Faith In

I have faith but I would not say I have great faith.  I still have doubts at times, I sill have fears at times, I sill have worries at times - my faith is far from perfect.  Thank God it is not my faith that saves me or I would have no confidence at all in my salvation.

What?  Are you saying that we are not saved by faith?  Doesn't the Bible clearly say that it is by faith and not works that we are saved?  I'm glad you asked.  No, the Bible does not say that we are saved by faith, which is why Jesus said,"If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith" (Lk 12:28).  Even though we worry and our faith is weak, God provides.

But doesn't Paul, in Ephesians 2:8,9, say that we are saved by faith and not by works?  Doesn't he also say that we "live by faith" in Romans 1?  I'm glad you asked.  No and yes with a disclaimer.  Huh?  First, no, Paul did not say we are saved by faith in Ephesians 2:8,9.  He said, "We are saved by grace through faith"  Did you see that?  Saved by grace!  It is not our faith but God's grace.  Our faith is the portal through which we receive the gift of God that saves.  It is the object of our faith, not the quality of our faith that saves: Jesus Christ saves us!

Secondly, we do "live by faith and not by sight" (Rom 1:17), but that does not suggest that it is our faith that produces life but rather that it is what we believe in instead of what we see that produces the life in which we exist.  It is not what we do, even if we do believe, that saves us.  It is in Whom we believe that salvation comes.

It is not enough to have faith, not even great faith - we must have faith in Christ, even "mustard seed" (see Mt 17:20) faith in Christ, that saves.  This is absolutely vital to know.  A great faith in anyone or anything other than Jesus will not save for "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved" (Ax 4:12).  Jus' Say'n.