Faith Alone

Introduction

Read:

H: Jane Gray (Mid 1500s) and died at the age of 16 for her faith in Christ. A Dialogue Dr. Feckenham

Feckenham: What thing is required in a Christian?

‘Feckenham: What thing is required in a Christian?

Jane: To believe in God the Father, in God the Son, in God the Holy Ghost, three persons and one God.

Feckenham: Is there nothing else required in a Christian, but to believe in God?

Jane. Yes: We must believe in him, we must love him, with all our heart, with all our soul, and all our mind, and our neighbour as ourself.

Feckenham: Why then faith justifieth not, nor saveth not?

Jane: Yes, verily, faith (as St. Paul saith) only justifieth.

Feckenham: Why St. Paul saith, if I have all the faith of the world, without love, it is nothing.

Jane: True it is, for how can I love him I trust not, or how can I trust in him whom I love not; faith and love ever agree together, and yet love is comprehended in faith.

Feckenham: How shall we love our neighbour?

Jane: To love our neighbour, is to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and to give drink to the thirsty, and to do to him as we would do to ourselves.

Feckenham: Why, then it is necessary to salvation to do good works, and it is not sufficient to believe?

Jane: I deny that, I affirm that faith only saveth; for it is meet for all Christians, in token that they follow their master Christ, to do good works; yet may we not say, nor in any wise believe, that they profit to salvation: for although we have done all that we can, yet we are unprofitable servants, and the faith we have only in Christ’s blood and his merits, saveth.

FCF: When it is said that faith alone saves, what is meant by faith?

BI: Saving faith is a gift from God where you continually rely on the person and work of Jesus Christ for salvation.

Salvation includes

Justification: Where God declares us right through Jesus

Adoption: Where God brings us into His family with Jesus

Sanctification: Where God makes us more like Jesus

Glorification: Where God finishes making us like Jesus

Body: 7 Truths of Saving Faith

Saving faith is not mere acceptance of facts about Jesus

You must know the real Jesus, but knowing is not enough (; ; )

You must approve of the real Jesus, but approval is not enough (; ; )

Saving faith is not superstition

Saving faith in the Old testament is

Superstition is widely held but unjustified belief in something or someone

Faith is

Saving faith is a gift from God (; ; ; )

Saving faith is continual (; ; )

False faith is temporary (; )

False faith is deadly (; ; )

Saving faith is reliance

Reliance implies knowledge of the truth

Reliance implies approval of the truth

Reliance is the resting and trusting in the truth ()

Saving faith is placed in Jesus Christ (; )

Saving faith in the Old Testament was placed in the promise of God salvation in Christ

Saving faith in the New Testament is place in the fulfillment of God salvation in Christ

Saving faith submits, follows, and works (; ; )

Conclusion

H: Jane Gray

BI: Saving faith is a gift from God where you rely on the person and work of Jesus Christ for salvation

Do you possess this gift?