Most of us believe that salvation is by faith. But what does that really mean? It is of vital importance for us to know because the Bible tells us of several kinds of faith that do not save. For instance, we read in James 2:19, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." This is just one of many instances in scripture where people have a form of faith that is not saving faith. Whenever there is true faith, a counterfeit faith is not far behind.
Here are a few examples of faith that is not saving faith. Simply believing you are saved is not saving faith. You can genuinely believe that you are saved and not be. You can believe that Christ died for you and not have saving faith. There are multitudes who believe that and are yet lost. Saving faith is not looking back to a past religious experience and basing your salvation on that. That would be to trust an experience and not Christ himself.
In II Tim. 1:12, Paul gives what is perhaps the most simple definition of faith in the Bible, "I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day." The day Paul is referring to is judgment day. In this verse we see at least four facts about saving faith that help us understand what it is.
"I know Whom I have believed." Notice Paul did not say I know what I have believed, but Whom I have believed. The object of saving faith is not a what, but a Whom. You can have a very strong faith and be lost. Conversely you can have a very weak faith and be saved. You can have a strong faith in the wrong object! Your faith may be in an experience, a decision, a head knowledge of some facts, or even a Jesus who is not the Lord Jesus of the Scriptures. But saving faith has the proper object. It looks to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
I know whom I have believed. Saving faith is based on knowledge. You cannot believe what you don't know anymore than you can come back from a place you have never been. Saving faith knows the contents of the Gospel of Christ. It is knowing that a sinner's acceptance with God has nothing to do with their personal character or conduct, but is based 100% on the doing and the dying of the Lord Jesus. Saving faith is knowing the blood of Christ alone is the only payment for sin. Saving faith knows the righteousness that Christ worked out, being counted by God to the sinner, is the only grounds upon which God will accept the sinner. One cannot trust Christ without understanding why he trusts Him.
"I am persuaded that He is able". Saving faith is being persuaded, or convinced, of the truth of the Gospel. Saving faith really believes that if Christ died for you, you are saved. You may not even have assurance of personal salvation (although you should), but you are sure that Christ is all in salvation.
"He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day." There is always a committal in saving faith. The word "committed" means to deposit. You deposit your money in the bank because you believe they are able to take care of it for you. You would not put your money in the bank if you did not trust the bank. Paul said he deposited something with Christ. And what did he deposit? The salvation of his soul. In committing his soul to Christ he said, "I do not look to my worth, works, or will, to contribute to my salvation in any way. I am relying wholly on what Christ did to make me acceptable to God."
If you rely on self anywhere in your salvation, you do not have saving faith. If you rely wholly on Him alone, you do. The only thing that will prevent a man from trusting Christ is self-righteousness. Everybody who truly sees themselves to be a sinner will look to Him as their Sovereign Saviour...........and that is saving faith.