Adding Up The Facts About Faith

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

In Romans 1:21 Paul spoke of people who, “although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him.” Though the fact of God’s existence was before them, they closed their eyes to the truth of it.

Faith that saves is more than acquired facts about Christianity.

Philip Melanchthon helps set the facts straight about faith. Read his words slowly and prayerfully.

WALK WITH PHILIP MELANCHTHON
“That faith which justifies is not merely an acknowledgment of facts, but it is a recognition of the promise of God in which, for Christ’s sake, the remission of sins and justification are freely offered.

“It is regarding with my whole heart the promises of God as certain and true, through which there are offered me, without my merit, the forgiveness of sins, grace, and salvation through Christ the Mediator.

“Faith means that my whole heart takes to itself this treasure. It is not my doing, not my presenting or giving, not my work of preparation.

“Rather, my heart comforts itself, and is perfectly confident with respect to this, namely, that God sheds upon me as a gift every treasure of grace in Christ.”

WALK CLOSER TO GOD
Fact: Christ died for sins.

Fact: Christ was buried.

Fact: Christ rose the third day.

Fact: Christ is the only way to God.

The evidence is ample to confirm these facts (see 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; John 14:6). And you may agree with all that has been said so far. But, according to Paul, true faith is something more. It is recognizing that these facts apply to you.

Fact: Eternal life can be yours—right now.

That’s a fact everyone needs to take to heart by reaching out by faith to receive Jesus as Savior.