Faith is essential for salvation. But we
must be absolutely clear on what we mean when we speak of “salvation by faith.”
There are various kinds of belief or faith, and not all are linked to
salvation. In the New Testament, faith means more than intellectual belief. It
involves trust and commitment. I may say that I believe a bridge will hold my
weight. But I really believe it only when I commit myself to it and walk across
it. Saving faith involves an act of commitment and trust, in which I commit my
life to Jesus Christ and trust Him alone as my Savior and Lord.
Let me use a personal example to
illustrate this. When I first met Ruth, my future wife, I began to learn things
about her–born in China, the daughter of medical missionaries and so on. As
time went on, I learned more about her personality and character, and I fell in
love with her.
But we were not yet married. We became
husband and wife only when we took a definite step of commitment to each other
on our wedding day.
In the same way, saving faith is a
commitment to Jesus as Savior and Lord. It is a personal and individual
decision. It is more than assent to historical or theological truth given to us
in God’s Word. It is faith in the promises of God that all who trust in Christ
will not perish but have eternal life.
That is truly good news.
-- Billy Graham
#4562
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