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Pastor Larry Dela Cruz

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FAITH in CHRIST

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FOREWORD

Faith in Christ the bible says, By which we are justified and through it
righteousness is credited to us. For without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith. Faith.
Faith. This word faith is very important to God because faith means trust, hope and belief
in what God says, what God has done and what God can do. It is the denial of ourselves,
denial of our works and it is faith in Him- faith in Christ the Son of God. By grace are ye
saved through faith. We have entered and received into this grace through faith. Jesus
said to the woman who has sinned much, Your faith has saved you. We can go on and on
with Scriptures showing us the importance of faith. But there are some quarters that teach
that man on his own cannot have faith, produce faith or have faith. They say if faith comes
from ourselves then we can boast before God. A dead person in the spirit and dead in sin
cannot believe God or have faith in God. What then does the bible teaches us regarding this
issue of faith? Can man believe? What is faith? Where does faith come from? What is faith in
God? What is faith in Christ?

Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith. God is the source of all pure and
good things. Nothing a man can receive without being given from the Father of lights. How
can a saving faith begin from a man? Can all men have that saving faith? How does God
move in our lives? Does He desire all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth?
Why were other people not saved? These questions can all be answered from the
Scriptures. It is our desire that we have a complete biblical understanding how Gods words
present to us what faith really is? Its source, its recipients, its results and through it what
are ascribed to the believers.

For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace,
so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those
who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the
father of us all.
Rom 4:16

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith
into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

Rom 5:1-2

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CONTENTS

Foreword 3

Part 1

THE CONDITION OF MAN 5

Part 2

WHAT IS SAVING FAITH? 11

Part 3

CAN MAN HAVE FAITH? 21

Part 4

WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF FAITH IN CHRIST? 31

CONCLUSION 36

Part 1

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THE CONDITION OF MAN

Mans spiritual condition:

Man was made in the image and likeness of God. He is soul, body and spirit. God is a Spirit.
Man is both physical and spiritual. When man sinned his spiritual condition was marred and
corrupted but God has not left man alone. He is given the natural and instinctive knowledge
of God and of good and evil. These capabilities cannot save us. What God wants is for us to
have the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and have faith in Him which is the
righteousness of God. This is the relational and experiential knowledge of God possible
through Christ alone by the sanctification of the Spirit and power of the gospel. When the
gospel is preached God enables and opens the heart of the person who fears and seeks
God, seeks righteousness and truth so he can have faith in Christ and be saved.

NATURAL AND INSTINCTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

Man was made in the likeness and image of God


Children by creation

In the beginning God made Man in His likeness and image. That likeness and image are His
holiness, righteousness and dominion. In the garden of Eden man was commanded to obey
and have dominion. But the devil has deceived man and continues to deceive humanity
today. All men have sinned and death (wrath of God) passed to all men but that imprint of
God or that DNA of the likeness and image of God are still inherent in man. For we are
made that way though man was corrupted and stained by sin he still strives for excellence
and goodness.

Gen 1:26 Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;
and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle
and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. 27 God
created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He
created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and
fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky
and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

Act 17:28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets
have said, For we also are His children. 29 Being then the children of God, we
ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by
the art and thought of man.

Man has natural knowledge of the existence of God

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Man even he is dead in his spirit because of unrighteousness and transgression has the
natural knowledge of the existence of the Almighty. It is seen in His creation and his soul
can grope out to Him. Only beasts know not God.

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which
is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For
since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are
without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or
give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was
darkened.

Act 17:26 From one man he made every nation of the human race to inhabit the entire
earth, determining their set times and the fixed limits of the places where they would live,
27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around for him and find
him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 For in him we live and move
about and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, For we too are his offspring.

We instinctively know what is right and wrong

Rom 2:11 For there is no partiality with God. 12 For all who have sinned apart from the law
will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by
the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those
who do the law will be declared righteous. 14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not
have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the
law are a law to themselves. 15 They show that the work of the law is written in their
hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or
else defend them, 16 on the day when God will judge the secrets of human hearts,
according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.

We are given in us His natural laws

Deut 30:11 This commandment I am giving you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it
too remote. 12 It is not in heaven, as though one must say, Who will go up to heaven to
get it for us and proclaim it to us so we may obey it? 13 And it is not across the sea, as
though one must say, Who will cross over to the other side of the sea and get it for us and
proclaim it to us so we may obey it? 14 For the thing is very near you it is in your
mouth and in your mind so that you can do it. 15 Look! I have set before you today
life and prosperity on the one hand, and death and disaster on the other.

Rom 2:14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things
required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves. 15 They
show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as their conscience bears
witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend them,

We are bestowed with the will to know and choose


We are given free will.
We can choose between good and evil.
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Deut 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you
life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you
and your descendants,

Josh 24:15
If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves
today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were
beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me
and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Rom 2:6 He will reward each one according to his works: 7 eternal life to those who
by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, 8 but wrath
and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow
unrighteousness. 9 There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on
the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does
good, for the Jew first and also the Greek.

