We have seen so far: (1) The chief privilege of a true Christian is that “he has peace with God.” (2) The fountain from which true peace is drawn is justification. (3) The rock from which justification and peace with God flow is Christ. We are going to consider one more point.

Fourth, the means by which a man obtains an interest in Christ and all His benefits is “faith.” (1) It is simple faith. There is but one thing needful in order to be justified by His blood and have peace with God. That one thing is to believe on Him. This is the peculiar mark of a true Christian. He believes on the Lord Jesus for His salvation. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). “Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). (2) Without this faith, it is impossible to be saved. A man may be moral, amiable, good-natured, and respectable. But if he does not believe on Christ, he has no pardon, no justification, and no title to heaven. “He that believeth not is condemned already” (John 3:18, 36). “He that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16).

(3) Besides this faith, nothing whatever is needed for a man’s justification. Beyond doubt, repentance, holiness, love, humility and prayerfulness will always be seen in the justified man. But they do not in the smallest degree justify him in the sight of God. Nothing joins a man to Christ, nothing justifies, but simple faith. “To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5). “We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28).

(4) Having this faith, a man is at once completely justified. His sins are at once removed. His iniquities are at once put away. The very hour that he believes, he is reckoned by God entirely pardoned, forgiven, and a righteous man. His justification is not a future privilege, to be obtained after a long time and great pains. “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47). Paul says, “By him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:39).

Concerning the saving faith

As we study about justification, it is important for us to have clear views about the nature of true saving faith. It is constantly spoken of as the distinguishing characteristic of New Testament Christians. They are called “believers.” In the single Gospel of John “believing” is mentioned eighty or ninety times. There is hardly any subject about which so many mistakes are made. There is none about which mistakes are so injurious to the soul.

1. True saving faith is not the possession of everybody. The opinion that all who are called Christians are, as a matter of course, believers, is a most mischievous delusion. A man may be baptised like Simon Magus and yet have no part or lot in Christ. The visible church contains unbelievers as well as believers. “All men have not faith” (2 Thessalonians 3:2).
2. True saving faith is not a mere mater of feeling. A man may have many good feelings and desires in his mind towards Christ, and yet they may all prove as temporary and short-lived as the morning cloud and the early dew. Many are like the stony-ground hearers, and “hear the word with joy.” Many will say under momentary excitement, “I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest” (Matthew 8:19).

3. True saving faith is not a bare assent of the intellect to the fact that Christ died for sinners. This is not a whit better than the faith of devils. They know who Jesus is. They believe and even tremble (James 2:19).
4. True saving faith is an act of the whole inner man. It is an act of the head, heart, and will, all united and combined. It is an act of the soul, in which – seeing his own guilt, danger, and helplessness – and seeing at the same time Christ offering to save him – a man ventures on Christ – flees to Christ – receives Christ as his only hope – and becomes a willing dependent on Him for salvation. In the main, he lives by faith and walks by faith, though he may fail to be always sensible and faithful of his own faith.
5. True saving faith has nothing whatever of merit about it, and in the highest sense cannot be called a work. It is but laying hold of a Saviour’s hand and receiving a physician’s medicine. It brings with it nothing to Christ but a sinful man’s soul. It gives nothing, contributes nothing, pays nothing, performs nothing. It only receives, takes, accepts, grasps, and embraces the glorious gift of justification which Christ bestows and by renewed daily acts enjoys that gift.

Of all Christian graces, faith is the most important. Of all it is the simplest in reality. Of all it is the most difficult to make men understand in practice. The mistakes into which men fall about it are endless. Some who have no faith never doubt for a moment that they are believers. Others, who have faith, can never be persuaded that they are believers at all. But nearly every mistake about faith may be traced up to the old root of natural pride. Men will persist in sticking to the idea that they are to pay something of their own in order to be saved. As to a faith which consists in receiving only and paying nothing at all, it seems as if they could not understand it.

6. True saving faith is the eye of the soul. The sinner is like a drowning man at the point of sinking. He sees the Lord Jesus Christ holding out help to him. He grasps it and is saved. This is faith.
7. True saving faith is the mouth of the soul. The sinner is starving for want of food and sick of a sore disease. The Lord Jesus Christ is set before him as the bread of life and the universal medicine. He receives it and is made well and strong. Again, this is faith.
8. True saving faith is the foot of the soul. The sinner is pursued by a deadly enemy and is in fear of being overtaken. The Lord Jesus Christ is put before him as a strong tower, a hiding place and a refuge. He runs into it and is safe. This is faith.

If we love life, cling fast to the doctrine of justification by faith. If we love inward peace, then let our views of faith be very simple. Contend to the death for the necessity of holiness. Use diligently and reverently every appointed means of grace, but do not give to these things the office of justifying our soul in the slightest degree.

Lovingly,

Your Pastor

More Lively Hope

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