Book: Beliefs and Doctrines of the New Testament Church

Faith is the knowledge of and active belief in the existence and power of the living God and His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. Faith is a gift from God and a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit as a begettal from God the Father, true believers are granted the indwelling presence of Jesus Christ and the very faith of Jesus Christ. This faith is the actual spiritual substance of God’s Holy Spirit, which gives the believer the assurance and the confidence that what God has promised, He will perform. The fruits of righteousness in the believer’s life will continually manifest the true faith of Jesus Christ that is imparted by God to each believer. Faith is made perfect by doing the good works that God the Father has ordained through Jesus Christ. This active and living faith is absolutely essential for salvation through grace. Without good works, faith is dead. Without faith, good works are of no value in God’s sight. Good works alone cannot bring salvation and eternal life. While true faith will produce good works in the believer’s life, these good works do not earn salvation. The good works that are done through faith are not the cause but the result of God's gift of salvation to the believer.


Scriptural References


Heb. 11:1-6 Gal. 5:22 Gal. 2:20; 3:1-14
Eph. 2:4-10 Rom. 4:20-21 Jas. 2:14-22
I Pet. 1:1-9 Rom. 1:17 Phil. 1:6; 3:3-19
I Cor. 13:2 Tit. 1:16 Rev. 14:12
Luke 7:50 Mat. 8:1-13 Jas. 5:14-15