Introduction

I am privileged to be a pastor in one of Christ’s churches. As a pastor, I preach the Word of God to the people of God. We at Vista Baptist Church have been studying the book of Mark. The portion of Mark we have covered the last several weeks has faith as a central theme. The disciples lack faith, while Jesus has it (Mk 5:35-41). Both Jairus and the woman, who suffered from a humiliating ailment, had faith (Mk 5:21-43). By said faith, they received the power and presence of our Lord. In a later story, we observed the unbelief and even opposition by Jesus’s hometown (Mk 6:1-6). Their unbelief robbed them of the benefits of Christ.

The first and second entries of this series on faith covered the source of faith. Faith comes from God the Holy Spirit as the first cause and through the preaching of the Word of God as the instrumental cause. Now it seems we have come to a place to discuss the nature of saving faith, that is, faith that receives the salvific blessings earned by Jesus. What is saving faith? This question is the one we will aim to answer. To answer this question, though, let us begin by asking another one. How many kinds of faith do we find in the Scriptures?

Four Kinds of Faith

In the Scriptures, we find four kinds of faith: historical, temporary, miracle-working, and saving faith. Below, I will explain each one and show where they can be found in Scripture.

1. Historical faith is the mere assent to the truth of what God has revealed. Such faith is that of Simon the Magician and the devils (1 Cor 13:2; James 2:19; Acts 8:13).
2. Temporary faith is the assent to the truth of what God has revealed with profession and joy, yet the profession, joy, and the faith itself only last for a time. Jesus discusses this faith in the Parable of the Sower, “As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away” (Matt 13:20-21).
3. Miracle working faith is assent to the truth that follows with the ability to perform miracles. This type of faith might accompany or be a manifestation of the other two mentioned above. Zacharias Ursinus gives seven proofs for this type of faith,¹ two of which I believe are especially persuasive:
   • Judas was able to perform miracles, yet John records, “Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.’ He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him” (John 6:70-71).
   • Jesus’s warning in Matthew 7:22-23, “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
4. Saving/justifying faith is “not only a knowledge, whereby I surely assent to all things which God has revealed to us in His Word (Heb 11:1-3; Gal 2:20; James 2:19) an assured trust (Rom 4:16; 5:1; 10:10) in my heart by the Holy Spirit (Matt 16:17; John 3:5; Acts 10:45; Gal 5:22; Phil. 1:19), through the gospel (Mark 16:16; Acts 16:14; Rom. 1:16; 10:17; 1 Cor. 1:21), whereby I make my repose in God being assuredly resolved that remission of sins, everlasting righteousness, and life is given not to others only, but to me also and that freely through the mercy of God for the merits of Christ alone (Acts 10:42-43; Rom 3:24-25).”² Its nature is that of personal knowledge of, trust in, and rest on Christ (person and work) for the remission of sins, imputed righteousness, and eternal life. Saving faith includes the renouncing of oneself as the source of personal salvation (Phil 3:9), casting oneself Christ person (Song of Sol 8:5; Jn 3:23) and work (Gal 6:14; 3:25), and applying or receiving of Christ to oneself (Jn 1:12). Thomas Watson illustrates the idea of receiving Christ as follows, “The hand receiving of gold, enriches; so the hand of faith receiving Christ’s golden merits with salvation, enriches us.”³ As Herman Bavinck put it: 

“Faith is and remains by its very nature an unlimited and unconditional trust of the heart in the riches of God’s grace in Christ. Today it is essentially still the same as what it was in the days of the Old and New Testaments, a believing against hope (Rom. 4:18), the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things unseen (Heb. 11:1), a deep-seated confidence that with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27; 11:23–24), that he who raised Christ from the dead (Rom. 4:24; 10:9) still raises the dead, still saves sinners and forever calls into existence the things that do not exist (4:17).⁴

Conclusion

Saving faith is what is required for salvation. It differs not necessarily in its object, but in nature, then the other types of faith we find Scripture. Therefore, I give you two charges: (1) have faith, and (2) examine your faith.

1. Have faith. Have faith that does not trust in self, but Christ. Have faith that cast yourself holy upon Christ for salvation. Have faith that receives Christ personally as your Savior.
2. Examine your faith. Do you assent to the truths of Divine revelation? Do you renounce yourself as the source of your salvation? Have you and do you cast yourself upon Christ’s person and work? Have you received and do you receive Christ as the medicine that heals your spiritual wounds and defects?

May God give you such faith.