Saving Faith or Dead Faith?

(by John Duncan)

Millions are burning in Hell today because they had the wrong kind of FAITH. What kind of faith do you have?

Eph. 2:8-9 says, "by grace are ye saved through faith." Many church going people sincerely believe that they are on their way to Heaven because they have a "belief" in Jesus Christ while they are actually heading straight to Hell when they die. They have the wrong kind of faith. "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is DEAD, being alone." (Jam 2:17)

John 3:16 tells us that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." However, this "belief" is of a specific type. According to the Scriptures many who have a "belief" in the son of God (crucified, risen and sitting at the right hand of the Father) will end up in the eternal lake of fire because they had the wrong kind of belief. Remember, even the devil has a "belief" in God though insufficient to bring him to Heaven! "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:19).

How about you? Do you have the faith that God requires for Heaven? Do you have the Biblical belief that brings forgiveness of sins?

What is the faith?

There are many kinds and degrees of faith. The 1828 edition of the Webster's Dictionary gives 10 different definitions for the one word FAITH. None of these kinds of faith will save you, except for definition #4. The only faith that will get you to heaven is the faith the Bible defines.

James 2:14-24 tells us that if your faith does not produce good works you simply have a devilish faith and your faith is dead. Does your faith in God lead you to going to church, daily Bible reading, daily prayer, and holy living? If not, you do not have the faith God requires for heaven! You are not saved by these good works but you are saved to good works, and if you do not have good works, your faith is dead and you are not saved!!!

Faith is synonymous with confidence. There is one thing that a husband needs from his wife to receive her submission: CONFIDENCE, or FAITH. If a doctor can get your confidence, you will do whatever he asks you with a glad heart. Many claim to have confidence in God while they do not obey His Word. This is a sure sign of dead faith that will ultimately leave you naked in your sin on Judgment Day. Faith (confidence and trust) in God will definitely lead someone to the Bible to know the will of God and follow it. Don't kid yourself. If you live a disobedient life to God's holy Word, you lack saving faith (or, confidence) in God.

Acts 15:8-9 goes on to identify someone with saving faith. "And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them [Gentiles] witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us [Jews]; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith." If our hearts are pure, then we know that we have the faith required for salvation. The faith that God requires for Heaven is a faith that leaves the heart fit for Heaven. Jesus said that from out of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt 12:34). The Bible says that out of the heart are the issues of life (Prov 4:23). Your words and actions reveal your heart. If your heart is pure, then your life will be pure. Many think they will make heaven even though they curse, use God's name in vain, and commit all sorts of dirty sins. Do you curse? Even worse, do you use God's Name where you would use a filthy curse word? If so you can be sure you heart is full of sin and you are in a state of condemnation before a Holy and Just God!

Gal. 5:6 tells us, "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love." Again, here we are told that this faith that God requires is a faith that produces works. You may ask, "Why does this faith work?" The answer is, it works because we love Jesus.

If I love my wife I will naturally be faithful to her. Jesus said Jn 14:15 "IF ye love me, keep my commandments." Verse 21 says, "John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me." Are you lovingly faithfully keeping the commands of Christ? Do you tell lies? Do you practice sexual immorality (lust, sex outside of marriage, pornography or homosexuality)? Do you have hate (ill-will) towards your neighbor? Do you get drunk? Responding positively towards any of these questions can let you know that you do not have the faith that works by love that God requires for pardon/forgiveness of your sins! The greatest command is to love God supremely and you neighbor as yourself. If we love someone we will not purposefully hurt of bring ill to that person. Rom. 14 says that love worketh no ill. A heart that has received forgiveness and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ willingly practices a life of daily obedience to God's word out of a motivation of love.

Do You Have the Faith?

1 Cor 6:9-10 says, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

Rev 21:8 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Gal 5:19-21 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

These sins being in your life demonstrate that you do NOT have saving faith. Saving faith eliminates all of these sins from your life.

How Do I Receive Forgiveness for my Sins?

"What must I do to be saved from my sins?"

You must surrender you life to Christ, putting your heart's whole confidence in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, in repentance from your sins. Confess and forsake all known sin in your life in an attitude of godly sorrow. Reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to Jesus Christ, being determined to "go and sin no more" by the power of His grace.