A Faith That Saves
“I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day” (2 Timothy 1:12b NKJV).
The apostle Paul was asked one night, “What must I do to be saved?” He answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved,” (Acts 16:30-31). What does it mean to be saved? It is forgiveness of our sin and receiving the gift of eternal life in Heaven. Paul’s own confident testimony was, “I have believed.” Have you?
Faith involves KNOWLEDGE OF THE GOSPEL. Paul says, “I know whom…” Paul knew that Jesus is the Christ, the only divine Son of God. He knew that Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins and arose bodily from the dead the third day. Finally he knew that Jesus saves all who believe in Him. Paul says, “I know whom I have believed…” “Whom” refers to Jesus Christ. Certainly Paul believed all the gospel facts, but the object of his faith was not the gospel facts but Jesus Himself. We are not saved by a book, a creed, a sacrament, a priest or a church but by personal faith in Jesus Christ, Himself.
Some say that it does not matter what you believe as long as you are sincere. Wrong! Suppose you lay a 2 X 4 across a river and try to walk across. Sincere faith in that 2 X 4 will still land you in the river. Mustard seed faith in a concrete bridge will get you across the river. The object of your faith determines its effectiveness. Jesus is the only bridge that will get you to Heaven.
Faith is BEING PERSUADED. Paul adds “…I am persuaded that He is able…” Do you believe Jesus is able to save you and keep you? Paul describes Abraham’s faith, “And being fully convinced that, what He (God) had promised, He was able also to perform. And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:21:22). Saving faith is not a “hope so” thing. It is a wholehearted response not only to the gospel facts but also to the revelation of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. Paul says, “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10).
Some people delay becoming Christians because they are afraid they won’t be able to be good enough. That is precisely the reason you need to come to Jesus. He is the only one who is good enough. If you receive Jesus into your soul, God accepts you because He sees the perfection of Christ in you. Jesus also gives you His power. “As many as received Him (Jesus), to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). He is able to save you and keep you eternally.
Faith involves COMMITMENT. “…that He (Jesus) is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” What did Paul commit to Jesus Christ? His soul, his body, his service and all his future. Have you made that kind of commitment to Jesus Christ?
John G. Paton, missionary to a South Pacific island in the nineteenth century was translating the New Testament into the local language. He was struggling to find a word in the language for “faith” or “believe.” A native Christian helper returning from a long journey used a native word as he sat down wearily into a chair.
“What does that word mean?” Paton excitedly asked. “I rest my full weight here,” replied the native in English.” That’s it!” exclaimed Paton and used that word to translate the Bible word for “believe.
Have you “rested your full weight on Jesus?” That is saving faith.