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Faith Alone in Christ Alone—Elucidated
The phrase “faith alone in Christ alone” is routinely used in Bible commentaries and studies produced by this writer. It represents the most concise and accurate expression of the means whereby a person who, realizing his sinful and eternally-lost condition under the convicting influence of the Holy Spirit, may be saved from it by the grace of God. But since there exists a myriad of explanations within evangelical Christian circles regarding the way one expresses one’s initial faith in Christ and what a lost person must comprehend regarding Jesus Christ when one does place faith in Him, this study will attempt to clarify these two issues as this writer understands them within the framework of Holy Scripture.
FAITH ALONE
The first part of the phrase signifies the only action upon the part of man that will allow him to apprehend eternal life. It is an action that employs solely a decision made within and by the person’s “will” and therefore, it is a non-meritorious action on the part of the person who is making the decision. It is not to be confused with any creditable thoughts, attitudes, efforts, works or deeds with and by which “religion” promotes as a means to achieve the approbation (approval) of God.
Definition of Faith
Saving faith, which secures eternal life for the individual, is represented within the New Testament by two Greek words that essentially mean the same action within the will of a person. One is pistis, translated as faith; and the second, pisteuo, a derivative of pistis, is translated believe. The core meaning of both words as they relate to the means in which a person apprehends God’s grace-gift of eternal life is “to place or commit one’s genuine and complete confidence or trust in (an object).” It is more than mere assent to the truth (head knowledge) that is revealed by God (James 2:9); although, it entails this. It is a personal (from the heart) and willful commitment of trust in (into) the object of the truth so revealed. Having said this, it is important to note that it is not so much the faith (or belief/trust) that saves, but it is the object of the faith (Jesus Christ) that saves the person. Yet, it is only through the means of one’s faith (personal choice) that God has chosen to exercise His saving grace (Ephesians 2:8, 9) in this holy transaction.
The reader should note that nowhere does Scripture support the concept of penitence (contrition or sorrow) as a requirement to be exercised by a lost person in the salvation transaction; although, such emotion when brought about by the Holy Spirit in the conviction (of sin) process may very well precede it (2 Corinthians 7:10). Furthermore, the word repentance is not emphasized; although, the salvation transaction is indeed repentance, meaning only a “turning to Jesus Christ from any other confidence” for one’s personal salvation. In this sense, repentance, to keep within the definition of the word as it is used in the New Testament, is a change of mind or direction, often used to represent the salvation transaction of faith alone in Christ alone. Bottom line, a lost person cannot repent except by placing his faith solely in Christ for his personal salvation. He cannot “repent” and “place his faith” in Christ to be saved. He “repents” by “placing his faith” in Christ. To make salvation a “stepped-process” by adding anything to faith/belief, which a person can terminate prior to the step of faith, is to make it a “works-faith” (meritorious) process that is incapable of saving anyone.
Lewis Sperry Chafer, D.D., Litt.D., Th.D., late President and Professor of Systematic Theology, Dallas Theological Seminary, has this to say regarding the matter:
“Few errors have caused so much hindrance to the salvation of the lost than the practice of demanding of them an anguish of soul before faith in Christ can be exercised. Since such emotions cannot be produced at will, the way of salvation has thus been made impossible for all who do not experience the required anguish. This error results in another serious misdirection of the unsaved, namely, one in which they are encouraged to look inward at themselves and not away to Christ as Savior. Salvation is made to be conditioned on feelings and not on faith. Likewise, people are led by this error to measure the validity of their salvation by the intensity of anguish which preceded or accompanied it. It is in this manner that sorrow of heart becomes a most subtle form of meritorious work and to that extent a contradiction of grace. Underlying all this supposition that tears and anguish are necessary is the most serious notion that God is not propitious, but that He must be softened to pity by penitent grief. The Bible declares that God is propitious because of Christ’s death for the very sin which causes human sorrow. There is no occasion to melt or temper the heart of God. His attitude toward sin and the sinner is a matter of revelation. To imply, as preachers have done so generally, that God must be mollified and lenified by human agony is a desperate form of unbelief. The unsaved have a gospel of good news to believe, which certainly is not the mere notion that God must be coaxed into a saving attitude of mind; it is that Christ has died and grace is extended from One who is propitious to the point of infinity.” (Systematic Theology)
And he goes on to say in his comprehensive Systematic Theology:
As before stated, repentance, which is a change of mind, is included in believing. No individual can turn to Christ from some other confidence without a change of mind, and that, it should be noted, is all the repentance a spiritually dead individual can ever affect. That change of mind is the work of the Spirit (Eph. 2:8). It will be considered, too, by those who are amenable to the Word of God, that the essential preparation of heart which the Holy Spirit accomplishes in the unsaved to prepare them for an intelligent and voluntary acceptance of Christ as Savior—as defined in John 16:8-11—is not a sorrow for sin. The unsaved who come under this divine influence are illuminated—given a clear understanding—concerning but one sin, namely, that “they believe not on me.”
