Saving Faith

The grace of faith is a work of the Spirit of Christ in the hearts¹ of the elect, by which they are enabled to believe for the saving of their souls. This grace of faith is ordinarily brought about by the ministry of the Word.² It is also increased and strengthened by the administration of baptism and the Lord’s supper, prayer, and other means appointed by God.³

By this faith, a Christian believes to be true whatever is revealed in the Word as the authority of God himself.⁴ A Christian also perceives an excellency in it above all other writings and all things in the world.⁵ For the Word bears forth the glory of God in His attributes, the excellency of Christ in His nature and offices, and the power and fullness of the Holy Spirit in His workings and operations. So the Christian is enabled to cast his soul upon the truth that he believes.⁶ He also acts differently based on what each particular passage contains: obeying the commands,⁷ trembling at the warnings,⁸ and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come.⁹ But the principal acts of saving faith have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.¹⁰

This faith varies in degree and may be weak or strong.¹¹ Yet even in the least degree it is different in kind or nature, as is all other saving grace, from the faith and common grace of hypocrites.¹² Therefore, though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory,¹³ growing up in many people to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ,¹⁴ who is both the author and finisher of our faith.¹⁵

1. 2 Corinthians 4:13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak.  Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. ↩︎
2. Romans 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. ↩︎
3. Luke 17:5  The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”  1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.  Acts 20:32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ↩︎
4. Acts 24:14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets. ↩︎
5. Psalm 19:7–10 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.  Psalm 119:72 The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. ↩︎
6. 2 Timothy 1:12 But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. ↩︎
7. John 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. ↩︎
8. Isaiah 66:2 But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. ↩︎
9. Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ↩︎
10. John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.  Acts 16:31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”   Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  Acts 15:11 “But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” ↩︎
11. Hebrews 5:13–14 Everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.  Matthew 6:30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Romans 4:19–20 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God. ↩︎
12. 2 Peter 1:1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. ↩︎
13. Ephesians 6:16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.  1 John 5:4–5 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ↩︎
14. Hebrews 6:11–12 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  Colossians 2:1–2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ. ↩︎
15. Hebrews 12:1–2 Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. ↩︎