Romans 8:1-2
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
This is the third and final post in my series on the levels of saving faith. As I have written before, there are three main levels to a Christian's saving faith, and they are notitia (the facts) assensus (what is said) and fiducia (our certainty). In the first post on Ephesians 2:1-2 I wrote about our faith's notitia (the facts that shape it) being founded in an awareness of our death in sin. In my second post on 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 I looked at one of the oldest Christian creeds and how it is good news that we, as believers, must speak as the assensus (what we say) of our saving faith. In this post I will examine the third level of saving faith which is fiducia (the certainty of what we believe). Without this third level, our faith can not save. It's not enough for us to know what we believe and to speak it. It is written that even the demons know that there is one God, so knowledge is not enough to save (James 2:19). It is written that many people will prophesy for the name of the LORD, but Jesus will turn them away saying "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!", so simply speaking the good news is not enough to save (Matthew 7:22-23). We need to have certainty in our saving faith and we need to know upon where our certainty is founded. For us to truly have saving faith, to be free from death and given life, we must be personally convicted in our belief, because we have a personal Savior.
The believer's personal certainty of their faith is founded in the person of Jesus Christ. Paul knew this, when he addressed the Romans in his letter stating that from the Holy Spirit he "received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for His name’s sake" (Romans 1:5). Paul knew that he received his message to the Romans (and to us) from the Holy Spirit, because it was Him who called Paul to be an apostle. Paul also knew that "from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen" (Romans 11:36). When we know that the foundation of our fiducia (certainty and basis of personal trust) for our saving faith is in God, we have no reason for doubt.
Nevertheless we do doubt. We, as believers, all doubt the certainty of our saving faith from time and time. For me, personally, my biggest doubt concerning my saving faith is whether I have truly been saved from all my sins. I wonder sometimes if my crimes against God have all truly been forgiven, now that I'm a believer. When I'm caught up in this doubt, I know one section of Scripture that personally helps me. I read Romans chapter 8. From the start of the chapter, I encounter this beautiful message, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). This is a truth in which I put my trust; of this I am personally certain, "because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you [and me] free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2). Scripture says I am free from the penalty of my sin, and so is anyone else who is truly in Christ Jesus. When I remember this, my assurance in my savign faith returns. This is further strengthened when I read that "if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal [body] because of His Spirit who lives in you" (Romans 8:10-11). I do doubt this sometimes, but still I am certain and have personal conviction that Jesus Christ has saved me from my death and has brought me to life to speak His good news. Christ is my personal Savior and He lives in me. Becuase I have this certainty, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile" like me (Romans 1:16).
With the Holy Spirit within us we can have the fiducia (the trust) we need to believe that we are alive in Christ. From Him come all of the aspects of our saving faith; a saving faith that we can know, we can preach and we can trust. It is through Jesus that we are saved. It is through Him that we are we free.
Through You the Kingdom comes
Through You the battle's won
Through You the price is paid
Through You I'm not afraid
Through You there's victory
Because of You my soul sings
I am free
- Newsboys
Sources
- The Bible (New International Version)
- Ligonieir Minsitires: Faith Defined
- Newsboys: I Am Free
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