To believe on Christ is one act, regardless of the manifold results which it secures. It is not turning from something to something; but rather turning to something from something. If this terminology seems a mere play on words, it will be discovered, by more careful investigation, that this is a vital distinction. To turn from evil may easily be a complete act in itself, since the action can be terminated at that point. To turn to Christ is a solitary act, also, and the joining of these two separate acts corresponds to the notion that two acts—repentance and faith—are required for salvation. On the other hand, turning to Christ from all other confidences is one act, and in that one act repentance, which is a change of mind, is included. The Apostle stresses this distinction in accurate terms when he says to the Thessalonians, “Ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thess. 1:9). This provides no comfort for those who contend that people must first, in real contrition, turn from idols—which might terminate at that point—and afterwards, as a second and separate act, turn to God. The text recognizes but one act—“Ye turned to God from idols”—and that is an act of faith alone.
The reader should also note that “lordship salvation” has no place in the salvation process. Although there are those who would require a lost person to make a “commitment of dedication,” differentiated from a “commitment of trust,” to or in Christ; it is clear that this type of commitment (dedication) is the sole aptitude of the child of God. It is never required of God as part of the salvation transaction; otherwise, again, the transaction becomes a “stepped-process,” which makes it meritorious on the part of the lost person—a “works-grace” formula that is powerless to save anyone.
Robert B. Thieme, Jr., pastor of the Berachah Church, Houston, Texas, and notable Bible scholar, in his Rebound Revisited puts it this way.
You find the same sort of problem today in Lordship salvation—faith plus commitment. As a spiritually dead person you can never make Christ ‘Lord,’ or gain the approbation of God by making a dedication, walking an aisle, raising your hands, jumping through a psychological hoop. You can never invite Christ into your heart or into your life. When you invite Christ into your spiritually dead heart, you are inviting Him into a sewer; you are inviting Him into a tomb. Instead, God summons you to share His eternal life through faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Only the Holy Spirit can make Christ your Lord at the moment you express nonmeritorious faith in Christ alone. Unbelievers are spiritually dead and there is only one thing a spiritually dead person can do for salvation. He cannot make a commitment; he cannot make Christ Lord; he cannot go through agonizing emotional activity. He must simply believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved (Acts 16:31).
Regarding the belief that commitment of dedication is part of the salvation transaction, Lewis Sperry Chafer in his Systematic Theology has this to say.
With the reception of the divine nature through the regenerating work of the Spirit, a new understanding and a new capacity to respond to the authority of Christ are gained. Those attending upon these issues in practical ways are aware that a self-dedication taxes the limit of ability even of the most devout believer. The error of imposing Christ’s Lordship upon the unsaved is disastrous even though they are not able intelligently to resent it or to remind the preacher of the fact that he, in calling upon them to dedicate their lives, is demanding of them what they have no ability to produce. . . . The most subtle, self-satisfying form of works of merit is, after all, found to be an engaging feature in this practice of applying to unbelievers the Lordship of Christ. . . . The unregenerate person, because of his condition in spiritual death, has no ability to desire the things of God (1 Cor. 2:14), or to anticipate what his outlook on life will be after he is saved. It is therefore an error of the first magnitude to divert that feeble ability of the unsaved to exercise a God-given faith for salvation into the unknown and complex spheres of self-dedication, which dedication is the Christian’s greatest problem. Just as repentance and lordship salvation has no place in the salvation transaction, it is the same for the any requirement of public confession, which is often based on two misinterpreted verses, Matthew 10:32 and Romans 10:9.
Matthew 10:32, therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. This study can only validate the cogent remarks regarding this passage by Lewis Sperry Chafer in his Systematic Theology.
