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we are not focusing on reaching the lost with the Gospel. This is a huge tactic of the devil to distract
believers, and specifically pastors, from obeying God. If you have taught your congregation to do this,
you need to start teaching them to stop today. Teach them to focus on growing and ministering, on
mercy and grace. Remember that in James 2:13 we are told that the measure of mercy God uses to
evaluate believers is the measure of mercy we show others.

What Is Saving Faith?
Faith in the Bible is confident trust that God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do.
Many in theological circles try to distinguish head faith from heart faith. This distinction is not found in
Scripture. It is built due to theological confusion in which people are told to ask themselves questions
like “I think I believe, but do I really believe?” That question is a result of theological assumptions not
sound New Testament exegesis. The New Testament always says “believe” and you will be saved. What
must be believed?

This is a lively debate. Some say Jesus must be believed to be God. Others say that one must understand
the death and resurrection. The problem with these assertions is the thief on the cross. What did he
know or not know? He was told he would be with Jesus in paradise. We are not told he met any of the
various requirements. Only that he believed in Jesus the person. The larger debate is what a person may
not believe as opposed to what must be true. For instance. The deity of Christ must be true for Jesus to
be able to be a sufficient savior. Must a person actively know and affirm that, or must it simply be true?
Could a person believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus on their behalf, not know about Jesus
being God, and still be saved? The thief on the cross points to yes. We have no indication that he was
aware of the deity of Christ. Genuine and legitimate differing opinions exist on this issue. What then
should you as a pastor do? Preach Jesus as God died and raised from the dead for sins. We do not know
for certain what they must believe. So, let us be faithful preaching the four elements in most Gospel
presentations in scripture. Those elements are the deity, humanity, death, and resurrection of Christ.
That is what the apostles did on a regular basis. To be clear, we are not saying these must all be actively
believed for a person to be saved. We are saying a good Gospel presentation should probably include
them.

Examples:
John 20:31 -
The Apostle John says, “but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (ESV)

Here Jesus is called the Messiah, the Son of God. John has already laid out his Gospel. So, one can argue
he has addressed the death and resurrection as well.

Acts 2:22-24 –
The Apostle Peter says “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by
God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves
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know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified
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and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, losing the pangs of death, because it was
not possible for him to be held by it.” (ESV)

Jesus the man was killed by lawless men and raised by God. His identity was confirmed by God. So, stop
rejecting Him and believe. That was Peter’s message.

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