I remember having seen a church marquee which read: “Faith honors God – God honors faith.”  This is a wonderful saying IF you keep in mind the kind of faith that pleases God.  The first thing one must face is this; “faith only” never has pleased God and it never will.  It matters not what covenant men have lived under, “faith alone” apart from obedience, has never pleased God.  The best place to find examples of acceptable faith is in Hebrews the eleventh chapter.  Here we find a gallery of notable people who pleased God by faith.  Read it carefully and you will see, without exception, they had a faith that moved then to obey God. 

   In the book of James it is written; “ye see then how by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”  James 2:24    We are not saved by the works of man or the works of the Old Testaments, but by the works or commandments of God.  It seems to me that the plain statement in James ought to convince any Bible believer on the subject.  If that verse is not enough then consider the next verse which says; “as the body without the spirit is dead, so is faith without works.”  That ought to settle it, even with the skeptic.

    What kind of faith does it take to save the alien sinner, that is, the person who has never accepted Christ?  It takes that kind of faith which will move him to obey what is commanded for him in “The Faith,” which is the New Testament.  If one has come to believe the Divine Testimony in the New Testament as Christ’s message to sinful man and if he recognizes his need for salvation, then he must act upon this personal faith.  The New Testament commands the alien sinner to obey the following commands.

 

Ø      THE SINNER MUST BELIEVE.  ¹⁶He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.  Mark 16:16

Ø      THE SINNER MUST REPENT OF HIS SINS.  ¹³But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.  Acts 17:13

Ø       THE SINNER MUST CONFESS CHRIST AS GOD’S SON.  ¹⁰For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  Romans 10:10   To see an example read; Acts 8:35-38

Ø      THE SINNER MUST BE BAPTIZED “FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS.”  Peter, guided by the Holy Spirit, gave these instruction to believers on the day of Pentecost. ³⁸Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  Acts 2:38

Ø         This has now become “saving faith,” that is, faith has acted on the Lord’s command.  This is the king of faith you must have to be saved!  Do you have this kind of faith?  It is the only kind that honors God and it is the only kind that God honors.