Philemon 1:14 but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your
goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.

That is why God commanded all to repent. Act 17:30 Therefore, although God has
overlooked such times of ignorance, he now commands all people everywhere to
repent, 2Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness,
but is being patient toward you, because He does not wish for any to perish but for all
to come to repentance.

And though we cannot completely follow His commandments He has placed faith in the lips
and hearts of men. So that when the gospel is preached he can believe and those who
disbelieve are condemned.

Deut 31:11 This commandment I am giving you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it
too remote. 12 It is not in heaven, as though one must say, Who will go up to heaven to
get it for us and proclaim it to us so we may obey it? 13 And it is not across the sea, as
though one must say, Who will cross over to the other side of the sea and get it for us and
proclaim it to us so we may obey it? 14 For the thing is very near you it is in your
mouth and in your mind so that you can do it. 15 Look! I have set before you today
life and prosperity on the one hand, and death and disaster on the other.
19 Today I invoke heaven and earth as a witness against you that I have set life and
death, blessing and curse, before you. Therefore choose life so that you and your
descendants may live!

DEAD IN SINS AND CHILDREN OF WRATH

But because of our sins and sinful nature we are spiritually dead which means we are
already have a condemned condition, under the wrath of God and only through Gods grace
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that we can be saved. We are not saved and do not have life- the eternal life in us. Though
we are dead in our sins God has given us that natural and instinctive knowledge of God.

Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death
through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned

Eph 2:1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly
walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air,
of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all
formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind,
and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

Eph 2:12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the
commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and
without God in the world.

1Tim 5:6 But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives.

1Per 2:10 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you
had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Rom 9:25 As He says also in Hosea,


"I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE,
'MY PEOPLE, AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, 'BELOVED.'"

God is not partial. He looks at the sinners heart.

Rom 2:3 But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice
such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do
you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not
knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your
stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the
day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who will render to
each person according to his deeds: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good
seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are
selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath
and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does
evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone
who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
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For there is no partiality with God.

RELATIONAL AND EXPERIENTIAL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

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Our natural and instinctive knowledge of God and knowing what is right and wrong are not
enough for us to be righteous before a Holy God for we all have sinned and come short of
His glory. We were not His people but children of disobedience. This has made us spiritually
dead or under Gods wrath. Therefore our natural knowledge of God is not the basis of true
knowledge of God and His righteousness. That belief has to be corrected and made right by
directing it to the Son of God. Relational and experiential knowledge of God is only possible
through Christ. It is Christ who reconciled the world to God. He made the way and opened
the way for us by the sacrifice of Himself. He said, I am the way, the truth and the life and
no man can come to the Father except through Me. He must be accepted as the Lord and
Savior and His payment on the cross for our sins, for our redemption and forgiveness.

Jn 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not
know Him.

1Cor 1:21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come
to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to
save those who believe.

Gal 4:8 However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those
which by nature are no gods.

To fully know God is to have a relationship with Him and experience His love. This
knowledge man does not inherently have and posses. For repentance and faith n Christ are
required. Man humbling himself before God and the Son of God exalted and lifted high. God
has shut both the Jews and the Gentiles, all men under sin so that the righteousness of God
and mans justification shall come through FAITH IN CHRIST who gave Himself for us.

Rom 11:32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.

Rom 3:21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested,
being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through
faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace
through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a
propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness,
because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for
the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just
and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Gal 3:21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had
been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based
on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by
faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came,
we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be
revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may
be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

The Condition of Man


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Therefore the condition of man is he can believe instinctively and naturally on God
because God evidently reveal Himself to man. This is the reason there are men
who fear God, do what is right and grope for Him. These are the people who come
to Light. Then only then The Father draws them to the Son to be saved through the
gospel and moving of the Holy Spirit and faith in Christ. From then on his
knowledge of God becomes relational and experiential. He is saved.

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that
which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to
them.

Act 10:1 Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was
called the Italian cohort, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his
household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God
continually. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God
who had just come in and said to him, "Cornelius!" 4 And fixing his gaze on him and being
much alarmed, he said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and alms
have ascended as a memorial before God.

10:34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one
to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is
right is welcome to Him. 36 "The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching
peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)--

Act 17:26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the
earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27
that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him,
though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as
even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.'

Jn 3:19 "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the
darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil
hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21
"But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be
manifested as having been wrought in God."

Act 16:14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a
worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the
things spoken by Paul.

Eph 1:12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise
of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel
of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of
promise,
Part 2

WHAT IS SAVING FAITH?

