What is that faith that saves a soul?

Notes from Myer Pearlmans Knowing the Doctrines of the Bible.

Memorize

Rom 10:9  Because if you confess the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.

Rom 10:10  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation.

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Questions for Research and Review.

1. How many different types of Faith does the Bible speak about?
2. What are the main elements in Faith? and how much knowledge is needed
3. What is the crowning element of SAVING FAITH?
4. Who is the Object of Saving Faith?
5. Does a real Christian always have the Assurance of Salvation?
6. How can he cultivate this assurance?  Louis Berkhof Pp 137

The Meaning of Faith.

Faith in a Scriptural sense means belief or trust. It is the assent of the mind and the consent of the will. In regards to the intellect it is belief in certain revealed truths concerning God and His Christ.; in regards to the will it is the acceptance of these truths  as directing the very principles of life.

Mere intellectual faith is not sufficient for Salvation.

Jas 2:19  You believe that there is one God, you do well; even the demons believe and tremble.

Act 8:13  Then Simon, (the sorceror). himself believed also, and being baptized, he continued with Philip. And seeing miracles and mighty works happening, he was amazed.

Act 8:21  You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.

A person may give intellectual assent to the Gospel without committing his life to it.

BELIEF IN THE HEART IS ESSENTIAL.

Rom 10:9  Because if you confess the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.

Rom 10:10  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation.

Intellectual faith means the acknowledgement that the facts of the Gospel are true; heart faith means a WILLINGNESS to DEDICATE ONE'S WHOLE LIFE to the obligations which those facts involve.

Faith as truth implies also an emotional element; thus saving faith is an act of the entire personality, thus involving both the intellect, the emotions and the will

Faith is also used in Greek to mean the whole body of truth believed itself. Note these expressions:  “He now preaches the faith which he once destroyed.”(referring to Saul of Tarsus)

“shall depart from the faith;” “ the Faith once delivered to the saints.”  This is sometimes called objective faith. The act of believing these truths is known as subjective faith.

Followed by certain Greek prepositions the word “believe” conveys the thought of reposing or resting on a sure foundation.

For example:Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Faith is thus the connecting link between the soul and Christ.

The Assisting Grace of the Holy Spirit in cooperation with the Word of God, is implied in the producing of faith in the heart.

Joh 6:44  No one can come to Me unless the Father who has sent Me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day. MKJV

Rom 10:17  And this proves that faith comes from a Message heard, and that the Message comes through its having been spoken by Christ.WNT

Heb 12:1  Therefore, surrounded as we are by such a vast cloud of witnesses, let us fling aside every encumbrance and the sin that so readily entangles our feet. And let us run with patient endurance the race that lies before us,

Heb 12:2  simply fixing our gaze upon Jesus, our Prince Leader in the faith, who will also award us the prize. He, for the sake of the joy which lay before Him, patiently endured the cross, looking with contempt upon its shame, and afterwards seated Himself-- where He still sits--at the right hand of the throne of God.

Gal 5:22  The Spirit, on the other hand, brings a harvest of love, joy, peace; patience towards others, kindness, benevolence;

Gal 5:23  good faith, meekness, self-restraint.

WHAT IS SAVING FAITH?

“Faith in Christ is a saving grace whereby we receive and rest upon Him alone for Salvation as He is offered to us in the Gospel.” It is “the act of a penitent sinner only, as especially aided by the Holy Spirit, and resting upon Christ.”

It is the act or habit of mind in the penitent, a person who repents of his sin; by which, under the influence of the Grace of Holy Spirit, HE PUTS HIS TRUST IN CHRIST AS HIS ONLY AND SUFFICIENT S A V I O U R. IT IS TO BELIEVE, TO RELY ON THE MERITS OF CHRIST, THAT FOR HIS SAKE ALONE GOD IS CERTAINLY WILLING TO SHOW US MERCY.(Pardon and forgiveness.)

God commands us all to repent and believe the Good News. Have you trusted in Christ to save your eternal soul. Now is your opportunity. TRUST IN CHRIST RIGHT NOW.