What Is Saving Faith

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 6
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A question was asked in Acts 16:3030And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30), "What must I do to be saved?" The answer was: "Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." But what is it to believe? It is to put your whole faith and trust in Him. But what is faith?
Faith, saving faith, consists in your believing that Jesus Christ came to seek and to save the lost. Acknowledging yourself as a lost creature, you appropriate, or take hold of Him, as your own personal Savior. In your helplessness, your dependence is entirely upon the faithfulness of God not to disappoint you.
It is believing in the good news of a complete salvation in Him, and a firm trust in God that He will fulfill all His promises. "For he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Heb. 11:66But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6).
It is not just believing with the head. Hear God's own Word on the subject: "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith... that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth." Rom. 10:8, 9, 108But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:8‑10).
This is saving faith. It is not trusting to services, ceremonies, or sacraments, but it is coming to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself who said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6).
In other words, saving faith believes what God has said. For "these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name." John 20:3131But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:31).