Saved by Christ

It was about three years ago, during a discussion with a friend of mine, my pastor at one point said, "you are not saved by faith, but by Christ!" I was a little bit shaken by that statement at first to say the least. It took me some time to understand that statement and now I believe that to be true. Understanding that statement was to understand the true and deeper meaning of the Gospel, that I am saved by God's grace and His grace alone. I could not claim any merit and that includes my faith in Christ even. It is Christ who saves me through the means of faith. My faith is not the bases of why I am saved, but Christ. Hence all credit goes to Christ and Him alone be praised and receive my thanks.

Today, over at the blog, Of First Importance, this quote reminded me of this real meaning of the Gospel again.

“It is not faith that saves, but faith in Jesus Christ… It is not, strictly speaking, even faith in Christ that saves, but Christ that saves through faith. The saving power resides exclusively, not in the act of faith or the attitude of faith or in the nature of faith, but in the object of faith.”

- B. B. Warfield quoted by Sinclair Ferguson, In Christ Alone (Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2007), 43.

Read it, think about it, pray, and may that result you in praising, thanking, trusting, submitting, and yielding to God more than ever before.