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

Are you hopeless? Are you desperate for help? Are your troubles overwhelming? There is HOPE! God's Grace is Unmeasured!

God's Grace is Sufficient

Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace." ~ Jerry Bridges

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." ~ 2 Cor 12:9-10

What to do when you are weak

"When a man has no strength, if he leans on God, he becomes powerful." ~ D. L. Moody

"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." ~ 2 Cor 12:7-10

God's Grace is Greater than your guilt

Have you experienced this grace today?

"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." ~ Rom 3:24-26




Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Refrain
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
Brighter than snow you may be today.

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?

~ Julia H. Johnston

Listen

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.

The Promises of the Covenant of Grace

In vain we lavish out our lives
To gather empty wind;
The choicest blessings earth can yield
Will starve a hungry mind.

Come, and the Lord shall feed our souls
With more substantial meat,
With such as saints in glory love,
With such as angels eat.

Our God will every want supply,
And fill our hearts with peace;
He gives by cov’nant and by oath
The riches of his grace.

Come, and he’ll cleanse our spotted souls,
And wash away our stains
In the dear fountain that his Son
Poured from his dying veins.

[Our guilt shall vanish all away,
Though black as hell before;
Our sins shall sink beneath the sea,
And shall be found no more.

And, lest pollution should o’erspread
Our inward powers again,
His Spirit shall bedew our souls,
Like purifying rain.]

Our heart, that flinty, stubborn thing,
That terrors cannot move,
That fears no threat’nings of his wrath,
Shall be dissolved by love.

Or he can take the flint away
That would not be refined;
And from the treasures of his grace
Bestow a softer mind.

There shall his sacred Spirit dwell,
And deep engrave his law,
And every motion of our souls
To swift obedience draw.

Thus will he pour salvation down,
And we shall render praise;
We the dear people of his love,
And he our God of grace.

~ Isaac Watts

Savor the Lord Jesus Christ

"A man may take the measure of his growth and decay in grace according to his thoughts and meditations upon the person of Christ." ~ John Owen