What part does faith play in receiving salvation? A person must believe in Christ's sacrifice and in the availability of the gift of salvation. His faith must motivate him to obey the Scriptural command to repent and be baptized in Jesus' name and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). He must believe that if he will repent and ask in prayer then he will receive the gift of His Spirit when he obeys the Lord’s blest commands. His faith leads to obedience and thence to receiving the Spirit and the fullness of salvation.
There is no contradiction between Ephesians 2:8 [ESV], which says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith,” and James 2:24 [ESV], which declares, “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” The latter statement is certainly true when “works” means acts of obedience to the terms of the gospel. Only those who have “the obedience of faith” – those who obey the doctrine, obey the gospel, obey Christ – will be saved. Let us examine a few more passages of Scripture that bear this out.
"But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." (Romans 6:17-18 [ESV])
"How then will they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of Whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!' But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?'"
(Romans 10:14-16 [ESV])
"Now to Him Who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen." (Romans 16:25-27 [ESV])
"Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. And being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, being designated by God a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 5:8-10 [ESV])
Saving faith leads a person to obey the gospel, and such obedient faith brings salvation in Christ, which is a gift of God through His grace.
There is no contradiction between Ephesians 2:8 [ESV], which says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith,” and James 2:24 [ESV], which declares, “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” The latter statement is certainly true when “works” means acts of obedience to the terms of the gospel. Only those who have “the obedience of faith” – those who obey the doctrine, obey the gospel, obey Christ – will be saved. Let us examine a few more passages of Scripture that bear this out.
"But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." (Romans 6:17-18 [ESV])
"How then will they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of Whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!' But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?'"
(Romans 10:14-16 [ESV])
"Now to Him Who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen." (Romans 16:25-27 [ESV])
"Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. And being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, being designated by God a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 5:8-10 [ESV])
Saving faith leads a person to obey the gospel, and such obedient faith brings salvation in Christ, which is a gift of God through His grace.
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