The Nature of Saving Faith

 

 

According to James 2 verse 19

The devils also believe,

If that belief is saving faith

Then salvation is theirs to receive.

 

But we must ask another question:

What do the devils believe?

“That there is one God”

And the devils were not deceived.

 

They knew that before we did

Even before the worlds appeared,

Yes, they were cast out of heaven

But that knowledge did not disappear.

 

Belief is required for salvation

So then why aren’t the devils saved?

They even believe there is one God

Well, perhaps they misbehaved.

 

Was it because they committed sin?

I would tend to believe not,

They had revolted against Almighty God

So hell is their eternal lot.

 

 

They have an intellectual belief

Their faith is a mental assent,

It cannot guarantee them salvation

Since they can’t and will never repent.

 

They even knew who Jesus was

Check Matthew 8 verse 29,

“Have you come,” they said to Jesus,

“To torment us before the time?”

 

They called Jesus the Son of God

The devils knew him very well,

And the torment he reserves for them

Not even the devil can quell.

 

Some people have this faith

But it can never gain them salvation,

It is not enough for saving faith

And this was James’ contention.

 

  

Saving faith begins with repentance

A God-induced sorrow for our sin,

An awareness we have strayed from God

And a desire to come back to Him.

 

This we do through God’s Son

In accepting His atoning sacrifice

And, with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

We walk with our Lord, Jesus Christ.

 

Saving faith is being born again

As explained to the Pharisee, Nicodemus

In St John chapter 3 verses 3-7:

This was stated by no other than Jesus.

 

Saving faith is an oral confession

To the wonderful beneficence of God,

Believing in Jesus’ death and resurrection

And motivated to spread it abroad.

 

In his heart man believes into righteousness

And confession is made unto salvation,

And those in Jesus that walk in the Spirit

Shall not come into condemnation.

 

Saving faith stimulates a walk

A walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit

And though at times we struggle,

Carefree sinning is never the habit.

 

Saving faith is simple, childlike trust

Which is fiduciary by its nature,

This speaks of a radical trust in God

Irrespective of one’s creed or culture.

 

Saving faith hangs upon covenant

Guaranteed by the faithfulness of God,

Vested in our loving, faithful Shepherd

That is with us at home and abroad.

 

 

This is throwing our full weight on Jesus

As in casting all our cares on him

And, in trusting in him who is the Light,

Our light will never grow dim.

 

In him our salvation is established

Its very nature is at one with Christ

Who died that the born again will live

And who is our living sacrifice.

 

A saved person can never be lost

Only in Christ can one make this boast,

For all that come to God by him

God is able to save to the uttermost.

 

Christ draws us and God saves us

We are extraordinarily miraculously saved,

There is no doubt about this saving faith

For the Spirit teaches us how to behave.

 

Saving faith is a Divine transformation

Instantaneous at our spiritual rebirth

But progressively developed in the believer

As we walk in the Spirit here on earth.

 

Stewart Russell © October 2019