Faith that Saves You

Faith that Saves You

There have been many sermons preached and many books written on the topic of salvation. When asked, some say that to be saved you need to ask Jesus into your heart. Some say that you need to be sorry enough for your sins to change. Some expect emotional contrition as evidence of sincere repentance. Some say it’s saying the so-called “sinner’s prayer”—and meaning it. Others talk of making Jesus Lord of your life. Some think water baptism is enough.

As we might expect, the Bible has much to say on the topic, but some passages in the Bible can also bring confusion. Depending on where you look, you may find Jesus saying, “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:54 (KJV 1900). In another place you could read that He said, “whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14 (KJV 1900) Or, you might read Matthew 19:29 and find that those who leave “houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for [His] name’s sake, shall inherit everlasting life.”

To be sure, for many I encounter, all the different ways in which the way to eternal life has been communicated has become a confusing tangle of ideas. It’s no wonder that as I interact with people, I find that many have questions about what it takes to be saved. Some ask about the millions who lived before the cross. Others wonder about those who have never heard of Jesus or those who have limited mental capacity or who suffer from mental illness.

This uncertainty is part of the delusion and confusion purveyed by the enemy and it is heartbreaking. Father wants everyone to be saved. (see 2 Peter 3:9) He is not trying to find ways to keep people out of heaven on a technicality.

In his typically clear and loving style, the Apostle John made the question of how eternal life is obtained very simple. In John 3:15–16 he wrote, “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (KJV 1900)

A few verses later in John 3:36 he reiterated, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (KJV 1900)

Paul is similarly clear. In Romans 6:23 he wrote, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (KJV 1900) Then speaking to the believers in Ephesus he said, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” Ephesians 2:8 (KJV 1900)

The simple truth is that there is nothing anyone can do to obtain eternal life. The only way it can be obtained is by responding to God in faith. But what does that mean?

Events reported in Joshua chapter two shed additional light on what it means to believe God.

Joshua 2:1–11

1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there. 2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. 3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. 4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: 5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. 6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. 7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate. 8 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; 9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. (KJV 1900)

Did you notice that last phrase right at the end? “For the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.” This is what Rahab believed, but did it result in her salvation?

Hebrews eleven is often called “the Hall of Faith” because it lists many people whose faith was exemplary. Rahab appears in Hebrews 11:31 “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.” (KJV 1900) Indeed James agrees. He wrote in James 2:25 “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?” (KJV 1900)

What Rahab did was hide two men, lie about it, and help them escape in trade for good treatment when they came to conquer her city. Are we to take from this that treason and lying are required for salvation? The very idea that we could sin our way into heaven is ridiculous, yet James says that Rahab was justified by works.

What we believe guides how we act. We act in ways consistent with our beliefs. What Rahab believed is clear to us because of what she did.

It’s the same with Abram. When you read about him you find that he messed up a lot. He lied about his wife, saying she was his sister. He took matters into his own hands, having relations with a servant girl, when the son God had promised him seemed to be taking too long. Yet later, God changed his name to Abraham and this despite his still imperfect belief. You may recall from Genesis 17:18 that Abraham was dubious about fathering a second child and asked God to bless Ishmael instead. Nevertheless, when he was asked by God to sacrifice Isaac, the child God had promised him, he said, “God will provide the lamb.” What he believed is clear from what he did.

When people come to faith in God their attitudes and actions may change immediately, or they may take years, even decades, to change, but in big ways or small, change is ultimately inevitable.

Don’t make this into a litmus test. We cannot judge people’s eternal state based on outward appearance no matter how good or bad that appearance may be. And parenthetically, we cannot judge our own eternal state that way either, though with great enthusiasm the enemy tempts us to do just that.

Rahab’s statement that, “the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath” may bring to mind an interaction between Jesus and Peter found in Matthew 16:15–18. “Jesus saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (KJV 1900)

This passage demonstrates Peter’s faith. It is important that we not miss an often-overlooked detail here. Notice the response of Jesus to Peter’s statement. He calls him Simon Bar-Jonah. Then He changes Simon’s name to Peter and says that He will build His church on the bedrock that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Transformation has occurred. As Abram became Abraham, and Sarai became Sarah, Simon has become Peter. Saul became Paul. Sinners, like we once were, became saints.

Abraham and Rahab knew nothing of a man named Jesus. They simply believed God. Simon believed that Jesus is the Son of God. Here is another example that adds clarity to what is necessary for salvation.

As Jesus hung on the cross a fascinating interaction involving the two criminals who hung on either side of Him took place. Let’s look in on that scene.

Luke 23:39–43 “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (KJV 1900)

The first man, by his mocking and ridicule, demonstrated unbelief and rebellion. The second man was struck by the innocence of Jesus and demonstrated his belief that Jesus was his only hope of glory by asking simply that Jesus remember him.

There is no groveling, no morally exemplary performance, no baptism, no incantation of a special prayer here. There is only simple faith—taking God at His word. It is believing that God himself has provided the Lamb. It is trusting that Jesus has done everything required and credited His work to you. This belief, this trusting in God, is not something you do. It is simply a response to His offer of reconciliation. It is an answer of “yes” to the question, “Do you agree to be reconciled to God?”

In John 17:3 Jesus says, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (KJV 1900)

To know God is to have a relationship with Him. In 2 Corinthians 5:18–21 we find this idea communicated beautifully. There Paul wrote, “18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (KJV 1900)

To be compatible with and acceptable to God we must be righteous. Nothing unrighteous, impure, imperfect, can exist in His presence. As we read earlier in Romans 6:23 and Ephesians 2:8, acceptance by God, righteousness resulting in eternal life, is the gift of God.

God reconciled the world to Himself in Jesus and now He asks us to agree to be reconciled to Him. By agreeing to be reconciled we affirm that we trust what He says. By agreeing to be reconciled, we are enabled to enter into relationship with God, and that is salvation. That is eternal life.