The Faith Factor

Faith is an integral element of God’s salvation of His chosen people. In other words, it is essential for those who claim to be Christian, to believe the truth, as it is in Jesus Christ (Jn 1:17; Eph 4:21).

Only those who have been positioned in Christ (Col 1:13), that is, regenerated and converted, have this faith (Jn 3:1–8; Acts 5:31). The faith — intimately linked to justification (Rom 3:26–28) — is granted by God’s grace (Acts 18:27; Phil 1:29). Paul calls it “a gift of God” (Eph 2:8–9).

Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ (Rom 10:17). The Word of Christ is the Word of truth because Jesus is the truth (Jn 14:6; 17:17). It is truth, heard in spiritual ears, opened by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Christ ministers the Word (Acts 1:8), and causes one to have the truth that sets them free from believing the lies about God, Jesus, man, sin, and salvation (Jn 8:32, 44).

There is an allotment of faith, gifted to each saint (Rom 12:3). Faith comes through the agency of Christ our mediator (Acts 3:16; 1 Tim 2:5), and only through Christ are we believers in God (1 Pet 1:20–21). In other words, it is the work of God that we believe in Him whom He has sent (Jn 6:29). This grace extends back before Creation. In His predestined election (Rom 8:30; Eph 1:4–5), God appointed to eternal life, as many as He would give the gift of faith (Acts 13:48), according to the kindness of His will (Eph 1:5), and by His gracious choice (Rom 11:5). He chose us, not the other way around (Jn 15:16). We believe.

He who believes is not judged (Jn 3:18) because there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). Believers are positioned in the righteousness of Christ (1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9), and the righteous will live by faith (Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17) the very faith that is credited as righteousness before the judgment throne of God (Rom 4:5), as it was with Abraham (Rom 4:9).

The life the Christian now lives is lived by faith in Christ, the Son of God who loved His own and gave His life for them (Gal 2:20). The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself (1 Jn 5:10). Believers know they have eternal life, based on God’s testimony concerning His Son (1 Jn 5:10, 13).

The eternal Son of God was conceived by the Holy Spirit Mt 1:20), enfleshed (Jn 1:14), and born of the Virgin Mary (Is 7:14). He lived a perfect, sinless life (Heb 4:15), fulfilling the Law and the prophets (Mt 5:17). He suffered at the hands of sinners (Mt 26:45), who crucified Him at Golgotha (Mk 15:24–25). Jesus laid down His life (Jn 10:11, 15), in order to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21). He died (Rom 5:6). He was buried (Lk 23:50–56). He rose from the dead on the third day in fulfillment of the Scriptures (Jn 2:22; 1 Cor 15:3–4).

Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:2, 11, 22), and He was enthroned as the King of glory (Ps 24; 110), taking His seat at the right hand of the Father (Lk 22:69; Col 3:1; Heb 8:1), having received all authority to rule and reign over heaven and earth (Mt 28:18). He is coming again to judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42; 2 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5). His kingdom will have no end (Ps 145:13; Jer 10:10; Dan 4:34; 7:14, 27). We believe this testimony because the indwelling Spirit teaches us these truths from Scripture.

Those who do not belong to the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:26), Jesus Christ (Jn 10; Heb 13:20), are not positioned in Him. Therefore, they do not have faith. These unbelievers have no justification before God because they have no substitute sacrifice to pay their debt of sin (Col 2:14). Redemption is in Christ Jesus (Rom 3:24), not outside of Him. He alone is the Redeemer of His people (Job 19:25; Ps 78:35; Is 41:14; 43:14; 44:6; 47:4; 48:17; 49:26; 54:6, 8; 59:20; 63:16; Jer 50:34), Israel (Is 49:6; Gal 6:16), both Jews and Gentiles, from every nation, tribe, and tongue (Rev 5:9; 7:9).

The one who does not believe in God cannot please God (Heb 11:6). Unbelievers, through their testimony, are calling God a liar (1 Jn 5:10). They suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Rom 1:18), and they invite the judgment and wrath of God (Rom 2:5). For this reason, Christians are warned not to be bound together with unbelievers (2 Cor 6:14). These two groups have nothing in common (2 Cor 6:15).

Unbelief is not rewarded with the supernatural working of God (Mt 13:58). It is a wise man who cries out to God for help in his unbelief (Mk 9:24). Most, however, can only wait for the judgment of unbelievers (Lk 12:46; Rom 11:18). Their faithlessness has zero effect on the faithfulness of God, to fulfill His purposes (Rom 3:3). These vessels of wrath prepared for destruction (Rom 9:22), continue in unbelief to the end, and they are raised on the last day, in the resurrection to judgment (Jn 5:25–29).

Ignorant unbelievers, like Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9; 1 Tim 1:13), must be shown mercy by God (Rom 9:15). They must have a spiritual heart transplant (Ezek 36:26) and be transformed by the renewing of their mind (Rom 12:2). Otherwise, they cannot enter Christ’s Sabbath rest (Heb 3:19), His kingdom of righteousness (Is 9:7; Mt 5:20; 6:33; 13:43; Jn 3:1–8; Rom 14:17). Those with evil, unbelieving hearts will fall away further and further from Christ (Heb 3:12). The unbelieving have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, in the second death (Rev 20:14–15; 21:8).

To be saved from the wrath to come (Mt 3:7; 1 Thess 1:10), one must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31). With faith granted to him by God’s grace, upon receipt of the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5; 2 Cor 4:6; 5:5), the believer trusts in Christ (Prv 3:5–6), which is pleasing to God (Heb 11:6). The Father is honored and glorified, when the Son and His glorious works are apprehended by the one, who does not work to win favor with God, through self-justifying works of self-righteousness (Rom 4:5).

Faith is the evidence that the hope of glory has Himself taken up residence in the heart of God’s beloved (2 Cor 1:22; Gal 4:6; Col 1:27; Heb 11:1). Faithfulness will manifest as a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). As the measured faith of the believer grows (Lk 17:5), it will serve, as a witness to all that the Scriptures say about the faith once for all handed down to the saints (Jude 3).

If you are a believer in Jesus, today, rejoice in the Spirit, who has caused you to believe in the Son of God. Fear not (Lk 12:32), for you will not shrink back to unbelief and destruction (Heb 10:39) because He who began the good work of faith in you, will bring His work to its fitting end (Phil 1:6), on the day of His glory and your glorification (Rom 8:17, 30), along with all the saints (2 Thess 1:10) — and that is something to believe…and praise God that you do.

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

November 10, 2022