Have you ever heard someone say, “We’re saved by faith alone—not by works—so all we have to do is believe”? Maybe you’ve even said it yourself.
On the surface, it sounds simple enough. Just believe, and you’re saved. But if you’ve ever wrestled with the gravity of your own sin, or felt the weight of what Jesus endured on the cross, you might wonder—can it really be that easy?
I’ve asked those questions myself. And I remember a time when a close friend—someone I love deeply—confided in me with the same struggle. “Is salvation really so simple?” she asked. “Is it really just about believing?”
Those questions matter. Eternity matters. And what we believe about saving faith shapes how we live today.
Let’s take an honest look at what the Bible says about faith—the kind of faith that truly saves.
Is God’s Salvation Really That Easy?
Years ago, a close friend and relative shared her struggle to grasp how salvation could be so “easy.” She asked, “Is God’s salvation really that cheap?”
Absolutely not!
Salvation may be a free gift to us, but it came at a great cost to God. The price? The life of His only Son. (See: What is the Cost of Our Salvation?)
We are not saved by believing in feel-good ideas or spiritual fairy tales. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9)—faith in the finished work of Jesus, who suffered, died, and rose again to conquer death and reconcile us to God.
What Is Faith?
The dictionary defines faith as belief, trust, or loyalty to a person or set of teachings. But the Bible gives us a much deeper definition:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” — Hebrews 11:1
In Scripture, faith is not just belief in an idea—it is confidence in the unseen reality of God’s promises, rooted in the truth of His Word.
Two Types of Faith Regarding Salvation
1️⃣ Head Belief – Intellectual Acknowledgment
This type of faith involves knowing who Jesus is and having a general acceptance of biblical truths. It’s an understanding of the facts about Christ’s life, death, and resurrection—and mentally agreeing with them.
But Scripture makes it clear that knowledge alone does not save. As Wayne Grudem notes in Systematic Theology, while it’s necessary to know who Christ is and what He has done, simply knowing the facts isn’t enough—many who understand the truth still reject it.
Paul writes in Romans 8:32 that some people are aware of God’s laws yet despise them. And James 2:19 adds a striking warning: “Even the demons believe—and shudder!” The demons know who God is and fully grasp the facts about Jesus’ identity and saving work—yet they remain condemned.
Head belief alone does not lead to salvation. It may acknowledge the truth, but it stops short of personal trust and transformation.
2️⃣ Heart Belief – Saving Faith
Saving faith goes beyond mental agreement—it is personal and transformative. It begins with understanding the gospel and agreeing with it, but it culminates in a decision to fully rely on Jesus Christ for salvation.
This is the kind of faith John describes in John 1:12: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Saving faith means receiving Christ, not just believing about Him, but trusting in Him as Savior and Lord.
Today, the word “trust” often communicates better than “belief” or even “faith,” because trust implies action. Acts 16:31 says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”
Believing on the Lord reflects a personal dependence that results in action.
Faith in Action: Trust vs. Belief
Think of it like this: A sick man believes a bottle of medicine can heal him. But that belief is meaningless unless he actually takes the medicine. In the same way, saving faith requires action—it means entrusting ourselves fully to Christ.
Saving faith is not blind. It is grounded in the trustworthy, infallible Word of God. It’s a personal trust in the living Christ that leads to a new relationship with Him and produces loving obedience and good works.
The faith that saves is not just belief in facts—it’s a wholehearted trust in Jesus that leads to life transformation.
Faith That Works: The Evidence of a Living Faith
How do we know our faith is genuine? Scripture provides a clear answer:
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” — James 2:14
True faith results in good works. Not as a means to earn salvation, but as the natural evidence of salvation. A faith that does not bear fruit is dead (James 2:17, 2:26).
Paul emphasizes in Romans and Galatians that we are justified by faith apart from the works of the Law. James does not contradict this; instead, he insists that genuine saving faith will inevitably lead to action.
While Paul was combating legalism among Gentiles influenced by Judaizers, James addressed believers claiming to have faith without living it out.
James isn’t advocating for justification by works. He’s challenging believers to examine whether their faith is alive, because dead faith produces nothing.
Faith and Works: Inseparable in the Christian Life
Christians are not commanded to do good works instead of faith, or in addition to faith. Rather, good works flow from faith. They are the fruit of a transformed heart and a relationship with Christ.
