16. Salvation   160
 through faith

We become part of the new creation as God’s gift (Mt 11:27; Jn 6:43; Eph 2:8). This decisive step (Col 1:12-13), our salvation is not the reward for our merit and good deeds (Rom 4; Phil 3:4-6); it comes from through faith (Rom 3:21; Phil 3:9).

161

According to John, believing consists in recognizing the One sent by God (Jn 5:38; 6:29). It means recognizing the fact that God loves us first and forgives us (1 Jn 4:10; Jn 3:16). It means accepting God that we may be transformed and made holy (Jn 12:42-45); and recognizing that Jesus is the Christ (1 Jn 2:22-29; 5:1), namely, the Only Son who came from God and would return to God (Jn 6:62).

162

According to Peter and Paul, to believe is to accept the love of God who delivered his Son for the sake of the sinners (Rom 5:14-15; Gal 3:1). It means to acknowledge that God has raise the Son from the dead (Rom 4:23; 10:9) made Him Lord (Acts 2:36; 1 Cor 12:3; Phil 2:11). It means to accept that all the promises of God were fulfilled in Him (2 Cor 1:20).

163

Faith that saves is supported by the witness of the Scriptures (Acts 17:3; 18:28; Rom 16:26; 2 P 1:19) but it also means discovering a word which God speaks to us today (Heb 1:1 and com. on Mk 11:29). The contemporaries of Jesus had to recognize Him as the One sent through the signs that He worked (Jn 6:26; 10:32; 15:24). Later, faith was supported by the testimony and the signs given by the Apostles (Mk 16:17; Acts 8:7; 1 Thes 1:5). Faith is never limited to accepting beliefs, but it sees God’s plan (Mt 11:16-24; Lk 7:30) through present events (Lk 12:56; 19:44) and the prophetic voices of the Church (Eph 3:5; 1 Thes 5:19).

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Faith integrates us to the people of God (Eph 2:19-22) through baptism (Mt 28:19; Mk 16:16; Col 2:11-13).

165

Faith brings us into a state of holiness which the Bible calls justice, or righteousness or justification (see com. on Rom 1:16; Rom 4-5; 1 Jn 2:1-6). It makes us pleasing to God, reconciled with Him (Rom 5:1-2) and a reflection of God’s image (Rom 8:28; Col 3:10; Eph 4:24). Faith introduce to the Kingdom of His Son (Col 1:13) where we receive the first gift of the Spirit (Eph 1:13; 2 Cor 1:22). See 153-154.