When I was nine years old, our family lived where my dad was pastoring a small church in Akron, Ohio. I remember
that time most, because that's when and where I experienced saving faith in Jesus Christ.
We were coming home from attending a meeting at another church. As we drove, I remember sitting in the front
seat between Mom and Dad, and asking them the question, “Would you pray with me tonight to receive the Lord Jesus?”
They weren't expecting the question—not right then. I remember being surprised at how long it took Dad to respond.
Finally, I heard him reply that they would pray with me just before going to bed. I vaguely remember brushing my
teeth and putting my pajamas on as quickly as possible. But what I remember with absolute clarity is kneeling beside
the bunk beds my younger brother Jim and I slept in. For some reason, I remember Jim peering down from the top
bunk, probably wanting to see if something special would happen to his brother!
Mom sat on the bed and Dad knelt beside me, and putting his arm around me, Dad led me in a simple prayer as
I asked Jesus to become my Savior and the Lord of my life.
I don't remember feeling a thing, but the moment is forever etched in my memory banks. Later, I would be glad
that there was no rush of emotions. I don't remember anything of fear or guilt, no thoughts of heaven or hell.
I honestly can't even remember what might have been said at the church service that would have prompted my request.
But somehow, I realized it was time (I knew that I should!), and that it was possible for me to do so (I knew I
could!).
That's what saving faith is. It's the moment someone knows they ought to receive Jesus, and that they
can believe and receive Jesus.
Now, perhaps someone might ask, “Why do we want to study ‘saving faith’ in the context of studying an ‘already-saved’
believer's power faith? Haven't we been talking about practical faith, while saving faith has more
to do with theology and doctrine?” But I want us to see how the basic faith exercised at our salvation is no different
from that exercise of faith that accesses the power of God. Whatever it was you or I experienced when we knew
we should and knew we could receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, it's the same kind of faith we
have been talking about!
Let's think it through: What is saving faith?
First, it is Christ-centered: It is faith in God through the person of Jesus Christ. The focus of saving
faith is always towards Jesus personally, not towards Jesus as a mere idea. In other words, the moment you
or I allow our study of God's Word to become separated from Jesus Himself, it becomes only an academic pursuit
without the power of the Spirit teaching us and glorifying Jesus in us through the Word. However true the Scriptures
are, and however wonderful their wisdom is, the life of the Scriptures is linked to Christ. We dare not
separate the Word from the Person.
Read these following texts and write your observations in answering the question, Where did these disciples
place their faith?
1. Acts 24:24
2. Galatians 3:26
3. Colossians 1:14
4. Colossians 2:5
Turn to the beginning of John's Gospel. As you read the first dozen verses, see how careful John is to present
Jesus as the Light of the world, and as the Creator of the world. Now, see John 1:12. Note how the
act of receiving Christ is made possible by the presence of faith.
What were those who believed and received given?
Turn to John 3, to the nighttime conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus. Here, the focus of faith is presented
in the words so many Sunday school children have memorized. Read John 3:15–19, and write down the five times believing
in the person of Jesus Christ are mentioned.
These and preceding passages make it clear: First, all vital matters center in the Person of Jesus Christ, not
in “things,” “ideas,” or even “faith in faith.” This is what separates living faith from formula faith or mind-science
systems of belief. Second, saving faith is awakened through the word of the gospel.
Turn to and examine Romans 10:6–10 to help you answer these questions:
1. In what two places is the word of faith?
2. How is it heard?
3. What is done with the heart?
4. What is done with the mouth?
Kingdom Extra
Though the study on the language of faith is found in another lesson, something my father, Dr. Roy Hicks, Sr.,
has said might be helpful. In referring to Romans 10:9–10, he noted: “Here is the most foundational lesson in the
importance and power of faith's confession found anywhere in the Bible. The principle is established at the very
beginning of our life in Christ. Just as salvation (God's righteous working on our behalf) is appropriated by heart
belief and spoken confession, so His continuing work in our lives is advanced by the same means.
The word “confess” (Greek homologeo) has the connotation of “a binding public declaration by which a
legal relation is contractually established” (Kittel). Thus, as our words contract from our side the salvation
God has fully provided from His by Christ's saving work and power, so we have a principle for all of life.
Beginning in this spirit of saving faith, let us grow in active faith—believing in God's mighty power
for all our needs, speaking with our lips what our hearts receive and believe of the many promises in His Word.
Let us accept God's “contracts” for all our need by endowing them with our confessed belief just as when we were
saved.” [Spirit-Filled Life Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991), “Kingdom Dynamics: Mark
9:22, 23, Cultivating a Climate of Faith for Healing,” 1486.]
Thus the parallel between “saving” faith and “power” faith is seen in its dependence upon the Word of the gospel.
Third, saving faith is miraculous.
1. Read John 6:44. Who can come to Jesus?
2. Read Ephesians 2:8, 9. What is the gift?
In this verse, there are three forces in motion: grace, faith, and salvation. Paul wants it clearly understood
that under no circumstances can anyone ever say they were able to be saved by personal initiative. Though saving
faith is your personal response which permits a gracious God to bring you to eternal life, this would be impossible
without His free gift and His Spirit's graciously drawing you to the Savior.