This verse, which occurs in the midst of Christ’s kingdom teachings and as a part of His instructions to His disciples whom He is sending forth with a restricted message to Israel (cf. vss. 5-7) and which was to be accompanied by stupendous miracles (cf. vs. 8) such as were never committed to preachers in the present age, applies, primarily, to these disciples themselves in respect to their faithful delivery of this kingdom proclamation, and could be extended in its appeal only to the Israelites to whom they were sent. The carelessness which assumes that this Scripture presents a condition of salvation for a Jew or Gentile in the present age is deplorable indeed.
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. The primary meaning of verse 9 is the necessity of recognizing (acknowledging) Jesus Christ as the Messiah and His work on the cross of Calvary, to include His resurrection. But verse 9 (confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus) is further explained in verse 10 (with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation). It may better be rendered, as seen in the original text, “For with the heart [a genuine decision of the will] faith is exercised resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth [outward expression] is evidence confirming [before man] this salvation. This interpretation is further confirmed by verse 11, for the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame [or be ashamed]. Here the emphasis is on salvation by faith, yet it includes the fact that the one who is saved by faith will also communicate a testimony before man.
The Believer’s Bible Commentary by William MacDonald has these concluding remarks regarding this passage, “When we present the gospel, we must maintain that faith is the sole condition of justification. But we must also remind sinners and saints constantly that Jesus Christ is Lord (Jehovah-God), and should be acknowledged as such.” Lewis Sperry Chafer concludes in this fashion.
There are two convincing reasons why the Scripture under consideration does not present two human responsibilities in relation to salvation by grace.
a. To claim that a public confession of Christ as Savior is required in addition to believing on Christ, is to contend that 150 passages in which believing alone appears are incomplete and to that extent misleading. A certain type of mind, however, seems able to construct all its confidence on an erroneous interpretation of one passage and to be uninfluenced by the overwhelming body of Scripture which contradicts that interpretation.
b. To require a public confession of Christ as a prerequisite to salvation by grace is to discredit the salvation of an innumerable company who have been saved under circumstance which precluded any public action.
Confession of Christ is a Christian’s privilege and duty and may be undertaken at the moment one is saved, but it is not a condition of salvation by grace, else works of merit intrude where only the work of God reigns. (Systematic Theology)
Also, the expression, “Invite Jesus into your heart,” which is based on a misinterpreted verse of Scripture that is directed to children of God and not to the lost (Revelation 3:20), has no place in the salvation transaction. Christ does not become spiritually united with a person upon an “invitation;” the union is affected only upon an earnest expression of faith/trust, which is an act within one’s will—a genuine decision by the person to place full confidence only in Christ and in nothing else. At this point it would be profitable for the reader to review the above comments by Robert B. Thieme.
The reader should also note that confession of sins or asking Jesus to forgive you sins, another misapplication of a verse of Scripture (1 John 1:9), is never to be included in the salvation transaction. If so, one would not only not know how many and type of sins to confess (name) to God, but would most likely never have enough time to accomplish such a feat. To insist on this as a requirement relegates the salvation transaction to a meritorious “stepped-process,” as previously covered in detail. Furthermore, the only sin that keeps a lost person from being saved is not to believe on Jesus Christ (John 3:18, 36).
Finally, never should the idea be conveyed that once a person is saved his state of salvation must be maintained by his good works. Should this erroneous misinterpretation of Bible doctrine be expressed to a lost person, his only avenue is to trust Christ and himself in order to “get to heaven.” Such “trust” is insufficient for eternal life, since it makes the salvation transaction a “grace plus works” operation and reduces the payment Christ made on the cross to an inferior (limited) achievement.
Preponderance of Scriptural Evidence—a Sampling
There is upwards of 115 New Testament passages that condition salvation on believing, and fully 35 passages that condition salvation on faith, which latter word in this use of it is an exact synonym of the former. These 150 passages include practically all that the New Testament declares on the matter of the human responsibility in salvation. The following are a sampling of these passages (bold highlighting, underlining and comments within brackets have been added for clarification and emphasis).
Luke 8:12—Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
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.
John 2:23—Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.
John 3:14-18—And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:36—He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.
John 6:29—Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
John 6:35—And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes [by faith] to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
John 6:40—And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:47—Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.
John 6:59—Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
John 7:38—He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.
John 8:24, 58—Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins. . . . Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."
John 9:35-38—Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
John 10:38—But if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.
John 11:25-27—Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
John 12:44, 45—Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.
John 14:11—Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
John 20:31—But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
Acts 8:37—Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
Acts 10:43—To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.
Acts 11:17—If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?
Acts 14:23—So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Acts 16:31, 34—So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” . . . Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God [confirmation of Christ’s deity] with all his household.
