The Glorious Grace of Godናሙና

Simple Faith

The Free Grace view of simple faith in Jesus is to be convinced or persuaded that Jesus saves (John 1:12, 5:24, 6:47). This includes understanding the gospel and accepting it is true. My father understood the claims of Christ, but he did not accept them as true. He did not have faith. 

Some believe that faith must include some emotional response or commitment. But faith is separate from what follows that faith. Someone could ask, “Do you believe that George Washington was a leader of our country?” The answer is “yes,” but there is nothing you do as a result of believing this. You either believe or not. 

Many Christians today disagree over what a person must do to be saved. Some attempt to frontload the gospel, adding the need to confess all known sin and committing one’s life for service to Christ as a condition for gaining eternal life. Others backload the gospel by stipulating that if a person truly believes in Christ, there will be a changed life evidenced by good works. Unfortunately, the Apostle Paul informs us, some people spend their whole life focused on the wrong things. As a result, at the end of their life their works all burn up, yet they are saved as through fire (1 Corinthians 3:10–15, 4:5).

Of course, God desires that we conform to the image of His Son, grow in our faith, and do the good works He has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10). But that is an idealization, not a realization. Who has successfully made Jesus Lord of all of their life? Hopefully, we are all working toward that goal (1 Corinthians 9:24–26, 2 Corinthians 5:9–10). Through grace, we work on making Jesus “Lord of all” at different times, and in different ways, accomplishing a variety of results. The difference in results does not make some less saved than others! 

Let us, therefore, neither frontload nor backload the gospel, but proclaim a simple faith: all you need to be saved is to believe in Jesus. Eternal life is the free and gracious gift of God. 

For more information on this important topic of The Glorious Grace of God, please visit gsot.edu/center.