in Christ receive continuing grace to live the Christian life,
resist sin, and serve God (Romans 8:13-14; II Corinthians 9:8). God's grace operates within the
committed believer both to will and to work for God's good pleasure
(Philippians 2:12-13). From beginning to end, salvation is by the grace of God.
- God's grace must be diligently desired and sought after (Hebrews 4:16).
Some of the ways by which God's grace is received are:
- Studying and obeying the Holy Scriptures. (John 3:3-6; 15:1-11; 20:31; Acts 2:38-39;
II Timothy 2:15; II Timothy 3:15)
- Hearing the proclamation of the gospel (Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8; Romans 1:16;
I Corinthians 1:17-18)
- Praying (Hebrews 4:16; Jude 20)
- Fasting. (Matthew 4:2; Matthew 6:16)
- Worshiping Christ (Col. 3:16)
- Being continually filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18)
- participating in the Lord's Supper (Acts 2:42; see Eph. 2:9)
- God's grace can be:
- Resisted (Heb. 12:15)
- Received in vain (2 Cor. 6:1)
- Quenched (1 Thes. 5:19)
- Nullified (Gal. 2:21)
- Abandoned by the believer (Gal. 5:4)
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