Is Belief in Christ Enough to Gain Salvation?
A Look at the Role Humans May Play in Their Deliverance
Feb 14, 2009
The Bible verses and references in this article are of the NASB translation.
The New Testament stresses the importance of belief in Jesus for salvation; well-known verses such as John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8 (“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves”) show the relationship between faith and justification. Although ungodly demons also believe in God (James 2:19) and even acknowledge Jesus to be the Son of God (Matthew 8:29), it appears that acknowledging God and Jesus’ divinity is still the only thing necessary for one to for one to receive God’s grace, given the mass of Biblical evidence supporting that. This article suggests two important steps—ones which no demons would ever take—that could support one's faith in Christ.
The Act of Repentance
The Holy Spirit establishes within believers (and perhaps non-believers as well) the conviction that they are sinful, but also guides them to repent. (For information on knowing that the Holy Spirit lives inside, read this article.) The word “repent” and its variants occur dozens of times in the New Testament. In Greek, the original language of most New Testament writings, this word often denotes a change of mind. Some explain its usage in the NT as a call to change one’s mind about Jesus, but the word can also be used to denote a turning from sin—as seen in Acts 8:22, when Phillip commands Simeon to “"Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours.”
When one apologizes to God for their many sins, they acknowledge their need for Christ’s sacrifice—as, without it, they would never be considered sinless in God’s eyes. It was God’s punishment for the sins of the world that caused Jesus to endure death, separation and agony on the cross; in repentance, one expresses sorrow for their role in the crucifixion of God’s Son.
Moreover, it is because of one’s sins that they are initially unsaved and separated from God. Repentance for sins allows one to express their desire to be saved and sanctified before God, though it might not be necessary for salvation.
The Desire to be Saved
God, as a loving and kind Creator, wants everyone to be saved and with Him. But God has also given humanity the powerful condition of free will, meaning that one can choose whether or not to accept the forgiveness and salvation that Christ’s sacrifice allowed them. Thus, Christians may wish to express a true desire to be forgiven of their sins and saved. (The Holy Spirit is likely the source of this desire to be saved.)
If humans had no ability to refuse God’s grace, then nothing on their part—actions, beliefs or prayers—would be necessary for their salvation. The fact that people can resist or reject God’s call for their salvation, though, shows that a personal will to be saved could help in their deliverance from sin, although the Bible might not mention this.
The truth that Jesus is the Son of God and died (before His resurrection) in place of man is known well enough by evil beings. Humans are distinguished from demons when they express a desire to be saved and welcomed into God’s family. Belief in Jesus and in God may be the only step humans need take in finding grace, but it is assumed that they would want to be saved, too.
The Role of Belief in Jesus
Without faith in Christ, of course, there could be no forgiveness.The Bible proclaims that, in Jesus, all hopes for salvation can be fulfilled and all confessed sins can be atoned for. Without such belief, one should not expect God’s forgiveness, as they are overlooking the very One (Jesus) who endured all the consequences of their sin. When one trusts that Christ is fully sufficient to earn salvation for them, with no works or merit required on their part, that person has the type of faith that leads to real deliverance from sin.
Repentance, desire for salvation and faith likely originate from the guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit, which can help people before they even become Christians. Those who come to faith in Christ accept the grace God freely grants them through Christ Jesus.
Further Reading
Faith in Jesus, explained in this article as necessary for salvation, often results in deeds that prove one's belief. The article "Faith can be Shown by Deeds" has more on this topic.
For more information on what might play a factor in one's salvation, read "Steps That may be Necessary for Forgiveness."
