Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved. And it is not your own doing, it is the gift of God.
Since I've been participating in a woman's group this past year we have been talking a lot about faith. In particular, is it faith that saves? The Bible is clear that we are saved by faith. It is also clear that we cannot do anything to reach that salvation, it is a free gift of God. However, there are some questions here.
Can salvation be a free gift if it has a requirement: faith?
Aren't we DOING something to get that salvation if we have to have faith?
And, if faith is that influential in salvation, what happens when we doubt?
There are also questions as to the role faith plays after salvation. Will faith, or lack there-off influence what happens in our lives? For instance, will I be healed from disease if I just have faith? Will I not be able to pay the bills if I don't have faith? Is it sin for me to use birth-control because I'm not having faith that God will provide for me in my family just what I need.
There is also the common atheist argument against faith. I was saddened, but not actually surprised to have my husband ask me this one night.
Why would a good God demand that we have faith in order to be saved, but then fail to provide us the proof we need to be saved. Especially if, all it would take is for Him to show up, say a word, do a something miraculous. A famous Atheist quote answers the question, what would you say to God if you died and ended up standing before His judgement seat. "Sir,Why have you taken such great pains to conceal yourself"
Is it fare that God demand our faith when belief in Him is, admittedly as a Christian, very hard.
When my husband expressed that frustration to me, God answered it very clearly for me.
My faith hasn't saved me. Don't get me wrong, my faith plays a role. It is clear that is has. There are countless verses explaining justification by Faith. It is as much in the Old Testament teachings as it is in the New Testament. Faith in God saves. So why can I say that my faith hasn't saved me.
There are many people who have faith and are not saved. Humanists have faith in humans. Scientism has faith in Science and hard proof. Buddhists have faith in the teachings of Buddha, while Islam places its faith in Allah. All are not saved. No matter how strong or weak their faith. No matter if that faith pushes them to murder, to die or to rescue.
Now imagine that I have faith that God exists. That He created the world, that He is who the Bible said who He is, but Christ, contrary to scripture, was not God. If we was just a man and the Jewish viewpoint was correct. Would my faith save me?
No, it would fail. The Bible is clear that there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood. (Hebrews 9:22)
We further read that without the call of Christ, even the free will choice to become a Christian would have not been possible.( John 15:16) And that Christ is responsible not just for our creation, our call and our justification, but also for our perfection (Hebrews 12:2)
What does this all mean. Does our faith mean nothing? Of course not. The Bible is clear that our faith is fundamental in our salvation. But it is a one time choice, freely made but influenced to it's outcome by the intervention of the Spirit. In the end, it is not our faith that saves us, it is Christ that saves us. This is why nothing can take us out of the hand of our Lord, because while our feelings and beliefs may change, Christ never does. It is He who saves you, and it is He who keeps you.
