Silas
Beloved of All
It is encouraging to see your burden for those who are seeking salvation and your desire to point them to Scripture. Romans 10:9 and 10 gives the clear promise that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, for with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
That promise rests entirely on faith in Jesus Christ. Righteousness before God does not come through our own efforts, through keeping the law, or through religious ritual. It comes as a gift through faith in Christ alone. By grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works. You cannot earn it or deserve it, you can only receive it by trusting what Jesus has done on the cross and His resurrection.
The Scripture also shows that when faith is genuine it will show itself in a changed life. Paul teaches that we are justified by faith apart from works of the law, and James helps us see what kind of faith justifies. True faith is living, not dead. It will produce fruit and be seen in what we do. Turning from sin and following and obeying Jesus does not earn salvation, but it is the evidence that salvation has taken place. As John the Baptist taught, there should be fruit that demonstrates repentance. Your faith in Christ prompts your obedience to Christ, and that obedience becomes the proof of the faith you profess.
Faith itself is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Without faith it is impossible to please God. It is not a matter of feelings, and it is not blind. It rests on the sure promise of God and looks to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith and the author of eternal salvation to those who trust and obey Him. Even Abraham, who is given as the great example of faith, was counted righteous because he believed God, and his faith was then marked by obedience. God looks at the heart that truly trusts Him.
For anyone seeking Him now, the way is simple. Come with an honest heart, confess Jesus as Lord, believe that God raised Him from the dead, and turn from sin to follow Him. Trust His promise to save and to give His Spirit to those who believe. Then let that faith grow as you walk with Him, learning patience and trust through fellowship with Him.
Your encouragement to read and study Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, beginning in John, is wise counsel. The Gospel of John especially presents Jesus clearly so that you may believe that He is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. Continue in the Word, ask God to strengthen your faith, and let Him shape your life to reflect the salvation you have received.
That promise rests entirely on faith in Jesus Christ. Righteousness before God does not come through our own efforts, through keeping the law, or through religious ritual. It comes as a gift through faith in Christ alone. By grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works. You cannot earn it or deserve it, you can only receive it by trusting what Jesus has done on the cross and His resurrection.
The Scripture also shows that when faith is genuine it will show itself in a changed life. Paul teaches that we are justified by faith apart from works of the law, and James helps us see what kind of faith justifies. True faith is living, not dead. It will produce fruit and be seen in what we do. Turning from sin and following and obeying Jesus does not earn salvation, but it is the evidence that salvation has taken place. As John the Baptist taught, there should be fruit that demonstrates repentance. Your faith in Christ prompts your obedience to Christ, and that obedience becomes the proof of the faith you profess.
Faith itself is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Without faith it is impossible to please God. It is not a matter of feelings, and it is not blind. It rests on the sure promise of God and looks to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith and the author of eternal salvation to those who trust and obey Him. Even Abraham, who is given as the great example of faith, was counted righteous because he believed God, and his faith was then marked by obedience. God looks at the heart that truly trusts Him.
For anyone seeking Him now, the way is simple. Come with an honest heart, confess Jesus as Lord, believe that God raised Him from the dead, and turn from sin to follow Him. Trust His promise to save and to give His Spirit to those who believe. Then let that faith grow as you walk with Him, learning patience and trust through fellowship with Him.
Your encouragement to read and study Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, beginning in John, is wise counsel. The Gospel of John especially presents Jesus clearly so that you may believe that He is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. Continue in the Word, ask God to strengthen your faith, and let Him shape your life to reflect the salvation you have received.
