Your Faith Has Saved You

I read through the last two Gospels (Luke and John) along with Acts this week. And as Luke and John tell of Jesus ministry, Jesus uses similar words directed to the people He heals.

To a centurion who sends for Jesus to heal his servant, Christ says, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." 

To the sinful woman  who anoints Jesus' feet, He says, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

To the woman who interrupts Jesus on his way to Jairus's house, he says, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."

To the one Samaritan who thanks Jesus for healing him from his leprosy, Christ says, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."

To the blind beggar on the way to Jericho, Jesus says, "Recover your sight; you faith has made you well."

Jesus commends each of these peoples' faith. They were all sick, either physically or spiritually, and Jesus told them that it was their faith that had healed them. Their faith in Christ had forgiven sins, cured blindness, and healed sickness. These people were the ones who chose to believe in what they hoped for. They all physically saw the person of Christ, and they put their trust in Him. It was their faith that brought peace to their hearts, minds, and bodies. They chose to believe in what they could not see (their own healing), and they were blessed for it.

Faith today is still what saves us. Perhaps not always physically, but always spiritually. Placing faith and believing in Christ is what divides the saved from the unsaved. Jesus in His High Priestly Prayer (John 17) prays for those who believe and will believe on Him. He prays that they would be one in the Father, so that the world would believe that Christ was sent from God. Earlier, He tells Peter and His other disciples that has prayed that their faith would not fail when He was arrested and crucified. Thomas believes when he sees and touches the risen Savior. But those during Jesus time had the privilege of seeing Whom they were believing in. Thomas believed because he saw, yet Jesus pronounces blessing on those who would never see Him on earth, but would still believe in Him. "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

We have the example of Abraham, who believed against hope, that he would become the father of many nations. And many of those who came after him also chose to have faith in the unseen. They were also commended for their faith and are recorded in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11). And this faith that was passed down through the ages is still the same faith which believers of today hold to. We believe in Him who is unseen. And like the man who begged Jesus "I believe; help my unbelief!", Jesus continues to strengthen and increase our faith as we live on earth. Faith and hope are only here for the present. In eternity, we will behold face-to-face the Man whom we have believed in, and our faith will be sight. But for now, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).

The faith our eternity rests on is one that is steadfast and secure. A faith that does not die, for it is upheld by the Author and Perfector of our faith. Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world. This is the faith that saves the unsaved. This is the faith that secures the saved.

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. (Ephesians 2:8)

Sola fide.