“Believe… and You Shall Be Saved”
The Bible teaches, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9 also Act 16:31). By believing in Christ as a personal Savior and that God raised Him from the dead, the believer acknowledges the Savior’s redemption, victory over sin, and His power to justify and sanctify the sinners (Romans 4:25).
Righteousness by faith depends upon what Jesus has done and can do rather than upon what we are able to do (Ephesians 2:8). All what we can do is surrender our will to Him and allow Him to change our evil nature by His power into His own pure likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Paul speaks of the importance of faith in salvation, “to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26). We receive justification (instant forgiveness of all past sins) and sanctification (victory over sin in the life) through faith. This is true with all the faith heroes honored in Hebrews 11. By faith they all obeyed God and did His will.
Faith Is Manifest in Good Works
The Bible teaches that believing in God alone is not enough. The apostle James writes, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (ch. 2:17). And he adds, “ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble” (James 2:19). No doubt Demons are so persuaded of the existence of God (Mark 3:11; 5:7) that they shudder at the idea of their punishment in judgment (Matthew 25:41; 2 Peter 2:4). Yet, they remain evil and they will not be saved (Revelation chapter 20:10).
The idea is not that works cause faith to live, but that a living faith brings forth living works. True faith transforms the life of the believers and produces good works by God’s Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:22-24).
James speaks of the importance of works in salvation, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:21-24).
Before the birth of Isaac God said that Abraham would have many descendants (Genesis 15:1–5). This prophecy depended upon the birth of a son. Abraham believed God’s promise would come to pass even though he was still childless in his old age (Genesis 15:6). Many years later, God asked Abraham to slay his son, which apparently would stop the original promise to make Abraham a great nation. But Abraham still believed in the wisdom of God and obeyed.
The ultimate proof that Abraham trusted God was revealed in his willingness to slay Isaac at God’s command. Abraham’s works by faith were made manifest, that is, they gave evidence to his faith. In other words, his works proved he was justified! Thus, there is a complete union of true faith and good deeds (James 2:14-26). No man can face trials unless he possesses the inner power of faith. True faith helps Christians to do great works (1 John 5:4).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
