SAVING FAITH AND WORKS OF REPENTANCE
The biblical Word of God says: “you are saved by grace through faith [in Christ], and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). But the Bible also states, “Faith without works is dead ” (James 2:14-21). The Son of God, Jesus Christ, tells us those who are truly save will “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8).
EXAMPLE OF SAVING FAITH AND WORKS OF REPENTANCE
Zacchaeus was a sinner whom Jesus saw up a tree, and who believed in Jesus as the Son of God and repented; and was truly saved. Zacchaeus, being short in stature, climbed a tree to see Jesus who was passing by in a crowd. The Lord saw him and said, “hurry down, for I must stay at your house today.” Zacchaeus was known in his community as a corrupt tax collector. He was impressed by Jesus coming to his house, despite his being known as “a sinner.” He decided to repent of his sinful ways. Demonstrating his belief and repentance, he said, said, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.”
The Lord said, “ today salvation has come to this house.” (Luke 19:1-9).
EXAMPLE OF FAITH WITHOUT WORKS OF REPENTANCE
The Bible says: “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror” (James 2:19). Demons believe that Jesus Christ is the “Son of God;” yet, they do works of the devil. (Mark 5:7; Acts 19:15).
“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16).
The Bible says, “let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1John 3:18).
SAVING FAITH LEADS US TO OBEY THE LORD
Jesus said “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them” (John 14:23). But Jesus asks some, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say” (Luke 6:46)? The Lord said whoever truly believe and love him will do the following things, with the help of the Holy Spirit; whom God gives to indwell and help believers in Jesus Christ (John 14:15-17).
- Recognize that everyone has sinned and needs to repent and believe in the Son of God to be saved (Romans 3:23; Acts 2:38; John 3:16).
- Produce fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:8)–which is fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
- Deny self and take up one’s cross and follow Jesus (Matthew 16:24).
- Live by every Word of God, as Jesus did (Matthew 4:4).
Despite our sense of adequacy to live by every word of God (John 15:5), the Lord promises when we have a true heart’s desire to obey God, he gives us the Holy Spirit to help us do his will (John 14:15-17). And in the process of growing in faith and becoming like Christ (Romans 8:29); if we should sin, and confess it, God “is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9); because of the atonement of his Son for our sins (John 3:16).
The goal of God’s grace and our repentance is for us to be saved and have a loving relationship with him. We reach that goal when we repent and believe in the Son of God who loved us enough to die for our sins. And with the help of the Holy Spirit, we come to “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Luke 10:27)—And in our considering how our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ lovingly died for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8), we should remember that he said we should “Love one another. As I have loved you” (John 13:34).
