Stockton Baptist Church

SAVING FAITH. Everyone in the world has one thing in common. We all have faith. For example, who opens a can of food and has it analyzed to make sure it's safe? No one! We just open it up with full faith that it's ok to eat. We do the same at our favorite burger joint. We unwrap the sandwich and inhale it. People in China recently had full faith that the exotic animals sold in their marketplaces were safe to eat, but we all know how that's turned out with the Coronavirus now spreading across the planet. Of course, this kind of universal faith has nothing to do with the faith that God gives to those who trust the Lord Jesus Christ. We call that faith "Saving Faith." What's vital to understand is that Saving Faith is not faith in ourselves to merit God's favor but absolute, dependent faith upon Jesus who died in our place. Also, Saving Faith always leads to Living Faith. For instance, way back in time, Noah had Saving Faith in the coming Messiah and therefore found grace in God's eyes. Despite the fact he had never seen rain, and though he had never seen a flood, yet, "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household" (Heb. 11:7). His Saving Faith led him to live out his faith. Abraham also had Saving Faith in the Promised Messiah and God told him to pack up and start walking, "And he went out, not knowing where he was going" (Heb. 11:8). He put feet to his Saving Faith and responded with obedience. The same is true of David. As just a teenager, he had Saving Faith and so went against Goliath saying, "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand...that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel." All real McCoy Christians are no different. God opened our hearts to our utter sinfulness and gave us genuine Saving Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The result? We live out our faith by God's grace and for His glory!