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GOD DESIRES ALL TO BE SAVED

Our God is a loving God who desires all men to be saved. Hell was not made for men but
for Satan and his angels. He wanted and commanded all men everywhere to repent. God
never shuts the door of salvation to any man. Sad to say many has chosen to rebel and
reject God.

Salvation is offered to all men.

Isaiah 45:22 "Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and
there is no other.

Matt 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you accursed, into the
eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!

Mark 1:14 Now after John was imprisoned, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the
gospel of God.
Mark 1:15 He said, The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and
believe the gospel!

Mark 16:15 He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature.
Mark 16:16 The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does
not believe will be condemned.

Jn 12:31 Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
Jn 12:32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.
Jn 12:33 But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.
Jn 12:35 So Jesus said to them, For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk
while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the
darkness does not know where he goes.
Jn 12:36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons
of Light.
These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.
Jn 12:37 But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not
believing in Him.
Jn 12:44 And Jesus cried out and said, He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me
but in Him who sent Me.
Jn 12:45 He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.
Jn 12:46 I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me
will not remain in darkness.
Jn 12:47 If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I
did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

Acts 17:30 Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, he now
commands all people everywhere to repent,

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Rom 3:9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that
both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;

Rom 11:32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.

1Tim 2:3 Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior, 4 since He
wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is
one God and one intermediary between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, Himself human

1Tim 4:10 In fact this is why we work hard and struggle, because we have set our hope on
the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of believers.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people.

2Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is
being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to
come to repentance.

1Jn 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior
of the world.

CHRISTS ATONEMENT

He died for all men.


The Bible said that Christ died for the sins of all men and took away the sin of the world.
The Scriptures tell us that Jesus did not die only for a few or limited people. He died for all
and sufficient for all men. But not all are saved and affected by it because not all receive the
Son of God. Salvation is a finished work of Christ. Eternal Life is a gift to be received
through repentance and faith in Christ. Man is commanded by Christ to repent and believe
the Gospel.

Is 53:6 All of us like sheep have gone astray,


Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.

Jn 1:29 On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, Look, the Lamb of
God who takes away the sin of the world!

Jn 3:16 For this is the way God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that
everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not
send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be
saved through Him. 18 The one who believes in Him is not condemned. The one who
does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name
of the one and only Son of God.

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1Jn 2:2 and He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but
also for the whole world.

Rom 5:6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

2Cor 5:19 In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not
counting peoples trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of
reconciliation.

Heb 2:9 but we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now
crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by Gods grace He
would experience death on behalf of everyone.

Heb 7:27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His
own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He
offered up Himself.

1Pet 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He
might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

Sin was dealt with and paid on the cross


At the cross our Lord Jesus Christ paid the sins of the world. By the offering of His body and
shedding of His blood He has obtained ransom and eternal redemption. He took away the
sins of the world thus reconciling the world to God. He finished salvation at the cross and
now salvation and eternal is offered as a free gift from God. Whoever believes shall be
saved and he who disbelieves is condemned already because he did not believe in the name
of the Son of God. At the cross Jesus said, It is finished and then He gave up His Spirit
and died and rose on the third day.

Is 53:6 All of us like sheep have gone astray,


Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.

Jn 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world!

Heb 1:3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and
upholds all things by the word of His power When He had made purification of sins; He
sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Heb 9:12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He
entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Heb 9:26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the
world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put
away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

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Heb 10:10 By his will we have been made holy through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands day after day serving and offering the same
sacrifices again and again sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But when this
priest had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand of
God,

1Jn 3:5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no
sin.

Rom 8:3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending
His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin
in the flesh,

Jn 19:30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, It is finished! And
He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish
the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring
in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy
place.

Someone may ask: if Christ already paid the sin of the world- meaning for all humanity why
there are still people going to hell? If paid already that means all are saved.

Eternal life became a free gift because Christ already obtained eternal redemption and has
paid for our sins. He purchased salvation through His blood. After Jesus has finished the
work on the cross, he said, Repentance for forgiveness of sins shall be preached in His
name to all nations. The condition for salvation is repentance and faith in Christ through
the gospel.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord.

Lk 24:45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to
them, Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third
day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to
all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Mk 1:15 and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and
believe in the gospel.

Why is the sin of unbelief not part of what was paid? Many were in the state of unbelief
before they heard the gospel. After the gospel was preached those who believed are saved
and those who disbelieved were condemned. And one goes to hell not only because of his
unbelief.

Rev 21:8 But to the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually
immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie, their
place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death.
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Even those who believed yet should they fall away there remained no more sacrifice for sins
but severe punishment and judgment.

Heb 10:26 For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the
truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us, 27 but only a certain fearful
expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that will consume Gods enemies.

HOW SALVATION IS RECEIVED?

