LIE: God only grants salvation to those who have faith in Jesus

LIE: God only grants salvation to those who have faith in Jesus

TRUTH: Our faith in Jesus is the awakening we need to realize our already-won salvation

This article is written primarily from the perspective of individual salvation, but I do see the validity of social and cultural structures that build families, schools, farms, businesses, etc, that bring kingdom realities to bear on whole people groups. It’s by both word and deed that we proclaim the risen Christ. And it’s also when people see the ‘city set on a hill’ that they will believe.

This lie is significant because it claims to withhold salvation until we can produce something, but that simply is not the case. But before we can really address this lie we first have to have a good understanding of what faith is and specifically, what faith in Jesus is. Then, once we have this understanding we can ask the question of why? Why do we need faith? That’s when we’ll get back to the lie.

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Faith is central and fundamental to who we are as Christians. After all, we’re called simply believers or those who believe, by the Apostle Paul.[1]

Faith is one of those concepts that appears to be simple, but in reality is stubbornly elusive. We talk vaguely of faith in Jesus, of ‘our faith,’ and even of plural ‘faiths,’ the word encapsulating whole religions, of ‘statements of faith,’ etc.

Throughout the New Testament, we’re called to believe:

  . . the time is fulfilled . . . repent and believe the good news. — Mark 1:15

 . . these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. — John 20:31

 . . now all who believed were together . . . — Acts 2:44

 . . “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” — Acts 16:30–31

No one disputes the necessity and importance of faith. But faith in what? And why is it so important? I hope this article helps to clarify the answers.

The big question: who is Jesus?

The gospels are all about this question: ‘Who is this Jesus?’ That question was buzzing everywhere he went. So I love it when Jesus himself just comes out with it and plainly asks:

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. — Matthew 16:13–17

Our salvation and the proper doctrine of salvation hinges on the meaning and application of the words faith and belief. The Greek noun pistis and the verb, pistueo, may or may not include the concepts of repentance, surrender, submission, commitment or obedience. But what is faith in Jesus?

Jesus’ real identity must be revealed

Even though during his ministry Jesus hid his true identity (or at least he did not openly reveal it), Simon Peter DID see it. But that recognition did not come from himself. Jesus said it had come from God — ‘My Father who is in heaven.’ And our own recognition of Jesus will also be a revelation of God. The fact is that each person encounters the living Jesus differently.

But in a nutshell, here’s my definition of faith in Jesus:

Faith is our response when we recognize Jesus for who he really is.

Faith is the recognition of who Jesus really is and the response that naturally follows. But it’s a somewhat mysterious ‘transaction’ not fully under our control, and yet we’re commanded by God to believe. Often these moments of faith are hidden from us or they may be part of some unremarkable gesture. But God sees and knows. That recognition may come to us as a small inkling, or a full-blown revelation, but often it’s hardly noticeable and may trigger a simple breathed prayer, a thank-you, the reading of a Bible verse, or any number of simple things. The size of the response often mirrors the size of the recognition. And the response is often made in desperation, just as the encounters with Jesus, which are written in the gospels, were also moments of desperation.

Paul spoke of faith as a concept:

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. — I Corinthians 13:13

Faith isn’t the apex, but it is the first, the foundation. Without it there apparently would be no hope or love. Faith in Jesus is the crux of the gospel and so deserves to be defined carefully. But it is both simple and profound. It cannot be completely ‘distilled and bottled.’ It resists our attempts to reduce it purely to a theological concept.

But let’s break it down as best we can — the following three concepts are included in the use of the word pistis (faith):

• personal conviction – a belief that
• confidence in a person’s character or competence – a belief in
• reliance upon for help – a belief on

All three of these concepts may be present in the word, depending on the context, so that faith in Jesus includes the mental awareness and understanding of the story of Jesus, and at least a rudimentary recognition of who he was/is and what he could do/did do. These three concepts are difficult to separate in the meaning of belief, and one concept may be stressed over the others.

Jesus, as no other ‘lord,’ made himself accessible and available so that even the slightest reach for him could be a gesture of faith in him:

The woman with the issue of blood who reached for the tassels of his robe. Jesus said, ‘Your faith has made you well.’ — Matthew 9:20–22

Blind Bartimaeus who shouted into the air, ‘Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.’ Jesus said, ‘Go your way, your faith has made you well.’ — Matthew 10:46–52

The centurion who did not consider himself worthy for Jesus to come under his roof. Jesus said, ‘Assuredly . . . I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel’ — Matthew 8:7–9

Those who removed the roof tiles to lower the paralytic. ‘When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”’ — Luke 5:18–20

Again, faith is the response to the revelation of Jesus and this happens in myriads of ways, large and small.

The place of repentance

But what about repentance?

Jesus came proclaiming ‘repent and believe . . .’ showing the necessity of repentance. Without repentance, faith is not possible. But what do we mean by repent? What is repentance? The Greek work is metanoia — mind change. To see the reality of Jesus takes a different perspective. Without a serious review of our lives, and without a serious evaluation of the good news, the promise of a better life, we will remain in our present state. Nothing will change and we will cynically assume that Jesus is just another flash in the pan.

