Faith In Christ Alone

John MacArthur said, "Salvation from eternal condemnation is by faith alone (sola fide), and Christ alone (solus Christus) saves. Apart from Christ, there is no hope for anyone."

What MacArthur wrote is based upon clear Bible teaching. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). Christ alone saves as the way to God the Father.

Christ alone is the way to God the Father. He said, I am the truth. He is the truth according to the Holy Scripture. The Holy Spirit bears witness to the truth of Christ in our hearts. The Holy Spirit enables you to believe and confess the truth (1 Corinthians 12:3). 

Christ alone is the living way to God the Father. He said, I am the life. The resurrection of Jesus from the grave on the third day proves that He alone is the living way. The power of the Holy Spirit raised Him from the grave (Romans 1:4).

Jesus said, No one comes to the Father except through me. Others may say, "There are many ways to God." Choose the words of Jesus as your risen Lord over other opinions. Jesus Christ alone is the one who died for our sins. He is risen from the dead as our living Lord. His words are true. Salvation is by faith in Christ alone.

See God by Faith

Jesus said, "God is Spirit ..." (John 4:24). That means we cannot see God with our eyes, because he is invisible to us. However, we can see God and walk with him by faith. 

Moses was an example of faith that sees God who is invisible. "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27). He fulfilled his destiny, because of faith that endured, seeing him who is invisible. 

We see the invisible God like we see the wind move. We see what the wind is doing and where it is moving. So faith is able to see what God is doing and where he is moving. Faith sees "that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men" (Daniel 4:17). Faith sees the Most High God ruling and reigning in life. Faith enables us to see what God is doing in our lives.

Faith sees not by natural vision through our eyes, but with understanding from the word of God (Romans 10:17). We walk with God daily by faith. We remember that faith is "the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). We are walking by faith, "as seeing him who is invisible."

Those who have faith in God see him ruling over all. "For of him and through him and to him are all things, to whom be glory forever" (Romans 11:36). Faith sees God according to the truth of the word of God. Believers see God at work in all things to his glory forever.

Predestined to Adoption

The word predestination is a controversial term. However, the important point is that believers in Christ are predestined to an inheritance as adopted children of God. Most people probably think it means predestined to heaven or hell. The Bible does not teach that. However, Scripture does teach that God in love, predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ. 

He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will (Ephesians 1:4-5). 

Believers are predestined unto adoption in Christ, and in Christ alone. The word predestined means to foreordain or mark off before hand. Christ was chosen by God the Father to be every believer's Savior before the foundation of the world. God has predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ.

Believers are predestined in Christ to be adopted children in God's eternal family. God chose us in union with Christ as His adopted children. Jesus is God the Father's only begotten Son (John 3:16). Through God's Son, we are predestined to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. 

Assurance of Salvation

From time to time genuine believers may have disturbing doubts about their salvation. Such doubts are most often because we focus upon ourselves and not on Christ. Trusting in ourselves leaves room for all manner of doubt. Assurance of salvation is by faith in Christ alone. It's knowing who saved you. 

Faith in Jesus Christ is our assurance, testifying, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him until that Day" (2 Timothy 1:12). It's faith in Christ alone. He alone has the authority and power sure to save and keep us. 

Do not focus on your work for Christ, but his work for you and in you. The grace of Christ initiates your salvation. What he begins, Christ is more than able to finish. "Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it unto the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). Your salvation is sure by faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. What he began in you continues even to the final day. That is the day of Christ, when he returns.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved and sure (Acts 16:31). You are saved by what Christ has done for you at the cross and through his resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). You are saved by what Christ is doing in you and through you (Colossians 1:27; Hebrews 13:20-21). Christ alone saved you and not yourself. Assurance of salvation is knowing who saved you.

How to Love God

Love God through a personal relationship with Him. It's all about love. Remember the greatest commandment of all. Jesus tells us, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength (Mark 12:30). 

Love God in response to His great love. God gave His only begotten Son as eternal proof of His love for us. You can testify with the apostle Paul in these words, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20). That's your relationship with God. It's all about love so amazing, so divine.

Love God after receiving the fulness of His love through the Holy Spirit. You experience the love of God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit works in your heart, that you may be filled with the love of God in a personal way. For we know how God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love (Romans 5:5).

Love God through worship. You adore and praise Him for His great love. You surrender to His good will. You desire to please Him in the way we live. More than that, you love others because His love is in you. Jesus said, Love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31). God loves others through us. We love God by loving others.

How to Know God

There is a difference in knowing God and knowing about God. Most people know about God from things they have observed or heard. Your parents may have talked to you about God. You may attend church and hear sermons about God. However, knowing about God is not knowing God.

Know God by faith. He who comes to God must believe (Hebrews 11:6). You cannot come to God any other way. Because God is Spirit, you cannot see Him with your eyes (John 4:24). Only faith can usher you into the presence of God.

Know God in your heart. The word heart refers to your mind, will, and emotions. God changes our hearts through the gospel of Jesus Christ, enabling your faith to know God the Father through the Son (John 14:6). You know God by looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Know God in a personal relationship. You walk with God by faith. For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith is assurance that God is with you, and all the time. Faith is assurance that God hears your prayers. Faith is the evidence. When you know God, faith is the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).

How to Rest in Christ

Works may boast and say, "I can get you to heaven, if you try hard and labor to do your best." Salvation is the gift of God to be received. We don't work to earn a gift, we simply receive it. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is not by our works, but resting in the finished work of Christ. Salvation is the gift of God through faith in Christ.

Jesus says to you,"Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"(Matthew 11:28). Jesus invites all who are weary to come to Him and find rest. The word rest refers to our salvation as the gift of God in Christ. Rest in Christ alone means completely depending upon Him to do in us what we cannot do.

Salvation in Christ is by God's grace alone. Salvation is about what God has done for us in Christ. It's what God is doing in us and through us. That's called grace, and its fulness is found in Jesus Christ our Lord (John 1:16). He is the fulness of grace.

Salvation is resting with confidence, trust, and reliance in Christ alone, to do in us what we are unable to do. Only Jesus Christ can save us. That means we rest in Christ alone. Rest in God's love, mercy, and grace, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:30-31).