"St Peter Repentant" c 1823-25, by Francisco de Goya Y Lucientes.
Today I continue in our series on the Doctrine of the Application of Redemption (from Dr. Wayne Grudem's textbook on Systematic Theology).
So far on the path to redemption we have discovered common grace, election, the gospel call, the effective call which leads to regeneration (born again) and today we will explore the topic of conversion. Just what is saving faith?
It seems to me that this is perhaps one of the most tender moments in the process, as this is our response to all that God has done for us leading up to this moment. This is the moment at which we must either accept or reject all that we have learned on this journey to this point.
Even though this is something that I did many years ago, my response, to this day, remains a very special and integral part of who I am.
Lets explore our response to God's grace...
My notes from Dr. Wayne Grudem's "Systematic Theology":
In the last few sections we learned that God issues to us a general gospel call. To the elect, the gospel call contains the effectual call of God and with it the regeneration (being born again) of the Holy Spirit. Our response to this gospel call is called conversion.
Systematic Theology defines conversion as:
"Our willing response to the gospel call, in which we sincerely repent of sins and place our trust in Christ for salvation."
Dr. Grudem states, "the word conversion itself means "turning" -- here it represents a spiritual turn, a turning from sin to Christ. The turning from sin is call repentance, and the turning to Christ is call faith." Dr. Grudem further states that, neither one (repentance and faith) can occur without the other, and they must occur together when true conversion takes place."
True Saving Faith Includes Knowledge, Approval, and Personal Trust
Knowledge alone is not enough:
Certainly the first step, in a personal saving faith, is acquiring knowledge regarding the things of Christ. Paul stated in Romans 10:14:
"But how can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe without hearing? And how can they hear without a preacher?"
People can hear and understand the facts but rebel against them. Here is Paul again in Romans 1:32:
"Although they know full well God's just sentence - that those who practice such things deserve to die - they not only do them, but even applaud others to practice them."
To further drive the point home that knowledge alone is not enough is James telling us that even the demons believe, in James 2:19:
"You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe - and they shudder."
Knowledge and Approval are not enough:
Nicodemus knew that Jesus had come from God because he witnessed the miracles of Christ. From John 3:1-2:
"There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Him at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him."
Nicodemus had knowledge and he further certainly agreed and/or approved of the fact that these miracles actually happened but Jesus went on to tell him how to be "born again".
I Must Decide to Depend on Jesus to Save Me Personally
From Systematic Theology:
"In addition to knowledge of the facts of the gospel and approval of those facts, in order to be saved, I must decide to depend on Jesus to save me. In doing this I move from being an interested observer of the facts of salvation and the teachings of the bible to being someone who enters into a new relationship with Jesus Christ as a living person. We may therefore define saving faith in the following way: Saving faith is trust in Jesus Christ as a living person for forgiveness of sins and for eternal life with God."
Dr. Grudem points out in the text that this "personal trust" is key. Believing that a financial planner is trustworthy is one thing, but giving a financial planner all of your cash net worth is placing your trust "in" him/her.
John 3:16, "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."
Faith Should Increase as Our Knowledge Increases
When someone makes the decision to believe in Jesus Christ, there is a significant leap of faith. Particularly if the faithful one intends to then follow through with this new life and seek to become "Christ-like". The only way to increase this faith is through the reading and study of God's Word. Sadly, many people make an emotional decision and then fail to develop the relationship and knowledge of God and Christ.
Paul made it real clear in Romans 10:17:
"So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ."
Thankfully, the message about Christ has been written down for us in the Holy Bible.
Our next lesson will take us to the topic of Repentance. In that lesson we will learn that Faith and Repentance must come together.
