What Exactly Is the Nature of True and Saving Faith?
BY NICK BATZIG | Have you ever wondered if you have saving faith? So did the Puritan preacher John Bunyan. What exactly is the nature of true and saving faith?
In his autobiography, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, John Bunyan recalled a time in his life when he sought to test whether or not he had true faith. He stood in front of a puddle to see whether or not he could perform a miracle and make the puddle dry up. As he stood there, Bunyan thought to himself that he should pray prior to attempting this miracle. He then reasoned that if he prayed and attempted this miracle and it did not occur, then it would mean that he did not have true faith.
In the end, Bunyan stood there staring at the puddle. This story captures so well the many wrong views that we often have when considering the teaching of our Lord about the nature of true and saving faith.
We can become frustrated when our faith doesn’t seem to produce the result we desire.
After coming down from the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus found some of his disciples frustrated on account of the fact that they could not cast a demon out of a boy (Matt. 17:14-20). The father of the boy was frustrated with the inability of Jesus’ disciples to help. Jesus took the opportunity to teach an important lesson about the nature of faith. He said…