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It is written:
James 2:24-You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Many in the secular religious world teach that mankind is saved by faith only, I.e., by simply being convinced that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and will save them from sin on that simple conviction.
However, this doctrine is not true.
The Bible teaching is that true faith that saves is the faith that obeys. For a simple proof of this, look at how the words “by faith” are used in Hebrews 11 to describe various people throughout time who were saved by God.
Hebrews 11:3-By faith, we understand…
Hebrews 11:4-By faith, Abel offered…
Hebrews 11:7-By faith Noah….prepared an ark for the saving of his household…
Hebrews 11:8-By faith, Abraham obeyed….
Hebrews 11:9-By faith (Abraham) dwelt in the land of promise….
Hebrews 11:10-By faith (Abraham) waited for the city which has foundations….
Hebrews 11:11-By faith Sarah…received strength to conceive seed…
Hebrews 11:17-By faith Abraham…offered up Isaac….
Hebrews 11:20-By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau….
Hebrews 11:21-By faith Jacob…blessed each of the sons of Joseph…
Hebrews 11:22-By faith Joseph….made mention…and gave instructions….
Hebrews 11:23-By faith Moses…was hidden three months by his parents…
Hebrews 11:24-By faith Moses Moses….refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing….esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt….
Hebrews 11:27-By faith (Moses) forsook Egypt….
Hebrews 11:28-By faith (Moses) kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood….
Hebrews 11:29-By faith they passed through the Red Sea as through by dry ground….
Hebrews 11:30-By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days….
Hebrews 11:31-By faith…Rahab did not perish…when she had received the spies with peace….
My friends, these references show us that salvation “by faith” is quite different from salvation “by faith only.”
The penitent sinner is saved by faith today when (as a believer in Jesus Christ-John 8:24) he repents of his sins (Luke 13:3), confesses Jesus as the Son of God (Romans 10:9-10), and is immersed in water by the authority of Jesus Christ where his sins are forgiven and he receives the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
Have you been saved by faith?
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