Faith That Saves - John 3-4

John 3:16-21 (ESV)

For God So Loved the World

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

The most famous of all Bible verses is in the above lines. John 3:16 is shown on more TV screens and media outlets than any other of God’s Word.  Most people know the verse but seldom know or read the verses after it.   There is an easy believism in our country and it stems from not seeing the words that follow John 3:16.   It comes from a false understanding of what Jesus (through John’s writings) meant about the word believe.   Yes, we know that salvation is totally by faith in Jesus, alone.   In Latin, sola fide.   But when reading the Word of God (especially the verses that follow John 3:16) we read that John defined belief as something that changes your walk in life.   We don’t change our walk and behave differently to be saved.  But when we believe in Jesus as the risen Lord, our walk will change.  This is what John is saying.   If we say we believe and still walk in darkness, then we never really believed to come into the light.   James would write it this way, years later:

James 2:14 (ESV)

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

Faith that is not demonstrated by works is not saving faith.   We are saved by a faith that is active.  Once we put our faith in Christ something begins to happen in our life.  To acknowledge that Jesus is God’s Son means more than an intellect ascent.  It is an active change in life style when someone believes that Jesus died for them.  That last verse in the above section says it all:

But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.

The belief means works will be carried out by God.