As the disciples passed by the fig tree that Jesus cursed Peter said “Rabbi look, the fig tree that you cursed has withered.” Jesus replied: “Have faith in God.” (Mark 11). Many people will admit to having a faith, a belief in God and an acknowledgement that there is a greater power in the universe. For such people, the faith that they have comes from within themselves and really it is no more than having ‘high hopes’.

Question 21 of the Heidelberg Catechism asks, “What is true faith?” and immediately draws a distinction between true faith and false faith in asking the question. Biblical faith is described in Hebrews 11 as “the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” C S Lewis said, “True faith is never found alone; it is always accompanied by expectation.” The Heidelberg Catechism reminds us of those expectations – a firm confidence which the Holy Spirit works in us, the remission of sins and everlasting righteousness.

1. A Deep Rooted Assurance⤒🔗

Authentic saving faith believes the Word of God and all that is revealed therein. Hebrews says it is “by faith we understand that the universe was created by the Word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” Throughout the Bible we find examples of this deep-rooted assurance in the lives of God’s servants. Abraham believed God, he said “the Lord will provide” in a situation that was a huge test of faith. Daniel believed God and obeyed his commandments in situations that were great trials of faith. True faith does not just believe that God exists but that God is faithful and true and good. “True faith does more than believe gospel pronouncements – it believes gospel promises.”¹ We are reminded of this in Galatians that “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness.”

The Shorter Catechism in Q86 asks “What is faith in Jesus Christ?” The answer tells us that it is “a saving grace, by which we rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is freely offered to us in the gospel.” True Biblical faith then is not just an acknowledgement of God’s existence but an assurance that Christ died for my sins, and because of his death they are forgiven and I am forever right with God through trusting in him alone. How does this come about?

2. Created by the Holy Spirit←⤒🔗

Faith, Paul tells us “is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” True faith comes from without, not from within us. It is all of grace, and therefore excludes even the slightest hint that we contribute anything to our salvation. Many believe that by their own good works and acts of kindness they somehow inherit the favour of God and find acceptance with him. Paul outlines for us in the opening chapters of Ephesians God’s way of salvation. He reminds us that mankind is dead in trespasses and sins but God made us alive together with Christ. It is the work of the Holy Spirit who makes us alive even when we were dead in our trespasses and enables us to believe and rest upon Christ alone for salvation as he is freely offered to us in the gospel. He writes in Romans 10:17: “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” The encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus speaks of the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing about the new birth. “That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” It is the Holy Spirit who changes a man on the inside and produces true saving faith. The Bible speaks of newness of life, we are new creations, the old has passed away, behold the new has come. Grace not only justifies, it also sanctifies.

The work of sanctification is the process in which the Holy Spirit changes us as people and makes us holy. We still battle and struggle with indwelling sin every day but the Bible tells us that we are to pursue after holiness. Paul writes that we are to mortify sin: “do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” We are no longer slaves of sin but slaves of righteousness.

By birth we are in Adam, the slaves of sin; by grace and faith in Christ, the slaves of God. Bondage to sin yields no return except shame and ongoing moral deterioration, culminating in the death we deserve. Bondage to God, however, yields the precious fruit of progressive holiness, culminating in the free gift of life.²

3. Forever Right with God←⤒🔗

John Benton writes:

True faith in Christ means that because of his cross all our sins, past, present and future, are dealt with. We are permanently right with God.³

Many struggle with the question, “Can I lose my salvation?” We all know people who once seemed to be bright and active Christians but now they have renounced the faith and no longer claim to be followers of Christ. We must be clear that Scripture teaches that some do respond to the Gospel positively, but were not truly converted. The parable of the sower illustrates this quite clearly. People often make a profession of faith without possessing authentic faith.

The Bible equally makes it clear that not one of God’s redeemed shall ever be lost. The apostle Paul in the closing verses of Romans 8 forcefully reminds us that nothing “shall separate us from the love of Christ.” The love of Christ will never let us go and we can be assured as Augustus Toplady expressed this truth so well in his hymn:

My name from the palms of his hands Eternity will not erase;
Impressed on his heart it remains, In marks of indelible grace.
Yes. I to the end shall endure, As sure as the earnest is given;
More happy but not more secure, the glorified spirits in heaven.