What is “Saving Faith?”

by Edward Fudge

“WHAT IS SAVING FAITH?” someone asks. “What does it look like? Why is it important?”

Romans 4 best illuminates the meaning of “trusting God” or “saving faith.” The principle has been the same in all ages of the world. Indeed, the prototype and prime example of one justified by faith (trusting God) is the patriarch Abraham who lived and died about 2,000 years before Jesus.

We must begin by understanding that our relationship with God rests either on the principle of works (we get what we deserve) or on the principle of grace (we get what we do not deserve). It must be one or the other (see Romans 4:1-5). Paul tells us that “God justifies the ungodly” person because “his faith is reckoned as righteousness.” It is almost too good to believe.

Yet King David also confirms this in Psalm 32:1-2, which Paul quotes in Romans 4:6-8. God does not “take into account” the sin of the person to whom he “reckons righteousness apart from works.” That individual does not actually measure up, judged by God’s law; nevertheless, God forgives such people and “reckons” them “righteous” through their trust in God. This principle is not limited to Jews (with their ritual circumcision) for Abraham was justified by faith before he was circumcised, making him the spiritual ancestor of all who are justified by faith, whether Jews or Gentiles (see Romans 4:9-12).

If justification (God’s acquittal) depended on our keeping God’s commandments well enough, no one would be justified (see Romans 4:13-15). God’s laws always result in wrath because no one keeps them perfectly (4:15). God promised Abraham that he would be “heir of the world.” It is clear that this promise did not depend on the success of Abraham’s physical descendants at keeping God’s commandments. If that were the case, God’s promise would completely fail, for Abraham’s descendants always broke God’s laws (4:14). No, we can “trust” God for his blessing because it is his unilateral, gracious gift (4:16). Since God’s favor depends entirely on God, his blessing is sure, for God is always faithful (4:16).

But what does it mean that Abraham “trusted God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6)? Just this, that when Abraham at age 100 encountered God’s promise that he would become father of many nations, a promise which was humanly impossible (see Romans 4:18-19), aged Abraham did not look to his own ability to bring about this result. Instead, he relied on God’s faithfulness and ability to do what he had promised (4:20-21). Literally, Abraham “amened” God. (The Hebrew verb “to believe” eventually produces the word “amen” in Greek, Latin, English, and many other languages.) God gave a promise. With all his heart, Abraham said, “Amen!” to God’s promise. God said, “You are a righteous man.” Abraham’s faith was reckoned (put down in the books, so to speak) as righteousness (4:22).

God will reckon us righteous in the very same way Abraham was—by faith, by trusting in God’s promise, by saying “Amen” to God’s promises with all our heart. And what is God’s promise to us? God promises that he will forgive our sins and make us his children because of what Jesus Christ has done for us and in our stead.