Galatians 3: 6, 7 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. --NIV
In the name of the God of Abraham, amen.
We have seen that everyone is sinful, and that they are not justified by their own works. It is only by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we are saved. But now the question is: "How does the salvation that Jesus won become ours personally?"
It is not enough that Jesus won salvation for us. It is not enough that God promises that we have salvation In Jesus' name. We must have a connection to the fact and the promise. The only way in which we receive salvation is by believing the promise of God. This believing is faith.
Now faith should never be thought of as something we do. We do not suddenly decide to believe in Jesus, nor can we give our lives to Jesus unless we already have faith. To teach otherwise puts the focus on what we do, rather than what God has done for us.
Think of it this way: If your father promised to give you one hundred dollars, you would not sit back and ponder whether or not you wanted to believe he would give it to you. Because of whom your father is, and because he spoke the promise to you, you would believe it. It is no different with faith. Because God, our Father, promises us salvation in Jesus Christ, we believe it. The Gospel itself has the power to create the faith which is our connection to salvation. For this reason it is written, "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). Praise and glory be to God our Father who gives salvation us as a free gift! Amen.
Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, thank You for giving us salvation as a free gift. Grant us Your Holy Spirit so that by the preaching of the Gospel we may believe Your promise of salvation in Jesus, amen.