Probing the Depths
As you grow in your Christian experience, this facet of God's grace—that is, that He is the initiator, the Author
of your faith—will not only become more precious to you, but you will also discover that this fact about our saving
faith has the power to ignite our practical application of power faith in daily living. Since God is the initiator,
the believer has only to discover what God is initiating; that is, what does God's Word say He wants to do? What
is the Holy Spirit prompting you to accept? When we have discovered the provision God has already set in motion,
we may confidently appropriate it in faith, just as we did at our conversion when we received Christ.
Read Romans 3:21–26 and answer these questions:
1. Who has sinned?
2. How is the righteousness of God received?
3. Who is the one who is justified?
Word Wealth
Redemption, apolutrosis (Strong's #629; ap-ol-oo-tro-sis). A release secured by
the payment of a ransom; deliverance, setting free. The word in secular Greek described a conqueror releasing prisoners,
a master ransoming a slave, and redemption from an alien yoke. In the New Testament it designates deliverance through
Christ from evil and the penalty of sin. The price paid to purchase that redemption was His shed blood. [Ibid.,
1692, “Word Wealth: Rom. 3:24, Redemption.”]
As you have answered these questions, you have reviewed and been confronted by the foundational principles of
your salvation. It is a miracle, isn't it? Our salvation isn't a miracle because we were especially evil. You may
or may not have been evil in the sense of being dedicated to the reprobate, depraved, or the terrible. But still
you were lost—without hope (Eph. 2:12). Nothing you could do by any demonstration of human thought, strength, wisdom,
or goodness in actions could rescue you.
But Jesus did. He rescued you! Miraculously!!
And why do I make such an issue of this miraculous aspect of your personal conversion? It is the normal tendency
of human nature to forget the absolutely, overwhelmingly miraculous nature of this provision and power operating
at the time of our experience of saving faith. With the passing of time, too easily does our personal conversion
become a part of a scrap book, a diary of accounts, a memory of special times of long ago. However, if we can keep
in view the miraculous nature of our “saving faith,” we can keep prepared to experience many, many more of them—ongoing
power moments of faith operating in life's daily circumstances just as our salvation did at our life's decision
point!
But if we forget the simple, yet miraculous, nature of our original “saving faith”—how God drew us unto Himself,
how He persuaded us, awakened faith through the Word—we'll become insensitive to how He is ready to deal with us
today, and will be unprepared or slow to respond in faith.
Quite literally, every area of your life is presently intended to experience the initiating, drawing, winning,
persuading work of God through His Word and His Spirit. Miraculously, He is provoking you and me towards faith
for ourselves, our marriage, our children, our business—every area of life.
Fourth, saving faith does not rely on emotions.
What is the antithesis to walking by faith? (2 Cor. 5:7)
Read 1 Corinthians 2:9–12.
In this passage, Paul quotes from the prophet Isaiah. His intention is to show that the relationship we have
with God through Christ is not something that can be appreciated with the natural senses. Not the eye, not the
ear, nor even the heart can perceive the things which God has prepared for us.
How can they be perceived? Paul says that these wonderful things can be seen only as they are revealed to us
by God's Spirit. His Spirit does not show these prepared things to your physical eyes, ears, or to your heart,
the seat of human emotions. Rather, God's Spirit reveals them to your human spirit.
Verse eleven specifically says that it is in our redeemed human spirit that God's Word and revelation can be
received apart from the distortion which comes via the eyes, the ears, and the heart.
These are simple lessons that most believers learn early in their walk with Christ. You've heard it said and
sung: “I am saved today, whether I feel like it or not!” Or, “I am saved today, regardless of what I look like,
or what my circumstances look like!” And even though we may have learned these lessons long ago, today's
dynamic faith life requires a review of those basic faith principles. Why? Because every promise we seek to apprehend
will involve the test of our faith, and what Paul calls “the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12). Our faith will
become strong only as we learn to trust His Word, walking beyond emotions—living and responding to circumstances
by what we know to be true because of His Word, not by what we feel, see, or think on a natural plane.
Read Romans 4:13–25. Use these questions as you study Abraham's faith to help you understand what it means to
walk by faith, and not by sight.
1. When is faith made void? (Rom. 4:14)
2. To whom is the promise made sure? (Rom. 4:16)
3. What does this mean to you?: Abraham … “contrary to hope, in hope believed. …” (Rom. 4:18)
4. When are you weak in faith? (Rom. 4:19)
5. Conversely, and from the same verse, when are you strong in faith? (Rom. 4:19)
6. What would make us waver at the promise of God? (Rom. 4:20)
7. Of what did Abraham become fully convinced? (Rom. 4:21)
8. When did Abraham become strengthened in his faith? (Rom. 4:20)
Finally, though saving faith is an experience rooted in space and time (just as I clearly remember my experience
as a nine-year-old), it is ongoing.
By this I mean to say, the faith you employ to trust God daily is that same faith you experienced when you first
believed. Faith develops, faith grows stronger, faith evolves—but it doesn't change its essence. This is
worthy and wonderful to observe and remember, because it points to how God is promising to meet every need in your
life today—and to meet it through this same simple process of faith with which you began!
Faith Alive
Write out your personal experience of saving faith. Use words to describe how you came to believe in the Son
of God. How did God draw you? How did you first hear the gospel, the saving word of grace? As you write of your
experience, ask the Lord to show you how He has continued His work of initiating the possibility for faith in your
life. Ask the Lord to show you any corrections, any repentance you need to offer, which will correctively address
your life of faith so it can once again become saving faith!
From Power Faith: Balancing Faith in Words and Works by Roy Hicks, JR. with Jack W. Hayford. Copyright 1994 by Jack W. Hayford.