Acts 18:8—Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.
Acts 19:4—Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
Acts 20:21—Testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and [by] faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 26:18—To open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.
Romans 1:17—For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith [an expression meaning completely, from first to last]; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (See Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 2:20; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38)
Romans 3:21, 22—But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. (cf. 21-30)
Romans 4:3—For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (See Romans 4:9, 11; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23)
Romans 4:5—But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
Romans 5:1, 2—Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 9:30—What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith.
Romans 10:8-11—But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth [an expression confirming genuineness of action] the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart [reinforcing the fact that faith must be genuine] 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 [the natural outgrowth of an inward imputation of righteousness, which is solely by faith]. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
1 Corinthians 1:21—For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
Galatians 2:16—Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Galatians 2:20—I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (See Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38)
Galatians 3:22—But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
Galatians 3:24— Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Ephesians 1:13—In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Ephesians 2:8, 9— For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Philippians 3:9— And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.
1 Timothy 1:16—However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
1 Timothy 3:16—And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh [confirmation of Christ’s deity], justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.
1 Timothy 4:10—For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
1 Peter 1:3-5— Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 2:6—Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
1 John 3:23—And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
1 John 5:1, 5—Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. . . . Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:13—These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
IN CHRIST ALONE
The second part of the phrase, faith alone in Christ alone, designates the target (object) into which faith is to be placed. Not only does it define the target (object) of faith, but it excludes any other confidence for consideration in the salvation transaction.
Direction of Faith
But first a brief word regarding the two primary Greek prepositions used in defining the direction of faith. Although the expression, “in Christ,” is often used throughout the New Testament; a comparable expression, “on Christ,” is also used, both having the same significance theologically, yet individually they vary slightly in connotation.
The theological concept, this writer believes, is that saving faith must be active, must be genuine, must be specifically directed, and must be an expression of complete confidence (trust). It cannot be a passive faith (intellectual acknowledgment) of certain facts. It must exude purposely and confidently from the will (“heart and soul”) of a person in the direction of (placed into) a specific target (object), Jesus Christ.
Target (Object) of Faith
Upon coming to the understanding that one is a sinner and bound for an eternity apart from God and further realizing that faith apart from works is the grace-means whereby a person may apprehend God’s grace-gift of eternal life, it then becomes imperative that the lost person understand the target (object) to which he is to extend such faith. The Bible is quite clear regarding this matter. Only the person of Jesus Christ may be considered as the recipient of saving faith, if it is indeed to be effective.
From the creation of Earth, God has dealt personally with man. Although there is much said regarding obedience to Jehovah’s laws and directions, it has always been by faith in Jehovah-God and His Word that man has pleased Him and obtained a state of justification (Hebrews 11; Romans 4:9, 11; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23). From the beginning it is clear from God’s Word that man’s self-efforts were inadequate in achieving the approbation (approval) of God; rather, it was only through the shedding of blood of an innocent that man could achieve the propitiation (satisfaction of the demands of the offended holiness) of God. In the Old Testament this concept was conveyed initially when God clothed man with the skins of an innocent animal, and it was established in the rituals of animal sacrifices to be conducted annually.
But all such sacrifices only portended the coming of Jehovah-God in human flesh and His eventual (spiritual) death upon the cross of Calvary as a vicarious (substitution) sacrifice for mankind in order to fully and once and for all satisfy the offended nature of God. For it was on the cross that for three hours, when the world was immersed in darkness, God the Father turned His back on (forsook) God the Son (Matthew 27:45, 46). Why? It was because that during this 3-hour period of time Jesus Christ took upon Himself and became all the sin of mankind (past, present and future), and it was this mystifying separation between the Father and the Son that became the penalty-payment (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45) for man’s sin (Isaiah 53:6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24). Upon completion of this sin-payment (John 19:30), the most significant event of history and eternity, Jesus Christ voluntarily gave up His physical life, so that in three days He could take it back again (John 10:14-18) in order to fully certify that He was who He said He was and that His vicarious sacrifice was indeed sufficient for man’s salvation (1 Corinthians 15:12-19).
And it is these historical events that comprise the Gospel (good news) for all mankind, as indicated in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, as taken from The New Testament—An Expanded Translation by Kenneth S. West, Teacher Emeritus of New Testament Greek, The Moddy Bible Institute:
Now, I am making known to you, brethren, the good news [Gospel] which I brought as glad tidings to you, which also you took to yourselves, in which also you have taken a stand, through which you are being saved, in what word I announced it to you as glad tidings, assuming that you are holding it fast unless you believed in vain; for I delivered to you among the first things that which also I received, that Christ died on behalf of our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was entombed, and that He has been raised on the third day according to the scriptures.
