What is Saving Faith?

"Saving faith is, first of all, faith in the work of Christ on the Cross! It is impossible for us to understand the delivering nature of the Gospel and the assurance that He is ours in Christ because of His grace, without also considering the significance of His glorious Resurrection.

When the Apostle Paul explains the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 he reminds us that: Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. Forgiveness comes to us because of the death of Christ on the cross. But we must remember, however, that this forgiveness could not be assuredly ours apart from the testimony of the Resurrection.

The Resurrection of Christ is linked inseparably with His death on Calvary. Our destiny for eternity depends upon our knowing who He is, and having put our faith in what He accomplished on the Cross. …The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the great proof that Jesus is truly God and the Son of God. How majestically God speaks in Romans 1:4, telling us that Christ was . . . declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Believing this truth is absolutely necessary for our salvation." ~ Lance Latham

What defines you?

"My faith is my life -- it defines me. My faith doesn't influence my decisions, it drives them. ... Real faith makes us humble and mindful, not of the faults of others, but of our own."

What is Faith?

Are you complaining or trusting God?

Have you been impatient lately?

"There are no sins God’s people are more subject to than unbelief and impatience; they are ready, either to faint through unbelief, or to fret through impatience. When men fly out against God by discontent and impatience, it is a sign they do not believe “that all things work together for good, to them that love God.” Discontent is an ungrateful sin, because we have more mercies than afflictions; and it is an irrational sin, because afflictions work for good…. The devil blows the coals of passion and discontent, and then warms himself at the fire." ~ Thomas Watson

What are you holding on to?

"Nothing is too great

and nothing is too small

to commit into the hands of God."

~ A. W. Pink

Commands for those "saved by grace through faith" from Ephesians

Ephesians 2:11 Remember that we were formerly gentiles in the flesh
Ephesians 4:25 Speak truth to your neighbor
Ephesians 4:26 Be Angry, Do not sin in your anger, Don't let the sun go down on your anger
Ephesians 4:27 Don't Give the Devil an Opportunity
Ephesians 4:28 Thieves must stop stealing and must start working (changed behavior)
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let unwholesome words out of your mouth.
Ephesians 4:30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 4:31 Put away bitterness, wrath and anger
Ephesians 4:32 Become kind to one another
Ephesians 5:1 Become like God
Ephesians 5:2 Walk in love
Ephesians 5:3 Immorality etc. must not be named among you.
Ephesians 5:5 You must know that [sinners] have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ.
Ephesians 5:6 Don't let anyone deceive you with empty words.
Ephesians 5:7 Don't be partakers with [the deceivers]
Ephesians 5:8 WALK as children of light!
Ephesians 5:11 Don't participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, rather expose them
Ephesians 5:14 [the OT quote is a command to WAKE]
Ephesians 5:15 Watch how you walk
Ephesians 5:17 don't become fools, understand the will of the Lord.
Ephesians 5:18 Don't be drunk... be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands LOVE your wives
Ephesians 5:33 Each husband must love his own wife! (very intriguing that this is repeated)
Ephesians 6:1 You children must obey your parents
Ephesians 6:2 O.T. quote:"Honor your father and mother"
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, don't provoke your children [to anger], but raise them in godliness
Ephesians 6:5 obey your masters
Ephesians 6:9 Masters do the same things! (see context)
Ephesians 6:10 Be strong in the strength of the Lord
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God
Ephesians 6:13 Take up the full armor of God
Ephesians 6:14 Stand firm
Ephesians 6:17 Receive the helmet of salvation

From Truth is Still Truth blog

How Are You Doing Today?

If you can't say for sure 'I know I'm saved by grace' or you are not obeying the above commands, try reading Ephesians today.

Charles Spurgeon explains Prevailing Faith

"And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master’s table."—Matthew 15:27

This woman gained comfort in her misery by thinking GREAT THOUGHTS OF CHRIST. The Master had talked about the children’s bread: "Now," she argued, "since You are the Master of the table of Grace, I know that You are a generous housekeeper and there is sure to be abundance of bread on Your table. There will be such an abundance for the children that there will be crumbs to throw on the floor for the dogs, and the children will fare none the worse because the dogs are fed."

She thought Him one who kept so good a table that all that she needed would only be a crumb in comparison! But remember, what she wanted was to have the devil cast out of her daughter. It was a very great thing to her, but she had such a high esteem of Christ, that she said, "It is nothing to Him, it is but a crumb for Christ to give." This is the royal road to comfort. Great thoughts of your sin alone will drive you to despair—but great thoughts of Christ will pilot you into the haven of peace. "My sins are many, but oh, it is nothing to Jesus to take them all away. The weight of my guilt presses me down as a giant’s foot would crush a worm, but it is no more than a grain of dust to Him, because He has already borne its curse in His own body on the tree. It will be but a small thing for Him to give me full remission, although it will be an infinite blessing for me to receive it."

The woman opens her soul’s mouth very wide, expecting great things of Jesus, and He fills it with His love. Dear Reader, do the same! She confessed what Christ laid at her door, but she laid fast hold upon Him and drew arguments even out of His hard words! She believed great things of Him, and she thus overcame Him. SHE WON THE VICTORY BY BELIEVING IN HIM. Her case is an instance of prevailing faith—and if we would conquer like her—we must imitate her tactics.

Good advice from Martin Luther

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to an all-knowing God."

Are You Willing?

What is Faith?

"Faith is a living and unshakable confidence, a belief in the Grace of God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for its sake"

~ Martin Luther