The Object of Saving Faith

The Object of Saving Faith
By Don Krow
Level 3: Lesson 7

Suppose that on a man’s wedding day as he stood before the pastor, the pastor suddenly began to say these words: “Do you take this woman to be your personal cook, to clean your house, and do your dishes? Do you take her from this day forth to vacuum the floors and to dust the furniture as long as you both shall live?” Suddenly his wife-to-be says, “Stop! If you want me as a person that only does things for you, you can hire a maid. I want you to love me and take me for who I am. If you take me for who I am, I will do all those things for you, but I want you to take me! All of me! I don’t want you to just take my benefits and not my person.”

A.W. Tozer said this, “Now, it seems odd that some teachers never notice that the only true object of saving faith is none other than Christ Himself; not the ‘saviourhood’ of Christ nor the ‘lordship’ of Christ, but Christ Himself. God does not offer salvation to the one who will believe on one of the offices of Christ, nor is an office of Christ ever presented as an object of faith. Neither are we exhorted to believe on the atonement, nor on the cross, nor on the priesthood of the Saviour. All of these are embodied in the person of Christ, but they are never separated nor is one ever isolated from the rest. Much less are we permitted to accept one of Christ’s offices and reject another. The notion that we are so permitted is a modern-day heresy, I repeat, and like every heresy it has had evil consequences among Christians” (The Root of the Righteous, pp. 84-86).

Do you get the point? Why do we emphasize a part of Christ (His benefits), an office of Christ, and not Christ? That’s like taking a wife in marriage as your personal cook and not for her person.

DISCIPLESHIP QUESTIONS SCRIPTURES TO USE WITH QUESTIONS
1. Read John 1:12. As many as received:
A. Him (the Lord Jesus Christ)
B. Jesus as Savior
C. Jesus as Lord
D. Jesus as priest, to them gave He power to be come the sons (or children) of God
2. Read Acts 16:31. We are to believe (that is, trust or entrust) ourselves to whom?
3. Read Luke 6:46. What does the word “Lord” imply?
4. Read Matthew 1:21. What does the word “Jesus” imply?
5. Read Luke 23:2. What does the word “Christ” imply?
6. Read Romans 1:16. According to this verse, the Gospel, or Good News, is
__________________ .
JOHN 1:12 – But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
ACTS 16:31 – And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
LUKE 6:46 – And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
MATTHEW 1:21 – And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
LUKE 23:2 – And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.
ROMANS 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.251
7. Read Romans 1:1-3. The Gospel of God centers around, or is concerning, __________________ .
Part of His Son or all of His Son?
8. Read John 6:54. When you eat something, what does that imply?
9. Read Galatians 3:27. When a person is baptized into Christ, they put on __________________ .
What part of Christ do they put on?
10. Read Acts 9:5-6. When Saul was converted, what two questions did he ask Jesus?
11. Read Romans 7:4. To whom are we to be married?
To what part of Him are we married?
12. Are you enjoying a good marriage with Christ?
Do you talk, communicate, love, and worship Him?
ROMANS 1:1-3 – Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, [2] (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) [3] Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.
JOHN 6:54 – Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
GALATIANS 3:27 – For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
ACTS 9:5-6 – And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. [6] And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
ROMANS 7:4 – Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

ANSWER KEY
1. Read John 1:12. As many as received:
A. Him (the Lord Jesus Christ), to them gave He power to become the sons (or children) of God
2. Read Acts 16:31. We are to believe (that is, trust or entrust) ourselves to whom?
The Lord Jesus Christ
3. Read Luke 6:46. What does the word “Lord” imply?
Master, ruler, boss, the one who has the right to control our lives. This word also implies deity
4. Read Matthew 1:21. What does the word “Jesus” imply?
Jesus as Savior
5. Read Luke 23:2. What does the word “Christ” imply?
Jesus as our King and Messiah
6. Read Romans 1:16. According to this verse, the Gospel, or good news, is __________________.
Christ Himself, which includes all His benefits
7. Read Romans 1:1-3. The Gospel of God centers around, or is concerning, __________________.
God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord
Part of His Son or all of His Son?
All of Him
8. Read John 6:54. When you eat something, what does that imply?
That you take all of it in. In a sense, what you eat becomes your life, your strength
9. Read Galatians 3:27. When a person is baptized into Christ, they put on __________________.
All of Him
10. Read Acts 9:5-6. When Saul was converted, what two questions did he ask Jesus?
Who are you, and what would you have me do?
11. Read Romans 7:4. To whom are we to be married?
To the Lord Jesus Christ
To what part of Him are we married?
All of Him