THE GOSPEL

The gospel show us the atonement God made through the Son so we can believe

Rom 10:8 But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your
heart (that is, the word of faith that we preach), 9 because if you confess with your mouth
that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be
saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth
one confesses and thus has salvation. 11 For the scripture says, Everyone who believes
in him will not be put to shame. 12 For there is no distinction between the Jew and the
Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For
everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

So it is mandatory on our part to PREACH THE GOSPEL

Rom 10:14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are
they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without
someone preaching to them? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it
is written, How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news. 16 But
not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our
report? 17 Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes
through the preached word of Christ. 18 But I ask, have they not heard? Yes, they
have: Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.

THE PROMISE THROUGH FAITH

Gal 3:6 Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS
RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of
Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith,
preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE

15
BLESSED IN YOU. 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the
believer.

Gal 3:22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith
in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

CONDITION FOR SALVATION

Even if Christ has taken away and paid mans sin on the cross, the condition for salvation is
repentance and faith in Christ.

Lk 24:47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name
to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Mk 1:15 He said, The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and
believe the gospel!

Act 20:20 You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming to you anything that would
be helpful, and from teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to both
Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.

Therefore, salvation, atonement, forgiveness and eternal life are available for all men and
not all benefit from it because not all have taken heed to repent and believe in Christ.

Rom 10:12 For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is
Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved. 14 How are they to call on one they have not believed
in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear
without someone preaching to them? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent?
As it is written, How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.

They say in Eph 2:1 man is spiritually dead in trespasses and sin how he can repent
and have faith? And in 1Cor 2:14 the natural man can not understand or receive the
things of God.

There is no scripture that says even man is spiritually dead he has no knowledge of God.
God has given man the natural and instinctive knowledge of God. Man has an inner and
outside witness that God exists. The experiential and relational knowledge of Christ comes
through the gospel as God enables the seeker of the truth. The Lord and His apostles could
have not commanded the people to repent and believe should they are not able after
hearing the gospel. Repentance and faith are brought about by the gospel and are given to
the sinner who comes to the light through the Word- the good news. The sinner begins to
have faith in the Son of God through the preaching of the gospel and the power and
working of the Spirit of God when it s preached. God opens our hearts to respond to the
gospel. And through faith in Christ we are made alive and given new birth and saved. In
Luke 8:15 Jesus said there are those who have honest and good hearts receive the Word
preached bear fruit.

16
Lk 8:15 But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in
an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.

HOW SAVING FAITH IS PRODUCED

THE WORDS OF CHRIST, THE GOSPEL


The Words of Christ are life and spirit.

The Words of Christ - the Gospel gives life and awakens the spirit of the believer who is
dead in sin and trespasses. Saving faith is brought about by the hearing and hearing of the
gospel. Because man is spiritually dead he is made alive by the word of God through faith in
Christ. Upon hearing the gospel faith comes to him because he sees the CHRIST CRUCIFED
and the Holy Spirit convicts him from his sins moving him to repentance. He is born again.

Jn 6:63 The Spirit is the one who gives life; human nature is of no help! The words that I
have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

THE GOSPEL BRINGS FAITH IN CHRIST

The preaching of the gospel shows us the payment Christ made on the Cross for our sins.
People come to realize what He did and faith comes from what they have heard.

1Cor 15:1 Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I
preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, 2 and by which you are being
saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you unless you believed in vain. 3
For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received that Christ died for
our sins according to the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised
on the third day according to the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to
the twelve.

Gal 3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you? Before your eyes Jesus
Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified! 2 The only thing I want to learn from you is
this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you
heard?

Rom 10:14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to
believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone
preaching to them? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written,
How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news. 16 But not all
have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report? 17
Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the
preached word of Christ.

17
GOD DRAWS TO CHRIST THROUGH THE GOSPEL

Act 10:1 Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was
called the Italian cohort, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his
household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.
3 About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just
come in and said to him, Cornelius! 4 And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed,
he said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Your prayers and alms have ascended
as a memorial before God.

Act 10:31 and he said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have
been remembered before God. 32 Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is
also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the
sea. 33 So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now
then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by
the Lord. 34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: I most certainly understand now that God is
not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does
what is right is welcome to Him. 36The word which He sent to the sons of Israel,
preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)

GOD OPENS OUR HEARTS

Act 16:14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a
worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the
things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she
urged us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and
stay. And she prevailed upon us.

WE ARE MADE ALIVE THROUGH FAITH

Col 2:12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with
Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you
were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made
you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

THROUGH THE GOSPEL WE ARE REGENERATED AND GIVEN NEW BIRTH

It is through the preaching and faith through the Gospel that we are given new birth.

1Pet 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he
gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead.
23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through
the living and enduring word of God.

18
25 but the word of the Lord1 endures forever.
And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

Js 1:18 By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we
would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

WE ARE GIVEN THE HOLY SPIRIT

Repentance and faith are the rightful response of the believer upon hearing the gospel.
They shall be forgiven, washed by the blood of the Lamb and shall be given the Holy Spirit.

Act 15:7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, Brothers,
you know that some time ago God chose me to preach to the Gentiles so they would
hear the message of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, has
testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no
distinction between them and us, cleansing their hearts by faith.

Act 10:42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to warn them that he is the one
appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 About him all the prophets testify,
that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who
heard the message.

Gal 3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you? Before your eyes Jesus
Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified! 2 The only thing I want to learn from you is
this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you
heard? 3 Are you so foolish? Although you began with the Spirit, are you now trying to
finish by human effort?

AND WE ARE SAVED THROUGH THE GOSPEL

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is Gods power for salvation to
everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For the righteousness
of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, The righteous by
faith will live.

1Cor 1:18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1Cor 15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I
preached to you unless you believed in vain.

2Thess 2:13 But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the
Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through
sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14 He called you to this salvation
through our gospel, so that you may possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

19
Eph 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of
your salvationhaving also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit
of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the
redemption of Gods own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Faith works through His Name and His Word


Saving Faith Results when directed to Jesus
Through the gospel the power of God for salvation

Act 3:16
And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has
strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes
through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

Rom 10:13
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 14 How are
they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they
have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And
how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How timely is the arrival
of those who proclaim the good news.

16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, LORD, WHO HAS
17
BELIEVED OUR REPORT? So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of
Christ.

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation
to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the
righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, BUT THE RIGHTEOUS
man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

Saving Faith

Saving faith therefore is our faith in Christ brought about by the hearing and
hearing of the gospel. It is God saving man through His Son Jesus Christ. The man
who believed God is moved into faith in Christ. He believes from the heart through
the power of the gospel and working of God. It is God working in man opening his
heart and revealing Jesus Christ through the gospel. Man having the insight and
understanding and believing the Son of God who is the Savior and Lord and paid
for our sins.

Part 3
CAN MAN HAVE FAITH?

20
GOD COMMANDED MAN TO BELIEVE

God could not have commanded all men to repent and believe should man is not capable of
repenting and believing.

Mark 1:15 He said, The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and
believe the gospel!

Mark 16:15 He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature.
Mark 16:16 The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does
not believe will be condemned.

Jn 12:31 Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
Jn 12:32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.
Jn 12:33 But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.
Jn 12:35 So Jesus said to them, For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk
while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the
darkness does not know where he goes.
Jn 12:36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons
of Light.
These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.
Jn 12:37 But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not
believing in Him.
Jn 12:44 And Jesus cried out and said, He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me
but in Him who sent Me.
Jn 12:45 He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.
Jn 12:46 I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me
will not remain in darkness.
Jn 12:47 If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I
did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

Acts 17:30 Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, he now
commands all people everywhere to repent,

Act 20:20 You know that I did not hold back from proclaiming to you anything that would
be helpful, and from teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to both
Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.

Rom 3:9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that
both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;

Rom 11:32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.

1Tim 2:3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all
men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God,
and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave
Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

21
1Tim 4:10 In fact this is why we work hard and struggle, because we have set our hope on
the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of believers.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people.

2Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is
being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to
come to repentance.

WE ARE GIVEN FAITH

The Word of Faith in mans mouth and heart

Rom 10:6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: Do not say in your heart, Who
will ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 or Who will descend into the
abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? The word is
near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith that we preach),

God has given us a measure of faith

Rom 12:3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think
more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment,
as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

Jas 2:5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to
be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

Mark 11:22 Jesus said to them, Have faith in God.

People showed their faith

Matt 8:10 When Jesus heard this he was amazed and said to those who followed him, I
tell you the truth, I have not found such faith in anyone in Israel! 11 I tell you, many
will come from the east and west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 but the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into
the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matt 9:2 Just then some people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When
Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, Have courage, son! Your sins are
forgiven.

Lk 7:48 Then Jesus said to her, Your sins are forgiven. 49 But those who were at the
table with him began to say among themselves, Who is this, who even forgives sins? 50
He said to the woman, Your faith has saved you; go in peace.

22
Matt 9:21 For she kept saying to herself, If only I touch his cloak, I will be healed. 22
But when Jesus turned and saw her he said, Have courage, daughter! Your faith has
made you well. And the woman was healed from that hour.

Matt 9:28 When he went into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them,
Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to him, Yes, Lord. 29 Then he
touched their eyes saying, Let it be done for you according to your faith.

Matt 15:24 So he answered, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25
But she came and bowed down before him and said, Lord, help me! 26 It is not right to
take the childrens bread and throw it to the dogs, he said. 27 Yes, Lord, she replied,
but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters table. 28 Then Jesus
answered her, Woman, your faith is great! Let what you want be done for you. And her
daughter was healed from that hour.

Matt 17:18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was
healed from that moment. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, Why
couldnt we cast it out? 20 He told them, It was because of your little faith. I tell
you the truth, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this
mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move; nothing will be impossible for you.

Luke 17:15 Then one of them, when he saw he was healed, turned back, praising God
with a loud voice. 16 He fell with his face to the ground at Jesus feet and thanked him.
(Now he was a Samaritan.) 17 Then Jesus said, Were not ten cleansed? Where are the
other nine? 18 Was no one found to turn back and give praise to God except this
foreigner? 19 Then he said to the man, Get up and go your way. Your faith has made
you well.

FAITH IN CHRIST IS TAUGHT IN SCRIPTURE

Since man has the natural and instinctive knowledge of God, faith in the truth and faith in
Christ are directed through the power of the gospel in the working of God. Faith in Christ is
brought about by the hearing of the Words of Christ and by the moving of the Holy Spirit. It
is God who opens the heart and understanding of the sinner who believes through the
gospel. The words of Christ are life and spirit and powerful. It is believing from the heart
and confession unto his mouth that Jesus is Lord and has risen from the dead. Faith comes
from the gospel and through Him as God works with the conviction of the Spirit.

We have hoped and believed in Him

Eph 1:11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His
purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were
the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after
listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also
believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among
you and your love for all the saints,

23
Believe in Him

Jn 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in
Him whom He has sent."

Jn 8:30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.

Jn 9:36 He answered, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"

Acts 19:4 Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people t0
believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus."

Rom 4:24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him
who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

Rom 10:14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will
they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a
preacher?

Phil 1:29 For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but
also to suffer for His sake,

1 Tim 1:16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ
might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him
for eternal life.

1 Pet 1:8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see
Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

Faith in Him

Eph 3:12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.

Act 26:18 To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the
dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance
among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.'

Faith in Jesus

Rom 3:22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those
who believe; for there is no distinction;

26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would
be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Gal 3:22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in
Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Rev 14:12 Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and
their faith in Jesus.
24
Faith in the Son of God

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ
lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Faith in Christ

Act 24:24 But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and
sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.

Gal 2:16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law
but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we
may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of
the Law no flesh will be justified.

Gal 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Phil 3:9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the
Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on
the basis of faith,

Col 1:4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all
the saints;

Col 2:5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing
to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.

Faith in Christ therefore is brought about by the preaching of the gospel. God
opens our hearts so we can respond and believe from our hearts that God raised
Him from the dead, call and confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord and we are
saved. We had our faith in God in the existence of the Almighty towards faith in
His Son through His working.

AFTER THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED

THE WORD OF GOD TEACHES US TO HAVE

FAITH IN JESUS, BELIEVE IN JESUS AND HOPE IN JESUS

FOR ETERNAL LIFE AND SALVATION.

25
Acts 15
7
After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them,
"Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by
my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.
8
"And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit,
just as He also did to us;
9
and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

Mark 1
14
Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee,
preaching the gospel of God,
15
and saying,
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the gospel."

Acts 19
4
Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe
in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus."

1 Timothy 1
16
Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might
demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him
for eternal life.

John 6
40
For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in
Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

John 17
20
"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their
word;

Acts 11
17
Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in
the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?"

Acts 16
30
and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31
They said, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your
household."

1 John 3
23
This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and
love one another, just as He commanded us.

26
1 John 5
13
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so
that you may know that you have eternal life.

Romans 4
5
But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his
faith is credited as righteousness,

John 20
31
but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

Acts 26
18
to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion
of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among
those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.'

Ephesians 1
12
to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His
glory. 13In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your
salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Revelation 14
12
Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their
faith in Jesus.

Acts 24
24
But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent
for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 2
16
nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through
faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be
justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the
Law no flesh will be justified.

Galatians 3
26
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3

27
9
and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the
Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God
on the basis of faith,

Colossians 1
4
since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the
saints;

Colossians 2
5
For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to
see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.

Ephesians 3
12
in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.

John 3
16
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

18
He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged
already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Acts 10
43
Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes
in Him receives forgiveness of sins."

Romans 9
33
just as it is written, "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,
And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed."

Romans 10
11
For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed."

1 Peter 2
6
For this is contained in Scripture: "Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner
stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.

Matthew 27
42
"He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come
down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.

John 6
29
Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him
whom He has sent."
28
John 8
30
As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.

John 9
36
He answered, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"

John 11
48
If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come
and take away both our place and our nation."

Philippians 1
29
For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also
to suffer for His sake,

Romans 4
22
Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness.
23
Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him,
24
but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who
raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

Romans 10
4
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
5
For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall
live by that righteousness.
6
But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: "Do not say in your heart,'Who
will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down),
7
or 'Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)."
8
But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"--that
is, the word of faith which we are preaching,
9
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that
God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
10
for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he
confesses, resulting in salvation.
11
For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed."
12
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all,
abounding in riches for all who call on Him;
13
for "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved."
14
How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe
In Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?
15
How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "How beautiful are the
feet of those who bring good news of good things!"
16
However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed
our report?"
17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

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1 Peter 1
8
and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him
now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9
obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

1Corinthians 15
16
For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;
17
and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
18
Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
19
If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
20
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
21
For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
22
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

Can Man Have Faith?

Man is endowed with the natural consciousness of God. That is the difference of
man with beasts. Animals dont have the knowledge of God like humans. Animals
do not pray or grope for God. God reveals Himself to us through His creations,
through our experiences and within our souls He is not far from us. Man has the
natural faith. This is shown when Jesus showed miracles and many had faith in
Him. Cornelius, Lydia and many others believed God, feared God and have done
good deeds but were not yet saved. God came into their lives and brought the
gospel and opened their hearts. They believed Jesus and got saved. Man can have
faith in God and God draws man to Christ to have faith in Him and be forgiven,
justified and saved.

Part 4
WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF FAITH IN CHRIST?

We have shown from Scriptures that God has given man the natural and instinctive
knowledge of God but sin caused his spiritual separation from God and was under Gods
wrath and judgment. He becomes dead because of his trespasses and sins. Only an
experiential and relational knowledge of God and Christ can change him wholly. It is
through the power of the gospel and the moving of the Holy Spirit. God calls through the
gospel of salvation in Christs finished work on the cross. He that believes is saved and he
that disbelieves is condemned. God knew all men and those whose hearts He knew He
opens their hearts to respond to the gospel, draws to the Son to be saved. Therefore,
through the gospel and moving of the Holy Spirit they put their faith in Christ.

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Now, what are the important results of our faith in Christ?

1Peter 1:8-9

and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now,
but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining
as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

John 3:36

He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son will not
see life, but the wrath of God abides in Him.

John 1:12

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,
even those who believe in His Name. Who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the
flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Act 26:18

to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of
Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among
those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.

THEN ITS BY GRACE

Rom 4:17 For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with
grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who
are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us
all.

Rom 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith
into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

SAVED THROUGH FAITH

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Lk 7:48 Then Jesus said to her, Your sins are forgiven. 49 But those who were at the
table with him began to say among themselves, Who is this, who even forgives sins? 50
He said to the woman, Your faith has saved you; go in peace.

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is Gods power for salvation to
everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For the righteousness
of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, The righteous by
faith will live.

1Cor 1:18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1Cor 15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I
preached to you unless you believed in vain.

2Thess 2:13 But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the
Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through
sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14 He called you to this salvation
through our gospel, so that you may possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Eph 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of
your salvationhaving also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit
of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the
redemption of Gods own possession, to the praise of His glory.

AFTER FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD

Gal 3:6 For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.

Gal 4:6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who
calls Abba! Father!

Jn 1:11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as
many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to
those who believe in His name,13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh
nor of the will of man, but of God.

Jn 3:36 The one who believes in the Son has eternal life. The one who rejects the Son
will not see life, but Gods wrath remains on him.

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Jn 5:24 I tell you the solemn truth, the one who hears my message and believes the
one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, but has crossed over
from death to life.

MADE ALIVE THROUGH FAITH

Col 2:12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with
Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you
were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made
you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

REGENERATED AND GIVEN NEW BIRTH THROUGH FAITH

It is through the preaching and faith through the Gospel that we are given new birth.

1Pet 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he
gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead.
23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through
the living and enduring word of God.
25 but the word of the Lord1 endures forever.
And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

Js 1:18 By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we
would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

GIVEN THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH FAITH

Repentance and faith are the rightful response of the believer upon hearing the gospel.
They shall be forgiven, washed by the blood of the Lamb and shall be given the Holy Spirit.

Act 15:7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, Brothers,
you know that some time ago God chose me to preach to the Gentiles so they would
hear the message of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, has
testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no
distinction between them and us, cleansing their hearts by faith.

Act 10:42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to warn them that he is the one
appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 About him all the prophets testify,
that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who
heard the message.

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Gal 3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you? Before your eyes Jesus
Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified! 2 The only thing I want to learn from you is
this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you
heard? 3 Are you so foolish? Although you began with the Spirit, are you now trying to
finish by human effort?

RESULTS OF FAITH IN CHRIST

1. Righteousness of God Is 51.6 Prov 12.28 Rom 3.21-26,28, 10.1-4, 9.30


Gal 3.22,21, 5.4,5 Phil 3.9
2. His Commandment Mk 1:15 Jn 3.36, 6.40 Col 1.4,2.6 1Jn 3.23
3. Only way to be in Christ Eph 1.13,3.17 1Cor 6.17
4. Become sons of God Jn 1.12-13,12.36 Gal 3.26,4.6 Eph 1.5
5. New birth Jn 12.36, 1.12-13 Js 1.18 w/
2Thess 2.13 Tit 3.5 1Pet 1.23,25
6. Cleansed Act 15.7-9,22.16,26.18 2Thess 2.13
7. Salvation Lk 7.48,50 Jn 20.31 Eph 2.8-9
Tit 3.5, 2.11 2Tim 1.9, 3.15 2Thess 2.13
1Pet 1.4-9
8. Forgiveness Act 10.43, 13.38-39, 22.16 Rom 4.7-8
Lk 24.47 Mt 9.2 1Cor 15.17, 19-20
9. Eternal Life Jn 20.31, 3.36, 3.16-18, 6.40,47
1Tim 1.16 1Jn 5.11-13
10. Raised and made alive Col 2.12, 3.1

11. Entrance and access into Heb 4.1-3, 3.18-19, 2.1-3 Rom 5.1-2
Gods grace Jn 10.9 Eph 1.13-14 Col 1.13-14

12. Partakers of the promise Gen 22.18 Gal 3.22, 8,14


Act 13.23, 26,32-33,38-39
Eph 3.6 Rom 4.16, 9.8 Tit 1.2 1Jn 2.25
13. Sons, descendants of Abraham Gal 3.1-2, 7-9, 22,29
14. Indwelt by the Holy Spirit Gal. 3.1-2, 26, 4.6 Eph 3.17, 1.13
Act 10.43-44, 11.14-17, 15.7-8
15. Freed from sin and live Jn 8.34-36, 24 Rom 8.3-4 6.2,14, 18, 22
righteously Gal 5.1,14 1Pet 2.24 1Jn 3.5-9 Rev 1.5
16. Goodness produced Ezek 36.26-27 Jer 32.40 Lk 6.45 Jn 15.4
Jn 3:21 Eph 2.8-9, 10 2Cor 5.5.17,14
Gal 5.22-23 Phil 2.13, 1.11 1Thess 1.3
2Thess 1.11 Tit 2.14 2Pet 1.1,4
17. Sanctification Act 3.16, 26.18, 15.7-9 2Thess 2.13
18. Justification Gal 2.16, 3.8, 14 Act 13.39
Rom 5.1, 3.24-28
19. Preserved 1Pet 1.3-5,8 Heb 10.39
20. Healing Mt 9.22, 29, 15.28 Mk 5.34, 10.52
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Lk 17.17-19
21. Accepted by God 1Pet 1.21 Gal 4.8-9 1Cor1.30 2Cor 1.21
22. Work of God Jn 6.28-29 Mt 16.16-17 1Jn 3.23
23. Christ in you 2Cor 13.5 Rom 8.9 Gal 3.26, 4.6
1Jn 5.12-13

CONCLUSION

In Conclusion we shall borrow from the words of Apostle Paul in Romans


and Galatians.

Romans 3
21
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being
witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith
in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace
through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a
propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness,
because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the
demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just
and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
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Galatians 3
21
Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been
given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been
based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the
promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before
faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was
later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so
that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under
a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

In Apostolic Theology God has declared all have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God for all have sinned and God has shut all the world under sin. Eternal Life is
never given through the obedience of the Law or through our good works. For there
is no distinction for we all have sinned and God has shut us all under sin. And for
this reason all shall be justified and made righteous through faith in His Son our
Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus the Son of God is He who died and resurrected from the
dead. Jesus Christ is the one who died on the cross and paid for our sins. God
reconciled the world to Himself through His Son not counting their sins. He desires
all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth and gave His Son as a
ransom for all. God sent and gave the Son so that the world might be saved
through Him. Christ is the end of the Law of righteousness to everyone who
believes. Faith in Christ therefore is Gods righteousness and not through the Law
or our good works.

God has predetermined Christ to die for mans sin and obtain our ransom and rise
from the dead because of this He has also predetermined righteousness through
faith in Christ. Christ became a sin for us so that we may become the righteousness
to God in Him and that is through faith. It is Christ who died and through faith in
Him God justifies us in Christ, makes us righteous and forgives us. God is not
partial. He gives all men the opportunity to be saved. Jesus said, He who believes
is saved and He who does not believe is condemned already because he has not
believed in the Name of the Son of God. He has given man the power to believe
and disbelieve in the existence of God. He has manifested Himself to man and has
made Himself evident. He is not far from all of us. Those who suppress the truth
and love wickedness He condemns. Those who seek the truth, grope for God, fear
God and do what is right come to the Light and He brings to His Son Jesus Christ to
be saved. He brings the gospel for the knowledge of the Lord and Savior and opens
their hearts and reveals the Christ, the Son of the Living God. We believe in Christ
through the power of the gospel and conviction of the Spirit and God sends His
Spirit into our hearts and we are sealed, forgiven, redeemed and saved.

36
Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not
because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled 27 "Do not
work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal
life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His
seal. 28 Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the
works of God?" 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God,
that you believe in Him whom He has sent."

John 6:26-29

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