On June 22, 2025, I will celebrate my anniversary of becoming a Christian. The day I raised my hand in the air is a blur now, but I remember one thing: I lied to my mother the night before, and that guilt wore heavy on my mind the next day. Even as a child, I understood the weight of my sin and wanted to throw it off me.
As an adult, I can see it was unusual to feel the need to repent at that age. Children lie. So, where did the need to atone come from?
Romans 1:16-17 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew firstand to the Greek. For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘BUT THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY FAITH.’”
The verse from faith to faith is an interesting statement. Theologians believe it refers to a viewing of faith in all believers (faith in one, faith in another, faith in a third person, etc.). While others believe it is a reference to beginning faith to its end.
Scholars describe faith as a persuasion or a drawing near to something to build trust and security. According to Strong’s Concordance (number4102), faith is always a gift from God and never something people can produce. In short, faith for the believer is ‘God’s divine persuasion.’ The Lord births faith in the yielded believer.”
The gospel’s power to save comes from the faith God grants those who heed its message. It is independent of work, social standing, and spiritual background. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast.”
In his commentary on Romans, Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones says, “Faith is not natural, faith is spiritual, the gift of God . . . you cannot command faith at will. Faith is always something that is given-inwrought by God.”
Also, Hebrews 12:2 says, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of faith,” and Philippians 1:6, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Thus, the initial emotion of guilt and the desire to repent originates with God. While people believe accepting the gospel is a work, it does not diminish that the desire to repent did not come naturally; it was a gift.
We can rejoice knowing God did not leave us to flounder through life. As noted above in Hebrews 12, Jesus also sees us through the life of faith until the end. Likewise, Jude 1:24 says, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy.”
What does God get out of it? According to Westminster Catechism, the first question asks what the chief and highest end of man is. Answer: Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. If God gives you faith that leads you to salvation and helps you persevere to the end, then worship is due to Him.
Therefore, praise God, who works from faith to faith.
A Tree Firmly Planted 