Understanding True Saving Faith

Questions you need to consider

How would you describe your standing before God?
Would you say you were a born-again Christian?
Do you truly understand what saving faith really is?

These are vital questions every person must answer honestly. The good news is that God has not left us in the dark—His Word gives us clear answers and shows us what it means to have true saving faith.”

Do you understand who God is?

God is the creator of all things – Gen. 1:1 – In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (He is our creator, so therefore all creation is accountable to Him.)

God is holy and just and deserves our praise and obedience – Rev. 4:8 – And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

God gives eternal life as a gift to those who truly believe – John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

It is a new and abundant life – John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (Living life abundantly… new, purposefully, and joyfully)

It is a new life for all eternity – John 14:3 – And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Do you understand the problem of sin?

Our greatest problem is sin. On our own, we cannot live in true righteousness. Our sinful nature leads to spiritual death and alienation from God.

We are all sinners by nature and by choice – Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Everyone is in need of a Savior… all means all.)

We cannot save ourselves – Ephesians 2:8 – For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.

We deserve God’s judgment – Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

When we sin, we are not merely wronging other people or the church—we are rebelling against God Himself, the Creator of the universe. Our own efforts cannot repair this broken relationship, which is why God sent Jesus Christ to reconcile us to Himself.

Do you understand what Jesus Christ accomplished?

God is holy and just and must punish sin. Yet He loves us and provides forgiveness for our sin. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father except through Me” John 14:6.

Jesus is God and became man – John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus died for us on the cross – 1 Peter 3:18 – For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, (Jesus paid the price for our sin.)

Jesus was resurrected (arose) from the dead and is alive today – Romans 4:25 – who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. – Romans 6:9–10 – We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to Himself – John 6:44 – No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

Are you ready to respond in repentance and faith?

You must respond personally to the message of Jesus Christ. It is not enough to simply agree with it as true—you must embrace it for yourself, acknowledging your sin and your need for forgiveness and new life in Him.

The only way Jesus can affect your life is for you to receive Him – John 1:12 – But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

You must turn from your sin – Acts 3:19 – Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

  • Repentance is realizing that a change needs to take place.
  • Repentance is realizing your sin before a holy God is the problem.
  • Repentance is realizing only God can change you.
  • Repentance is turning away from your sin and turning to God through Jesus.

You must place your faith in Jesus Christ – Ephesians 2:8 – For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.

  • Faith is not just believing facts about Jesus.
  • Faith is trusting in Jesus.

You must follow after Him as Savior and Lord – You must surrender to His Lordship and begin to daily live for Him. Romans 10:9-10 – 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. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

  • Being a Christian is more than just saying you believe in Jesus – Matthew 7:21–23 – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
  • True Christians follow after and live for Jesus. This involves the daily giving of yourself to the Lord and His will for your life. You must stop trusting in yourself and start living in total dependence upon Him. To love Him is to live for Him.
  • This involves striving to be more like Christ each and every day of your life. A life of growing and changing.

After reading through this, are you ready to answer the following questions? Are you ready to embrace TRUE SAVING FAITH?

Do you understand who God is?

Do you understand your sin problem?

Do you know what Jesus Christ has done for you?

Do you understand what you need to do?

  • Turn from your sin
  • Place your faith in Jesus Christ
  • Cry out to Jesus. Confess your sin before Him. Ask Him for forgiveness, and place your faith in Him as your Savior and Lord.
    • Believe on Him
    • Come to Him
    • Trust in Him
    • Follow after Him
    • Live for Him
The Next Steps for the New Christian:

Share your decision with another believer and follow through by being baptized at a local church. Baptism is the way in which believers publicly profess their faith.

Grow daily in your knowledge and understanding of the Lord. Begin by recognizing that the Bible is the Word of God, completely true and containing all that is needed to strengthen your faith. The Bible is essential for leading a life of obedience and purpose as a Christian. To grow as a new believer, you must also establish Godly disciplines to help you mature in your faith (put on the new life and cast off the old life).

Prayer: Pray daily. Speak to God in a real and personal way throughout the day.

Bible Study: Love the Bible, read the Bible and meditate upon the Bible. Begin living out the truths of Scripture. Read it daily. The book of Luke (in the New Testament) is a great place to begin.

Worship and Fellowship: Find a faithful Church and attend regularly. Our church is a faithful church that believes the Bible and strives to glorify the Lord in all we do. Join us and begin to develop Christian relationships and worship as the body of Christ.

Service: Serve Christ and serve one another. Realize that life is not just about you. Look for ways to help and encourage others.

Witnessing: Tell others about what Christ has done in your life. Share the good news of God’s saving grace with all who will listen.

READ HERE NEXT – Living out the Christian Life

God will never demand perfection, but He does desire faithfulness and obedience.

Please reach out so that we can help you with your new life in Christ!

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Scripture Quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway