DOES FAITH ALWAYS SAVE?


                "And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to
                be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus
                Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
                (Acts 16:31)

    1. What is Faith?
         a. It is to believe, trust in, rely upon. In Hebrews 11:6 the
            words "faith and "believe" are used to express the same idea:
            "But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he
            that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is
            a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

         b. Faith and believe are the noun and verb forms of the same
            Greek word, pistis and pisteuo. To have faith is to believe:
            to believe is to have faith. They are similar to the words
            "see" and "sight". To have sight is to see; and to see is to
            have sight.

         c. To have faith (to believe) is to trust. Our word "belief" is
            a synonym for the word "trust."

    2. We Are Saved by Faith.
         a. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
             yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)

         b."Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God
           through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)

    3. There Are Degrees of Faith.
         a. Little faith (Matthew 6:30)

         b. Great faith. (Matthew 8:10; 15:28)

         c. Strong faith (Romans 4:20)

         d. Dead faith (James 2:20)

         e. Faith may be increased (Luke 17:5)

    4. Some Had a Faith That Did Not Save.
         a. "Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on
            him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess [him],
            lest they should be put out of the synagogue:" (John 12:42)

         b. "the devils also believe, and tremble." (James 2:19)

         c. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without
            works is dead also." (James 2:26)



    5. How is it Possible Faith Doesn't Always Save?
         a. There is a living faith and a dead faith, both a saving faith
            and a non-saving faith. A faith that obeys is a saving faith.
            A faith that does not obey is a dead faith.

         b. A profession of faith while refusing to meet the Lord's
            conditions of pardon is a non-saving faith.

    6. This Means:
         a. The promise is to those who have a saving faith.

         b. Where there is no obedience to the Lord's commands when such
            obedience is called for, there is no saving faith.

         c. A profession of faith is not enough. Faith must respond.

    7. What Response is the Alien Sinner to Make to be Saved by Faith?
         a. Be convicted of sin (Acts 2:38; 2 Corinthians 7:10)

         b. Repent (Acts 2:38)

         c. Confess faith in Christ (Romans 10:10; Acts 8:37)

         d. Be baptized (immersed) for the remission of sins
            (1 Peter 3:21; Acts 2:38; 22:16)

    8. The faith that God accepts is the faith that does what he commands
         a. Abel's faith led him to offer a more excellent sacrifice
            (Hebrews 11:4)

         b. Noah's faith led him to prepare an ark (Hebrews 11:7)

         c. Abraham's faith led him to offer up Issac (Hebrews 11:17)

         d. Moses' faith led him to choose to suffer with God's people
            (Hebrews 11:24-26)

         e. These all obeyed God because they believed God would give
            them the blessings He promised when they obeyed. Today, an
            alien sinner is granted pardon when he obeys the gospel.
            Never before.]

    9. Conclusion.
         a. There are really two kinds of faith; one saving and the other
            non-saving. Non-saving faith claims salvation before baptism.
            Saving faith claims salvation on meeting the conditions of
            pardon given by Christ. These are: conviction, repentance,
            confession, and baptism. To remain faithful after baptism
            means to trust in Christ and continue to serve Him.

         b. Sinners repent UNTO life (Acts 11:18). They confess UNTO
            salvation. (Romans 10:10) They are baptized INTO Christ
            (Galatians 3:27) UNTO carries them toward pardon.
            Baptism takes them INTO Christ where they receive pardon.

         c. Faith is sometimes used comprehensively to represent the
            total response of the sinner. When the jailor was told to
            believe to be saved in Acts 16:31, believe is used in this
            manner. He is told to trust. This trust included repentance
            and water baptism. Faith without obedience is dead (James
            2:26). Faith that responds to the Lord by obeying Him will
            save. Is your faith a saving faith?

                                                      - Delton Haun -


    Copyright by Haun Publishing Co. * Box 3426 * Pasadena, Texas 77501


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