Scriptural Saving Faith is made up of these three key things: Knowledge, Belief, and Trust.*1 - Knowledge - Taste
*2 - Belief - Chew
*3 - Trust - Swallow
Before anyone swallows food, they will taste it, and if it is palatable and edible, they will begin to chew on it, and finally they will swallow the food down, and it becomes part of that man. Likewise, with the Gospel of Christ, every man must first hear the Gospel for himself, and begin to taste it intellectually. Some men choose to spit the Gospel out of their mind and memory immediately. Others by the help of the Holy Ghost, begin to think closely upon the Gospel and chew on it mentally and spiritually. Finally, the man wills to receive and swallow down the Gospel spiritually into his heart, and then he is born again by the Spirit of God. *James 1:21* The man receives Christ Jesus into his heart *John 1:12*, and the Holy Spirit immediately begins to change the man's inward nature. *I Peter 1:23; The man begins to experience the side effects of the Gospel he has swallowed - repentance, hatred of his sin, and love for Christ). He begins to hate the things he used to love, and love the things he once hated.
Knowledge tastes the Gospel (with the mind), Belief chews on the Gospel (with the will) and then decides to either reject or receive the Truth, and then Trust must swallow down the Gospel (into the heart). *Romans 10:10*
First, Knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ must come to the human mind. A man must be informed of a fact, before he will ever believe it. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The hearing of faith is the work of the Holy Spirit, not human nature. We must first hear, so that we know what is to be believed. True knowledge is essential to true faith. You must know and understand the Gospel - by searching the Scriptures, and learning what the Holy Ghost teaches concerning Divine Justice, your sinfulness, and The Lord Jesus Christ's Atoning Blood and Free Salvation. The Good News of free forgiveness, change of heart, and adoption into God's family is also understood. Christ Jesus, God manifest in the flesh, died for the ungodly. The one Mediator between God and men is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the Lamb of God. *II Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 3:13; I Timothy 2:5-6* You must first be taught divine truth and know that Christ Jesus Himself is the only way to life eternal. *John 14:6; Acts 4:12* If you reject Christ and remain in your sins and unbelief, you face the ever-present risk of dying, being condemned, and losing your soul.
Secondly, with the help of the Holy Ghost, the mind and heart go on to Believe that the Gospel is true. You must believe that God is, and that the Gospel is from God. Free Justification by Faith is the grand truth. Jesus is our God and Savior. *I John 1:7; Colossians 1:14; Acts 16:31; Romans 5:9* His Atoning Sacrifice is complete and fully accepted by God, and now whosoever believeth on Jesus is not condemned, but saved from the wrath to come and the love of sin. Bread is yours by simply chewing and swallowing; Christ Jesus Himself is yours by simply believing and receiving Him into your heart.
Finally, Trust is needed. *Ephesians 1:12-13* Commit your guilty soul to the merciful Savior. Rest all your hope and confidence on the gracious Gospel. Trust your soul entirely on the bleeding, dying and now living Savior. Come now to the Cross, and let Jesus wash away all your sins with His precious, atoning blood. *Matthew 11:28* Receive His perfect Righteousness, and all will be well with your soul. Trusting is the life-blood of Faith. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. To believe is to trust, and whosoever trusts in the atoning blood is saved. To be saved means to be rescued from the love of sin here in time, and the wrath to come out in Eternity. There is no saving faith without trusting in Jesus' Blood. Lean with all your weight on Jesus. Rest your whole person upon the Rock. Fall flat upon Christ, rest on Him.
Now understand - Faith always begins with knowledge. Then Faith believes Bible scriptural facts concerning God and Christ Jesus of which Faith is sure. Faith believes and trusts; Faith stakes its eternal destiny upon the truths and promises of Scripture. True faith is believing that Christ is what He is said to be in the Bible (God manifest in the flesh atoning for human sin), and that He will do what He has promised to do (save sinners by grace through faith), and then expecting and receiving Eternal Life from Him by faith in His Blood. The Scriptures say that Jesus of Nazareth was God in human flesh. Faith says Amen, and implicitly trusts to Christ alone. Simply trust to God Incarnate's Atoning Blood and your soul is saved on the spot. *John 1:14; John 8:58; John 14:9; I Timothy 3:16* Jesus was sinless, and was made a sin offering on our behalf, when He bore our sins in His own body on the tree.
Faith believes that Christ Jesus will do what He has promised. We look only to Him for free pardon, justification, preservation, and eternal glory. We take freely from His hands, according as He has promised. Believe that Jesus is exactly what He is said to be in the Bible, and that He will do what He says He will do. Trust Him, and no one else. I leave my defenseless soul in His hands for safekeeping. I rest only upon His promises, that He will do even as He has said. This is Saving Faith which receives Christ as a free gift from God, not of works, lest any man should boast. *Ephesians 2:8-9*
Knowledge tastes the Gospel (with the mind), Belief chews on the Gospel (with the will), and then decides to either reject or receive the Truth, and then Trust must swallow down the Gospel spiritually (into the heart). *Romans 10:10*
Knowledge tastes the Gospel (with the mind), Belief chews on the Gospel (with the will), and then decides to either reject or receive the Truth, and then Trust must swallow down the Gospel spiritually (into the heart). *Romans 10:10*
