Justification by Faith

Justification means we are not condemned for our sins. Based upon faith alone in Christ, sinners are justified before God. His sinless life and substitutionary death on the cross for sinners is the basis for our justification. We are justified by faith, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24).

Justification by faith alone is in Christ. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). Faith is trust and confidence, relying upon Christ alone. By faith in Christ, sinners are justified with God.

Justification by faith alone is grace in Christ. Faith receives the grace of God in Christ. Faith is the evidence that the believer is justified before God. It is the assurance of faith. Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed (Romans 4:16).

Justification by faith alone in Christ is unto righteousness. The only way a sinner can become righteous before God is by faith alone in Christ. Righteousness is the gift of God to us. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness (Romans 4:5).

Beware of Dead Faith

Dead faith will not obey the word and will of God. Living faith does God's will. Living faith works through us. God can do anything that He chooses to do without us. However, God has chosen to work through us. Living faith does the the will of God. Beware of dead faith that does nothing."As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also"(James 2:26).

The Bible teaches that we are laborers together with God (1 Corinthians 3:9). It is God's will for faith to work through us. You may put a glove on your hand to do the work before you. The glove does not do the work alone, neither can it. The hand works through the glove. So,"it is God who works in you both to will and do of his good pleasure"(Philippians 2:13).

Dead faith says,"There is nothing that we can do. What will be, will be. Nothing we can do will make any difference." To the contrary, living faith says,"I will do the word of God. He has put it in my heart. He is working through me to the praise of his glory. I am a doer of the word." The Bible says,"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves"(James 1:22).

Maybe you are in a situation where you are asking God to do something about it. Living faith prays like this,"God what would you have me to do?" Faith acts on the word of God. Living faith rises up to do something about it. Dead faith that does nothing.

When You Are Saved

You are saved when you believe the gospel of Christ. The gospel teaches that Christ died for our sins. He is risen from the dead as our living Savior and Lord (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Believers confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Romans 10:9). 

When you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you are saved. God works in us through Christ to save us (Hebrews 13:20-21). God will "make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen" (vs. 21). Therefore, to be saved is to please God through Christ. Our relationship with God in Christ is forever.

You are saved when you receive God's grace through faith in Christ. Jesus is the fulness of God's grace (John 1:16). The grace of Christ saves us through faith in Christ. Grace in Christ is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Grace is God's unmerited favor for sinners. You are saved by God's grace alone in Christ.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). The Bible is clear about when you are saved. Base your salvation on the written word of God in your Bible. Trust the promise of God to save you, when you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

God Gives You Grace

God gives you grace in salvation. It is not your works, but the work of God in Christ. Grace is not something that you deserve, but God freely gives you (Ephesians 2:8-9). Grace takes away all your sins at the cross of Jesus (1 John 1:7). Grace gives you the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Grace gives us faith to trust in Christ (Philippians 1:29).

God gives you grace in Christ. He is the fullness of grace (John 1:16). Believing on the Lord Jesus is receiving the grace of God. Preceding grace awakens you to believe in Christ (John 16:7-11). Grace enables you to believe on Christ (Acts 15:9-11). Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. 

God gives you grace as unmerited favor in Christ. Grace is the gift of salvation that you receive through the gospel of Christ. Grace can never be bought, earned, nor achieved through personal effort. Grace is always bestowed by the God of all grace. Grace gives you eternal life in Christ (Romans 6:23).

God gives you grace through the Holy Spirit changing your heart. The Spirit of grace operates directly on your heart, to change you from the inside out. God's grace changes your mind to understand the things of God (Romans 12:2). Grace changes your will to desire God's good will (Philippians 2:13). Grace changes your emotions to have a tender heart for God (Ezekiel 36:26).

Your Anointing Abides

"But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you" (1 John 2:27). The anointing of the Holy Spirit is received to abide in you as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. The word Christ means "anointed one." Christ abides in you as a believer, through the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones taught,"We have been anointed and been set apart; we have received this unction, and it has given us this understanding of truth which enables us to say that 'we have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16).

What does it mean to "have the mind of Christ?" It means the anointing of the Holy Spirit abides in you to teach you (1 John 2:27). He teaches you according to Holy Scripture, inspired of the Holy Spirit. The mind of Christ is always according to Scripture.

According to the New Testament, you are taught of God. Jesus said, "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me" (John 6:45). 

Certainly, God uses people to teach us, such as evangelists, pastors, and other teachers. However, we are all dependent upon the anointing of the Holy Spirit to teach us. Both teachers and those who are taught must depend upon the anointing of the Holy Spirit to understand the truth. The anointing of the Spirit abides in you.

Complete Salvation

Charles H. Spurgeon said, "Great care must be taken that this faith is exercised upon Christ for complete salvation, and for not just part of it. Numbers of people think that the Lord Jesus is available for the pardon of past sin, but they cannot trust Him for preservation in the future."

"Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost who come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them"(Hebrews 7:25). Jesus Christ completely saves. Spurgeon put it this way, saying, "Genuine faith trusts a whole Christ for the whole of salvation." Our Lord Jesus Christ is complete salvation for every believer.

"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ"(Philippians 1:6). Therefore, Spurgeon was clear to maintain that believers in the Lord Jesus can "trust Him for preservation in the future." That means Jesus Christ begins and completes our salvation.

Spurgeon warned of Christians who could trust Christ to save them from past sins, but they did not trust Him for the future. Spurgeon said,"They trust Him for years past, but not for years to come." He was sure of complete salvation in Christ. He declared, "Salvation by grace is eternal salvation. Sinners must commit their souls unto the keeping of Christ for all eternity." Jesus Christ is every believer's complete salvation.

Conviction & Conversion

Millard Erickson wrote, "Conversion is the individual turning to God. ... Jesus spoke specifically of conviction of sin, which is the prerequisite of repentance (John 16:8-11). Without the work of the Holy Spirit, there can be no conversion." 

Conviction is the work the Holy Spirit prior to conversion. Left to ourselves, we would never turn to God (Romans 3:10-12). The Holy Spirit convicts us of one particular sin above all others, not believing on the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:8-11). Conviction in itself is not conversion, but it is God's preceding grace preparing us for conversion.

Conviction of the Holy spirit may lead us to repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). Repentance and faith go together like the two sides of the same door. Repentance is turning away from your sins, in particular the sin of unbelief. Faith is turning to God in Christ Jesus as our Lord. Repentance and faith are one and the same action in conversion. 

Conviction of the Holy Spirit precedes conversion. We repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the reason Millard Erickson could say, "Without the work of the Holy Spirit, there can be no conversion."