In his ministry Jesus is constantly showing, demonstrating his care for individuals, his power over the natural world, and the real possibility of something new and better. Repentance is this honest evaluation and reflection of our lives in view of God’s promises. Repentance is the realization that we are powerless to change our lives and overcome sin and its consequences. Out of this change of mind, faith arises.

Analogy of faith — Joey, the adopted boy

Bear with me in the following analogy. I realize the human-to-human dynamic does not necessarily apply perfectly when illustrating the human–divine (Jesus) encounters.

But here goes:

A ten-year-old boy (we’ll call him Joey), grows up in an abusive home and in a dirty tenant slum. One day, while traveling in a car with his parents, a serious accident instantly kills both parents and critically injures the boy. He survives, becoming an orphan — no one in his extended family wants him. He’s then adopted by a couple unknown to him who nurse him back to health in their beautiful home. The contrast between the old and new homes couldn’t be more stark; it’s black and white, and the boy’s transition to his new home proves to be difficult. Although his new adoptive parents love and care for his needs, he keeps his old ways and mentality — he steals food, clothes, money, even though his parents provide everything. He cringes in fear and yells at them in anger; he disrespects, disobeys, and gets into trouble. He simply doesn’t trust them and can’t believe that his new home will last long. ‘Surely,’ he says, ‘no one could be that good.’

His new parents tell him that they love him unconditionally, accept him, that they’re giving him a forever home. He’s their son and nothing can change that. They discipline him in love, but he misinterprets their discipline as hate.

What needs to happen to solve this problem?

Simple. Joey needs to believe and accept his new life. He doesn’t need to steal or lie or cheat or hurt anyone anymore.

It would be unrealistic to expect a sudden change in his attitude. His parents would be wise to celebrate even the small ‘acts of faith’ — sitting down to a meal, receiving some new shoes, him asking a sincere question. But the truth is his parents unilaterally chose to adopt him into their home. They knew the risks. It was done for him by grace. He himself had done nothing to deserve it, actually much the opposite. But now through faith: the slow realization that his new parents DO love him unconditionally, he accepts his good home and grows up to live a NEW LIFE.

His new parents’ home is a GIFT — he did nothing to deserve it. He was adopted well before he put his faith in them. All he really needs to do is accept it and start enjoying the benefits of it.

Does this sound familiar? Here is Paul describing our adoption into God’s family:

 . . just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. — Ephesians 1:4–6

But without faith — without the recognition that his parents really are for him — Joey will continue to believe the lies of his old life and will reap the consequences of those actions, despite his new parents’ protestations and their discipline and assurances. Believing in the love, acceptance and grace of his salvation, which he did nothing to get and does not deserve, will make all the difference. His faith is the key that unlocks the peace, joy and assurance that he needs and desperately wants.

What faith is NOT

All that said, it’s also instructive to see what faith is not:

Faith is not just a decision. Although our will is involved, you can’t just say: ‘I now choose to become a Christian.’ It’s not like flipping a switch – one second you’re not a Christian, the next you are a Christian. So often our response to who Jesus is is not a conscious decision; it’s a gut-level response of our awakening to himself.

Faith is not just an action. Though an act (most likely a small act) will accompany faith, the action itself does not ensure that it’s an act of faith. For example, kneeling at an altar or raising your hand or signing a commitment card may or may not be motivated by the recognition of Jesus. But, that said, a spontaneous act, like touching the hem of a garment, or breaking through the roof to lower a sick man, though it may not seem to be significant itself, may in fact be THE act that embodies faith.

Faith is not just knowing something. The knowledge itself of Jesus dying and rising again does not save us. ‘The demons also believe and tremble.’[2]  You cannot read a book or hear a sermon and say, ‘Okay, I believe that, so now I must be a Christian.’ Although the scripture does say, ‘ . . faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God’ — we hear (or read) and faith can arise, but faith is not simply the knowing of the facts of what was said. Faith is what may arise from the hearing and understanding.

Faith is not just an experience. If you’re just seeking the ‘experience of being a Christian,’ you may have an experience, but it won’t be the actual experience of being a Christian. Usually, seeking experiences, for the sake of the experience itself, is not a good idea. Why do you want an experience? Do you want the substance of the experience or just its emptiness (the feelings, impressions, memories)?

Faith is not just ‘spiritual’. At its heart, faith is a childlike trust, and that trust can be directed toward anything, whether good or bad. But as a I said earlier, we can respond to the recognition of Jesus in large or small ways, and in spiritual or practical ways. Practical ways could include going on a walk, talking to a friend, getting ready for the day, or planting a flower — practically anything as long as it’s in response to recognizing Jesus for who he is.

Faith may be ‘hiding’ in any one of these things. Only God knows whether the decision or the knowing or the experience or the action contains faith.

