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Having demonstrated in our previous meditation the necessity, nature, and fruits of true repentance, we now turn our attention to a consideration of the necessity, nature, and fruits of saving faith.
Dozens of texts could be cited to prove the necessity of faith if we are to enter into the blessings of God’s salvation in Christ. However, I have chosen four texts that epitomize the universal teaching of the Word of God concerning the necessity for saving faith:
- “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:18).
- “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16).
- “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (Eph. 2:8).
- “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 3:23).
If we are to experience the salvation procured for sinners and sincerely offered to us in the gospel, we must understand the nature of this saving faith.
God nowhere gives us one succinct definition of the nature of saving faith. He has done something far better. He has given us multiple pictures and analogies of what constitutes saving faith. The following are but a sampling of the many pictures of saving faith scattered throughout the Scriptures:
- Receiving Christ (John 1:12; Col. 2:6).
- Drinking from Christ (John 7:37, 38; Rev. 22:17).
- Looking to Christ (John 3:14, 15)
- Coming to Christ (John 7:37; 1 Peter 2:4).
- Calling upon Christ (Rom. 10:13).
- Fleeing to Christ (Heb. 6:18).
- Feeding upon Christ (John 6:35).
In all of these pictures of the nature of saving faith, it is clear that the object of such faith is not one or more aspects of the person or work of Christ-—rather, Christ Himself in the uniqueness of His person and the perfection of His work is the object of our faith.
Christ accomplishes His saving work in the exercise of his threefold office as our prophet, priest, and king. Through saving faith, we receive and entrust ourselves to a whole Christ—as a prophet to teach us, as a priest who sacrificed Himself and intercedes for us, and as a king to rule over and defend us.
I ask you, do you truly embrace the Christ of Scripture as your prophet, your priest, and your king?