James gives practical examples in James 2:15-16, showing how words without deeds are empty. Likewise, faith without works is meaningless.
Even Abraham’s faith was demonstrated through his actions (James 2:22). His obedience proved the authenticity of his trust in God.
We cannot claim to believe in Jesus and yet live as though that belief has no bearing on our daily choices.
Living Out Genuine Faith in Everyday Life
Faith is not limited to spiritual moments or church attendance. A living, saving faith touches every aspect of our lives—including our work, relationships, and attitudes.
Every day brings opportunities to serve others and reflect Christ. Maybe it’s helping a confused customer at work, mentoring a struggling co-worker, or simply noticing someone in need. These acts, though small, demonstrate a faith that is alive and working.
James calls us to be especially attentive to the vulnerable and marginalized. Genuine faith will always lead us toward compassion, service, and action.
Conclusion: What Kind of Faith Saves?
So, what kind of faith truly saves?
It’s not a checklist of good deeds or a shallow belief in spiritual ideas. It’s a living, breathing trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It’s the kind of faith that transforms the heart—and shows up in our actions.
We’re not saved by our works, but genuine faith can’t help but produce them. When we truly know Jesus, it changes how we treat others, how we respond in hard situations, and how we live day to day. That’s the faith James talks about—a faith that works because it’s real.
Ask yourself: Is my faith alive? Does it move me to love, to serve, to obey—even when no one is watching?
Let’s be people marked by genuine faith. Not because we’re trying to earn God’s approval, but because we already have it—and we’re living in response to the grace we’ve received.
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Recommended Resource:
A Deeper Look at James: Faith That Works (Life Guide in Depth) by Andrew T. Le Peau and Phyllis J. Le Peau
A deep look at Scripture―God’s very words―is never wasted. In fact, not only is it never wasted; it’s richly rewarded. The more deeply we dive into the riches of the Bible, the more deeply we can experience and serve God, the giver of all truth, wisdom, love, and understanding.
The new LifeGuide® in Depth Bible Studies helps you do just that, taking you further into themes and books of Scripture than you might have gone before.
As you see new connections between the Old and New Testament, gain an understanding of the historical and cultural background of passages, engage in creative exercises, and concretely apply what you’ve learned, you’ll be amazed at the breadth of the knowledge and wisdom you gain and the transformation God can work in you as you meet him in his Word.
Each session provides enough material for a week’s worth of Scripture study along with a weekly group discussion guide that pulls all of the elements together.
This guide is based on and includes the inductive Bible study James from the bestselling LifeGuide® Bible Study Series – only now it has been expanded for a new kind of study experience.
In A Deeper Look at James, you’ll discover:
- how often does James lean on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in giving instructions
- how to know if you’re truly being “quick to listen” (hint: it involves much more than just your ears)
- how the different financial situations you’ve been in may have affected your faith
- how you can participate in God’s work to bring justice on earth
- and much more.
If you’re longing to go deeper in your understanding of God and his Word, LifeGuide® in Depth Bible Studies is for you. These new studies will meet your need for both rich, solidly researched content and personal application.
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I believe in the Bible and Jesus Christ. Also, I am a Christian and I can’t go all the time to our Baptist church because I got a lot of health problems.
But I study the Bible, read Bible verses, and read daily bible devotionals every day. I know the Lord saves and loves everybody that believes in him.
Amen
Hi Donna,
Glad for you to have come by.
You’re right; the Lord knows and loves those believe in Him.
I pray for the Lord’s healing to flow upon your body and make you whole.
God bless you beyond measure.
Wonderful insight and truth in your article! The differentiation between “faith” and “trust” really stood out to me. There truly is a difference!
I remember the story when Jesus was asked how we can be saved and His response was, “Love the Lord Your God with all your heart, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.” When we love someone, it is displayed by our actions.
I enjoyed reading this today. Thank you!
Hello Kayla, thank you so much for reading the article and commenting.
When I was a new believer I also did not understand the difference between trust and faith. I just assumed they’re one and the same. But as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord, we will come to understand the Bible more and more. In the same way that love is accompanied by actions, genuine faith also will lead to good works.
Shalom and God bless!
