Worthless Faith

Worthless Faith

Everyone knows that without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing to God (Heb. 11:6). Most Americans know that to be saved we must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:18; John 8:24). Most folks, if asked, would readily say that they believe in God and Christ. Hence most of them think they will be saved on the basis of that faith.

The problem is, most folks do not understand what God has in mind when he says we must believe in order to be saved. From the days of the Protestant Reformation most Protestants think that "faith alone" is adequate to save. No one who has read his New Testament to profit would draw such a conclusion.

Paul defines saving faith for us. He says that our salvation is based on "faith working through love" (Gal. 5:6). He preached the "obedience of faith" (Rom. 1:5; 16:26). Thus faith is more than a warm feeling about Jesus. Faith is not miraculously given. Faith comes from hearing the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17). Saving faith cannot exist apart from deed of obedience. "Ye see that be works a man is justified, and not only by faith" (Jas. 2:24). "Faith apart from works is dead" (Jas. 2:26). If all you have is faith alone, you have no more than demons who believe and tremble (Jas. 2:19). Without obedience to the will of God, faith is worthless as a dead body. Remember this when you read Christ's words, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16).

Sincerely,

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