But why faith?

Now we’ll get back to the lie: Faith in Jesus is required for God to grant salvation.

Why is faith THE key to salvation? If it’s not clear yet – why faith? – the answer is actually very simple. I can tend to overcomplicate it. So let me state it very plainly:

We need faith, NOT FOR GOD, BUT FOR OUR OWN SAKE.

WE need faith.

We need faith because we need to see just how good God is. Like Joey in the analogy, we need this faith to be able to receive and enjoy the benefits that he constantly lavishes on us. Without faith, without really leaning into him and his goodness, we will languish in a tepid, measured, predictably small life. It’s the kind of life that desperately tries to hold onto the controls to manage life ourselves. This is the lie from the Garden of Eden — ‘you shall be like God, knowing good and evil.’

But faith frees us from this bondage and allows us to grow into the kind of person that can trust God for anything and everything. And that includes even salvation itself. And it makes sense that faith is what unlocks this abundant life because it was initially mistrust that led to the fall in the garden. The serpent deceived Eve by planting a doubt in Eve’s mind about God’s fundamental intentions toward Adam and Eve.

Remember: ‘ . . .has God said you shall not eat of every tree in the garden . . .’

This is the subtlety of Satan who aims his destruction at our foundations: Who do you trust? Can you really trust God? Does he really love you? So faith, and specifically faith in Jesus strikes at the heart of this lie and aims to reverse our elemental and universal mistrust of God.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. — Romans 5:8

We all agree that:

God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him has everlasting life. — John 3:16

Christ died for the entire world, but he also, at the same time, made us alive in him:

And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. — Colossians 2:13–15

 . . . even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. — Ephesians 2:5–10

Christ has already done everything, leaving nothing undone. It only waits for us to believe so that we can lay hold of it.

Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. — Romans 5:18

Christ is the last Adam and the beginning of the new creation of God. ‘The free gift came to all men.’

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. — I Corinthians 15:20–22

Does this mean that those who do NOT believe will still be saved? This is the question of universal salvation and the question of hell, which I don’t have space for here. But I do try to answer these questions elsewhere.[3]

Faith for me

For me, I can’t put a definite time on when I put my faith in Jesus. But I do know it was during the time I started listening to who I now know to be a cult teacher: the late Herbert W Armstrong. I never missed his radio broadcast on Sunday nights on our local station, WIBC. And as far as I remember, I never prayed a prayer or knelt at an altar. But I did respond to what I understood of the gospel. I can’t point to a definite time or place, but it was no less real. My listening to Armstrong triggered a series of steps that later ended in the conscious surrender of my life to the living Christ. And I’ve been following him ever since.

Faith is ultimately a divinely-inspired thing. Paul speaks of God ‘giving the increase,’ in his analogy of a garden:

For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.  — I Corinthians 3:4–7

Dramatic vs undramatic

So are there dramatic and instantaneous conversions? Yes, of course. Just look at the conversions of Paul on the road to Damascus, the Philippian jailor, and the house of Cornelius. But for every dramatic conversion, there are ten that occur gradually and undramatically. Why? For one reason, many children grow up in Christian homes who may remember praying at a young age with their mom or dad, but more than likely it was the slow and steady influence of their parents and older siblings that drew their hearts to Jesus. It’s the consistent image-bearing of the parents, in both word and deed, that deeply affect the children. And this is what we should expect — whole households coming to believe in Christ together.

And these are not somehow cheated out of a strong faith because it lacks drama. It’s much better to grow up knowing and serving the Lord as the only thing we’ve ever known, as opposed to running away from the Lord and hurting others and being hurt by sin and its consequences.

Yet every child that grows up in a Christian home will eventually need to grow into their own faith, not just the faith of their parents. And a wise mother or father will lead them into that faith. But this does not mean children are not yet Christians until they’re ‘old enough to understand.’ Indeed they literally have a childlike faith.

I believe this is what Paul is talking about in his letter to the Corinthian church:

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. — I Corinthians 7:14

The children are holy because at least one believer is at home. So we as parents with small children are responsible for our children’s faith. And that faith starts with their simple trust in mom and dad. Children will find it much easier to implicitly trust God if they first trust their parents. And in a loving and disciplined home, children (usually) want their parents’ faith and joyfully learn and serve and grow in that faith.

Conclusion

Faith in Jesus comes in many forms but it’s simply a response to the living Jesus. We who are in his body are little icons of Jesus, bearing his image everywhere we go and to whomever we meet. We must not despise or belittle the smallest gesture of faith that we engender whether we see it or not. But rather, we should fan the flames and water the seed, and trust God for the increase.

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” — John 3:8

This should only encourage us that, in all places and times, whether by word, deed or attitude, whatever we’re doing and with whomever we’re doing it, we are either sowing or watering the seed of the word of God. We never know who is listening. The wind of the Spirit is always blowing.

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[1] See for example I Corinthians 7:12–15

[2] James 2:19

[3] See my articles: What is hell? and What is heaven?