Therefore, it is Jesus Christ into whom saving faith must be directed in order for a lost person to be truly saved—to receive eternal life and avoid eternal wrath. But the question remains, “What exactly must a person understand (mentally believe) about the person of Jesus Christ prior to the exercise of saving faith, which then comprises the bare essentials of the target of faith?” Must a lost person be totally conversant with all the facts of the good news message (Gospel) entailing the vicarious death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Or to put it another way, “Must a lost person be fully acquainted with the intricate theological details of the cross and resurrection in order to place proper (saving) faith in Jesus Christ? No, but he will be responsible for mental assent to the light of God’s revelation to which he has been exposed. Consider the following:
· Although God has revealed Himself from the inception of time, the specifics of the gospel message were not clearly known until Jesus Christ came to earth in human form (Romans 1:20; Psalm 19:1; Hebrews 1:1; Acts 14:16, 17; 17:30).
· Prior to the coming of Christ, the sacrificial system instituted by God for His chosen people of Israel and which foreshadowed the “Lamb of God” that would take away the sins of the world (John 1:29), although effectual, was temporary (from sacrifice to sacrifice) and did not clearly convey the present lucid gospel message to its practitioners (Leviticus 1-7).
· The means for salvation (“plan of salvation”), which existed from the inception of time, was clearly expressed by John the Baptist and Christ during their sojourn on earth prior to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection from the dead (John 3:14-18, 36; 5:24; 6:40, 47; 8:24; 11:25; 12:46; 14:6).
Yet, after understanding his sinful condition and eternal destination, and even though he may not fully understand all the theological aspects of the vicarious death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, there are two basic facts pertaining to Jesus Christ that a lost person must understand, which will allow him to exercise proper (saving) faith.
Two Essentials of Saving Faith
Most individuals who receive God’s grace-gift of salvation are unfamiliar with all the intricacies of Christ’s death and His resurrection. It goes without challenge that everyone who comes to Jesus Christ for eternal life understands the gospel message in varying degrees depending on the presentation of the gospel message they received. They are aware that Christ “paid for their sins on the cross,” but not technically how He did it while hanging on this implement of Roman pain and death. They may also not be fully aware of the necessity and reason for Christ’s resurrection, but there are two essential elements of God’s grace-gift of salvation that they must recognize and give mental assent to in order to construct genuine saving faith. They follow.
From the moment Jesus Christ entered upon the stage of history, mankind has spared no effort to deny His deity. Modern Jewish thought has Him as a great man, a rabbi, a teacher, maybe even a prophet. Islam has Him as one of Allah’s many prophets, of whom Mohammed was the greatest. Mormons have Him as a man who worked His way up to being a “god,” a process available to everyone. Jehovah’s Witnesses have Him an angel of God, the first created being in the universe. Eastern mystics have Him as an enlightened soul, a guru, a person who had attained Nirvana. Humanists have Him as a great moral and ethical philosopher. Unitarians have Him as a nice person who tried to help people get along in a tough world. And then there are those like Albert Schweitzer, along with other “scholars,” who say He didn’t really exist. But God has Him as the “only begotten Son of God,” true God and true humanity in one person. The crowning proof of which is His resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:4).
Jesus (Gk. iesous) is a transliteration of the Hebrew “Joshua,” meaning “Jehovah is salvation,” i.e., “is the Savior;” and Christ (Gk. christos) means “anointed,” and is translated in the Septuagint as “Messiah.” This was the one aspect of Christ’s earthly existence that He conveyed over and over and which was rejected by the religious authorities of that day (as well as today). In fact, it appears that it is the most significant quality that Christ required to be believed (John 6:59; 8:24, 58; 9:35-38; 10:38; 11:25-27; 12:44. 45; 20:31; Acts 8:37; 16:31, 34). This is a critical element in the gospel message, and it is well established by God’s Word, as follows:
· Jesus specifically stated that created beings were to worship and serve only God (Matthew 4:10). He likewise insisted upon, allowed and received worship from His apostles and angels (Matthew 14:33; 28:9; John 5:23; Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 5:8-14).
· The Apostle Paul acknowledged the deity of Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28; Colossians 1:19; 2:9).
