FBC Daily Devotions

FAITH

Read Romans 1:16-17.

“We believe that reconciliation with God is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ.”

Jesus may have died for the sins of the world, but its effects are appropriated only by faith in Jesus Christ. When we place our faith in the work of Christ for our sins and agree to follow after Him, God gives to us the gift of salvation. Now that may sound like a conditionally earned gift, but in reality the Scriptures speak of even our faith being from God (Eph. 2:8-9). Therefore, everything (including faith) is from God and nothing of ourselves. It’s all God.

Some struggle with the idea that only by faith in Jesus Christ can one ever hope to gain salvation. But consider that faith in anyone else (including ourselves) cannot possibly resolve the issue of sin. Sin MUST be dealt with and a penalty MUST be paid. Faith in anyone less than Christ could not pay the debt or penalty of sin. How could it? A sinful person can only pay for his or her own sin – and that by death. How could anyone possibly pay for someone else’s sin when they can hardly pay for their own? And even then, their payment comes in the form of punishment – the punishment of death and hell. Therefore, no man – not Mohammed, not Buddha, not Abraham – can pay for our sins and enable us to be reconciled to God and reach heaven.

But Jesus… Jesus is the only one capable of paying for our sin because He didn’t have any (as seen in yesterday’s devotion). That is why faith in Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to salvation. Salvation is a gift given by faith in Jesus Christ.

If you have not put your faith in Christ for your salvation, do it now, “for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Make the choice to believe that Christ was God in the flesh who died for the sins of mankind and rose from the dead to give victory over sin and death, enabling us to be reconciled to God and live with Him forever. Choose to believe.