Not All Faith Saves

“But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” – Romans 4:5-8

Salvation is not earned, achieved, or deserved—it is received. Scripture tells us plainly, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8, NKJV). Faith is not the reason God saves us; it is the means by which we receive what He freely gives. Imagine a beggar reaching out his hand to receive bread—he didn’t bake it, buy it, or earn it. He simply received it. That’s faith. It’s not a virtue that impresses God, nor a spiritual currency we trade for salvation. It is the hand that reaches out to grasp the gift offered by a sovereign, gracious God. As James reminds us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above… Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth” (James 1:17–18). Faith is our response to His initiative, not our achievement.

But not all faith saves. Many claim to believe in God, in love, even in Jesus—but saving faith is anchored in truth. It begins with facts, not feelings. Paul lays out the foundation in 1 Corinthians 15: Christ came as promised, died for our sins, was buried, rose again, and appeared to many. These are not myths or metaphors—they are historical realities. Jesus Himself asked, “Who do men say that I am?” (Matthew 16:13). The answer matters. Believing in a version of Jesus that suits our preferences is not saving faith. Galatians 1:9 warns, “If anyone preaches any other gospel… let him be accursed.” Saving faith agrees with the facts, internalizes them, and responds personally. It’s not enough to nod in agreement—we must receive Him, as John writes, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

True faith goes further—it trusts. Not partially, not conditionally, but completely. It’s the surrender of all we are to all He is. Jesus never softened the cost of discipleship. He said, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother… he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). He wasn’t promoting hatred, but priority—Christ must come first. Like the man who sold all he had for the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:46), saving faith turns from sin and self to follow Christ. Paul told King Agrippa, “They should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance” (Acts 26:20). Repentance is not optional—it’s the evidence of trust. It’s the moment we stop clinging to our own way and say, “Lord, I give You everything.”

And finally, saving faith produces hope. Not wishful thinking, but confident expectation. We haven’t yet seen heaven, but we believe it’s coming. We haven’t received our glorified bodies, but we trust His promise. This hope sustains us through trials, temptations, and tears. It’s not a “foxhole” faith that vanishes when life improves—it’s a lifelong abiding in Christ. “True saving faith does not give God just the moment, but gives God the destiny.” Abraham believed God’s promise, left his old life, and walked toward a future he never saw fulfilled on earth. Yet it was credited to him as righteousness. That’s saving faith—fact-based, heart-deep, trust-filled, and hope-driven. So today, examine your faith. Is it rooted in truth? Has it led to surrender? Does it produce hope? If not, reach out your hand. The gift is still offered. Receive it.

“It is not merely intellectual knowledge, the facts. It is not merely agreement, believing the facts. It is not merely personal desire, wanting it to happen, but it is trust. Which says, ‘here I give you my life and accept it’ ” – John MacArthur