· The Apostle Peter acknowledged the deity of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:16).
· Martha acknowledged the deity of Jesus Christ (John 11:27).
· Nathanael acknowledged the deity of Jesus Christ (John 1:49).
· Stephen acknowledged the deity of Jesus Christ (Acts 7:59).
· The writer of Hebrews acknowledged the deity of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:8).
· God the Father acknowledged the deity of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:22; Hebrews 1:8).
· Thomas acknowledged the deity of Jesus Christ (John 20:28).
· Jesus Christ acknowledged His deity (Matthew 27:41-43; Mark 14:60-64; John 5:16-18, 23; 8:19; 10:30-33; 12:45; 15:23).
· As God, Jesus could forgive sins committed against God—a verification that He was God (Mark 2:5-7; Luke 7:48-50).
· The Bible specifically uses the name “God” in referring to Jesus Christ (John 1:1, 14; Romans 9:5; Hebrews 1:8; Titus 2:13; 1 John 5:20)
· A comparison of Acts 19:5 with Matthew 28:19 confirms that a reference to the name of Jesus is a reference to the entire Godhead.
· The Scriptures attribute characteristics that can be true only of God to Jesus Christ, such as being self-existent (John 1:4; 14:6); being omnipresent or present everywhere at the same time (Matthew 28:20; 18:20); being omniscient or all-knowing (Matthew 17:22-27; John 4:16; 6:64); being omnipotent or all-powerful (Matthew 8:26, 27; Luke 4:39-55; 7:14, 15; Revelation 1:8); and possessing eternal life (John 1:4; 1 John 5:11, 12, 20).
Recapitulation
Saving faith is a genuine and total commitment of trust (confidence) aimed at an object, the object being the person of Jesus Christ. Such faith cannot be shared with any other consideration such as good and noble works, kind and compassionate thoughts, rituals and traditions of religion, or any other person or thing within or without this universe. It must be wholly directed toward and dependent upon Jesus Christ.
Even should a lost person understand all theological aspects of Christ and His sacrifice, he must mentally assent to the degree of specific truth to which he is exposed regarding the matter in order to properly exercise saving faith, but many who come to Jesus Christ will not understand completely the specific theological aspects and implications of the gospel message. Yet as a minimum, a person is unable to apprehend eternal life unless his faith employs the essential concepts that (1) God in human flesh—Jesus Christ as deity is (2) the only One who can save Him, apart from every other confidence. In brief, a lost person must understand and exercise saving faith in Jesus Christ with mental assent (mental acceptance without reservation) as to who He claimed to be (Deity in human form) and that He will do what He said He would do (grant eternal life upon the exercise of saving faith).
These elements were the essentials embraced by the faiths of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, David and a host of others in the Old Testament (Hebrews 11). These elements were the two stressed by Christ Himself prior to His death and resurrection (John 3:16). And these were the two that led the Apostle Paul to declare to those in Corinth:
But we preach Christ crucified . . . (1 Corinthians 1:23)
For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2)
These passages demonstrate that of all elements of the gospel message, Paul stressed that Jesus Christ was who He said He was and that He can and would do what He said He could and would do. Jesus Christ was God in human flesh who upon the cross of Calvary took upon Himself and became the sin of the world and made suitable payment for such sin in order to satisfy the holiness of God, so that anyone who realizing their lost condition and eternal destination may place his total confidence (faith/trust) in Him resulting in personal eternal life.
After thought:
There are times when a Christian may entertain doubts as to his salvation. Maybe he trusted in Christ at such an early age he cannot remember the specific date or all the circumstances around the experience, and someone has informed him that “everyone who is saved is able to remember his salvation date or experience.” Maybe he has doubts due to questionable activities or recent emotional despair. There can be any number of reasons as to his uncertainty. If this is the case then this is how he may know for certain that he is saved, which surety must be separate from any emotions or feelings.
He need only confront and honestly answer one question, which follows: “Do I right now, where I stand or sit, know for certain that I trust only Jesus Christ who died for my sins on Calvary, and nothing or no one else, for my personal salvation?”
If the answer is “yes,” he may be totally confident that he is saved, even if he cannot remember the date of his salvation experience. If, on the other hand, he knows that he has never made such a decision of trust-commitment to Jesus Christ or that he has trusted Christ plus his good works for eternal life, then he is still lost in his sins. And if this is the case, he should waste no time trusting solely in Jesus Christ for his eternal destiny.
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13)
Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone!
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