Such an awesome and inspiring article. I truly believe in God and faith is very important for our salvation. I know some people who says that they believe in our Lord but they are doing completely other things such as guilting the God because of their despair and weakness which is sad.
Hello Daniel, thanks for visiting.
You’re right, faith is important because it’s what causes us to come to God, repent of our sins and receive God’s gift of salvation. I know what you mean, there are many who claim to believe in Jesus but we do not see it in the way they live their lives because they are still living according to worldly standards.
Genuine faith which is the faith that saves will always produce good works. After all, we cannot keep claiming to have genuine faith if we are still living the way we did before getting saved.
Blessings to you!
I think that if you truly have faith on the inside it will manifest as good work on the outside. These two things are two sides of a coin. You cannot be saved by good works (filthy rags) alone because then the Savior is not needed. Likewise you cannot truly claim to have faith in the Son of the living God and not have your faith lead you to do good works.
In Christ we become new creatures and if those creatures are to behave like the leader they follow, they too must become servants of each other as Christ was.
That’s right Renton, it’s inevitable for anyone who has genuine faith to not produce good works. However, this principle remains vague to some people. Although they acknowledge that we are saved not by good works but by putting our faith in the Lord Jesus, they turn around and say that we need to obey all of God’s commandments in order to be saved.
Thanks for weighing in, God bless.
Thanks for this great article describing what faith is and how Christians are saved. Being a baptist myself, I fully agree with you that the only way to heaven is by putting your full faith in Jesus Christ alone.
In fact I think this is what separates Christianity from all other religions — because every other religion says you have to do something in order to please God, but the Bible says that there’s nothing you can do to please God and the only way to be saved is through His grace alone.
I heard a very good comparison about trusting Jesus that I liked. It’s basically like you’re on a plane about to jump out without a parachute — but since you put your trust and faith in the parachute you were given, you won’t die. And this is exactly how we should put our faith in Jesus Christ.
You wouldn’t expect that by flapping your arms once you jump out of a plane that you’ll live — just like you shouldn’t believe the good deeds you do while living should make you live. You have to put your full trust in a parachute / Jesus to have everlasting life.
Thanks again for the great article.
Hello Michael, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the topic of faith. You’re absolutely right, what makes Christianity different from all other religions is the fact that we cannot earn our salvation; that no matter what we do to please God, they will have no bearing in our salvation. That’s because salvation in Christianity is a gift, it’s free and all we have to do is receive it by faith.
I am currently based in a Muslim country and I see how my colleagues and the people here are trying so hard to follow strictly what the Quran tells them to do in order to earn “plus points.” Basically, they cannot know for sure if they will make it to heaven. In other words, they have no assurance of salvation. They can just hope that at the end of their physical life, their good deeds have far outweighed their bad deeds.
I like the analogy you used about completely trusting in what Jesus has done for us. Everlasting life is attained by trusting in Jesus as Lord and Savior of our life. We are saved by faith but the faith that saves is faith that is genuine; faith that produces good works.
Blessings to you and your family.
It’s a complicated issue. I’ll have to admit that I am confused. Faith leads to actions and actions lead to salvation. That part I get. But why is it that head faith is not enough? How come knowledge along isn’t enough to lead to actions?
I’ll have to come back and read more from you. Thank you for sharing this.
Faith leads to actions and actions lead to salvation, that is correct Wei. Actually it’s not that complicated at all. The Bible is pretty clear that salvation or justification is by grace through faith alone in the Lord Jesus. Salvation is a gift which means it’s free. We do not have to work for it and we cannot earn it.
But here comes the part where most people get confused. Although we are saved by faith, our actions will determine what kind of faith we have. I said in the article that genuine faith is what saves and the evidence that one’s faith is genuine is if it produces good works.
Why is head belief not enough? Because one can believe in God but has actually no faith in God. For instance, James 2:19 says that “even the demons believe there is one God and tremble” but they’re not saved.
So it’s not enough that we know and believe God is Almighty and is the only One who can save us, we need to put that belief into action. After all, it’s faith that causes one to call out to God for mercy. Romans 10:13 says, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Please do check out the other articles about salvation. God bless you!
Thank you for sharing this article. I am Christian & always have been. My family & I would go to church every Sunday & Wednesday. I’m glad you said faith is genuine.
