Faith? Belief based on Evidence that leads to Action...

Each person in the world exercises Faith every day.

The ingredients of Everyday Faith:

That Old Bridge...

Example: driving across a river.

Belief: you will cross the bridge and arrive safely.

Evidence: why do you believe that? The bridge was designed well and  built by trained engineers; you have crossed the bridge 100 times before and it has always held the weight of multiple vehicles, including yours.

Action: what do you do with what you believe? You drive across the bridge.

You can have the belief and the evidence, but without the action it remains merely intellectual belief, not faith. If you don't drive across the bridge (action), does believing the bridge is sound get you across the river? Of course not! Faith lived out requires action.

Saving Faith is so much more than Everyday Faith !!

The object of saving faith is Christ (not crossing a bridge, going to a doctor, sitting in a folding chair...) and it is salvation-centered.

Saving faith:

Jesus is the Bridge!

Belief: Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and came back to life. Therefore his claims to forgive my sins and give me eternal life are true.

Evidence: There is both external and internal evidence. External: the Bible says so! There is support for the linguistic and historical accuracy and integrity of the Bible and its claims to be the very word of God. Internal: the changes in my life; the changes in others' lives (many radical changes!); the continued existence of the Church throughout years of persecution, and more.

Action: Ask Jesus to forgive my sins and save me...which will lead me to God's good works "prepared in advance for us [me] to do". (Ephesians 2:10)

To God be the glory.