Faith. The Biblical Way to Salvation.
Faith. The Biblical Way to Salvation. by Sky Cline. Aquí está el artículo en español.
“And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
Humans do not inherit the faith of their fathers. Each person must pass from “death to life” (John 5:24) to become a “child of God” or a “Christian.” No one is by nature a child of God. No one is born a Christian.
The first key to cross the bridge from death to life is faith. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) So faith is a supernatural vision into spiritual reality. It is a vision or conviction that God gives to people. It is a gift. (Ephesians 2:8-9) It is miraculous. As the eyes perceive the natural world, faith perceives the supernatural. Faith is spiritual spectacles that give us vision into a world to which we are naturally blind.
Faith’s first reality is that I have a problem. The problem is that my very nature is corrupted and defiled. I am unclean. I have been stained by this universal disease called “sin.” It pervades my very nature, my core, my thoughts, motives, choices, actions, inactions. It is heavy. It is deadly. (Jeremiah 17:9, John 16:8, Romans 3:9-18, 6:23)
Faith’s second reality is that my sins and corruption deserve justice. They deserve punishment. I am under condemnation from the Righteous Judge of the Universe. I fear death. I fear the judgment. (Proverbs 9:10, Luke 23:40, Romans 2:5)
Faith’s third revealed truth is that God has provided a way to deal with my corruption by the death of His only Son on the cross. God has not left me under this weight of condemnation. His immeasurable love for me is demonstrated by God placing my sin and punishment upon His Son. (Isaiah 53:5, John 3:16, Romans 5:8)
In light of this spiritual awakening I am able to truly repent. I turn away from sin and turn to God to take away my sin and to make me clean. I “see” by faith that God has dealt with my sin by the death of His Son. I see by faith that I can “receive” Him. I receive Jesus as my Savior (from my sin) and Lord (master of my life). (Acts 2:38, 20:21, John 1:12, Romans 10:9)
Faith has led me down the path of salvation. By faith I am a “new creation.” I have received the Holy Spirit. I am a new person. I am no longer defiled in the eyes of God, and no longer under his just judgment. My weight is gone. I am free. I am clean. Refreshed. I am a child of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 1:13, John 1:12, John 8:32, Acts 3:19-29)
I am baptized into the body of Christ. Baptism represents my death in sin and death to sin as well as my “new life” and “union” in Christ. (Acts 2:38, Romans 6:3-4, 1 Corinthians 12:13)
