Let’s Talk About Saving Faith

We’ve made it through the first few chapters of Romans, and now we know both the bad news and the good news. Sin separates us from God and destines us for wrath, but righteousness is available through faith in Christ for all who believe. Faith is the key, but what does that look like? How can we have the kind of faith that makes God’s gracious salvation a reality?

What is saving faith?

Throughout the Bible, there are many examples of people who have had saving faith. People who trusted God with the outcome no matter what the circumstances looked like. One of these people was Abraham. Abraham was a big deal to the Jewish people. He was the father of their faith. The one through whom they and all the nations of the world would be blessed. They considered Abraham’s righteousness the pinnacle, but they missed a key truth. It wasn’t what Abraham did that made him righteous before God, it was his faith. Abraham believed God and by faith, he obeyed God.

Abraham obeyed God when God told him to leave home and go to a new land. He didn’t know where he was going, but he trusted the destination to God.

Abraham believed God that even though he had no heirs, through him, God would bring forth descendants too numerous to count.

Abraham obeyed God when he prepared to offer Isaac, the son of promise, as a sacrifice even though it didn’t make sense. He believed in God’s promise and had faith that He would keep it.

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises. – Romans 4:20-21

Fully convinced!

Abraham believed for things he could not yet see. He looked forward to them and expected to see them. He believed they would happen because he believed God who promised they would. Abraham had faith that was contrary to all human expectations, and we can, too.

It was this unwavering faith that was credited to Abraham as righteousness, and it is this same faith that is credited to you and me as righteousness.

[Righteousness] will be counted to us who believe in Him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. – Romans 4:24-25

Faith is the necessary ingredient in a life lived for God. Faith in Christ’s completed work on the cross. Faith in the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. And faith that God has it all covered for eternity.

Faith in the One who saves!

But it is not simply the action of our faith that saves us, it is the object of our faith: Jesus!

God essentially says: You are in an eternally hopeless situation because of your sin. There is nothing you can do to fix it. But I love you so much that I made a way. One way. My Son, Jesus. If you trust in His righteousness alone, it will be credited to you as your own. And that is salvation. Do you believe Me?

Our answer to that question reveals our faith and determines our eternity.

Abraham obeyed God because he believed God. People who refuse to obey God think they know better. They think their way holds the better outcome. But when you understand that God is sovereign, it’s not hard to trust that His way is the best way. And when it comes to eternity, God has provided only one way.

We will all have faith in something for our eternity, but if it’s not Jesus, it’s not saving faith.

“The vital question is: Do we believe in God? Have we true faith in God’s word? Are we trusting our souls to the keeping of God’s son?”

Charles Spurgeon