Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 ESV)
FAITH ALONE
We are saved by God’s unmerited favor. Anything we add to the mix is useless, distracting, and not really an effective part of salvation. We are saved by Grace Alone.
But how does God manifest the Grace? For us to experience it, He chose to use a particular mechanism.
Grace does not just blandly, blindly, or blithely blunder into the broken world.
The way that human-invented religions have concocted to come up with ways a divine being COULD have used to be the means of Salvation display for us some of the options God could have used.
He could have given His Graceful salvation through rewarding good works. He could have given His Graceful salvation through selecting a nation or people group. He could have given His Graceful salvation through allowing mankind to develop or evolve into a higher state of being. He could have given His Graceful salvation though accepting passivity, ignorance, or some sort of randomness or fate.
But He chose to give Grace through Faith.
God gives Grace through His gift of Faith. We believe, and He gives Grace. Not as a reward, but as a tightly entwined existence. Those who have Faith, receive Grace. Those who Have Grace, receive Faith.
Simply put, Faith is accepting as truth and as reality God, as He has revealed Himself. It is similar to trust, akin to belief, parallel to hope, and is an affirmation of God’s Word and Spirit. Faith is not the result of reason, nor is Faith the opponent of reason.
Faith is different, Faith is wonderful, Faith is a gift from God.
Salvation is by Grace alone, and only through Faith.
But we alter our definition of Faith to suit our expectations, personalities, and understanding.
For the next few days, we will examine Faith and the things with which we have tried to replace it.
Faith alone.