Sometimes I feel like people don’t share their Christianity that way. Which gives us a bad name. I know that is true for some but others we are looked down upon & make it seem that we are “stuck up”. I do hope the World eventually changes on how they look at us in the future.
Hi Rachel, thanks for dropping a comment.
You are blessed to have been raised in a Christian family. In today’s society where sharing your faith is becoming unpopular, I totally understand why many Christians no longer want to engage. It’s also evident that as a result of culture modernization, many Christians who grew up in Christian homes have left the faith.
One of the biggest misconceptions in regards to the doctrine of “salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ” is that as long as you have faith, you are saved, regardless of what you do afterwards. This of course, is not true at all.
So in sharing our faith with others, we need to make a distinction between the kind of faith that saves and that which does not. Genuine faith is the kind of faith that saves; faith that is backed with actions such as obedience to God and His commands and good works/deeds.
The reason people look down on us for saying that we are saved by faith alone is because many who claim to be Christians are not walking the talk. If we want to reach out to people, they need to see in us the evidence of the faith that we claim to have.
Shalom!
Thanks fot this great post. Just what I needed to read today. You have pulled together some of my favourite bible quotes here and also highlighted some that I was less familiar with. I will be sure to visit you site again as you hav eso much great content on here. Thansk again
Hello Chris, thanks for visiting. I’m just glad to be able to share my insights on some Bible passages, especially those that we do not really give much thoughts to, such as the topic of faith.
Christians are aware that they are saved by grace through faith alone in the Lord Jesus. Unfortunately, many have put so much emphasis on the words “faith alone” that they neglect to put that faith into action
I love this Alice!
I think genuine faith is sometimes overlooked by ‘just going to church’ every week. I have seen a lot of people that come to church every week and say that they have great faith and accept the bible. But when it comes to day to day life beyond just church, they don’t fulfill what is taught in the bible. Like you mentioned, simple things like helping a customer find the right item, are I think pivotal to really have genuine faith. It’s not just about going to church, but more about applying the teachings as well so you can spread God’s words through your actions.
A quick story. We have recently just started small groups that meet outside of our weekly church times where we discuss our day to day lives and try to use God’s message into our lives. I feel this is a great way to really apply the teaching and also have accountability of doing it.
Sad but true Parmi, some people think that going to church every week is enough. In a way, the image of Christianity is tinted because some people who claim to be followers of Christ are not walking the talk. It’s the same problem that the early church were going through, which was the reason James wrote his epistle. Although good works do not earn us our salvation, they do prove to other people and to ourselves that we have genuinely come to faith in Christ.
Having a small community group where we meet and share not only the good things that the Lord is doing in our lives but also to encourage and help one another with their physical and spiritual needs is a great idea. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, shalom.
Alice,
Faith, what an amazing subject that our Country has been separating from more so ever since the Bible was removed from the classrooms in the early 1960’s. Sometimes I wonder if perhaps it is too easy of a concept, accept Christ into our lives, and truly mean it and you are saved. Yes it does sound too simple, perhaps when we fall so short and the truth demises from everyone’s everyday life, it becomes difficult because the knowledge is not prevalent anymore.
That may be an illustration of me 8 years ago, my life had to fall apart, then I genuinely asked Christ into my life, once born again the good works were joyful. There are so many people out there that believe they can climb to heaven from good deeds, when as simple as it sounds again a genuine acceptance of Christ, and heaven comes down to us.
What scripture or New Testament book would you recommend to help touch someone’s life for their salvation.
Thank you for the wisdom and knowledge of your post.
Jack
Dear brother Jack,
I consider it a tragedy that America, which is supposed to be a Christian nation and whose constitution was founded on the very word of God, the Bible, has been slowly departing from God.
Indeed, the statement, “Just believe and you are saved” or “Just have faith in God and you are saved,” sound too simple and easy. However, faith that the Bible describes as the means of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9) is that which is genuine, alive and active.
It’s rather easy to just confess with your mouth that you believe in what Jesus Christ has done in order to save you, but you also have to believe in your heart (Romans 10:9). Believing with your heart will result to a changed life as evidenced by good works, which is exactly the point of James when he said, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26).
In helping someone realize his need of salvation, I would start out with Romans 3:23 then proceed to Romans 6:23, John 3:16 and Romans 10:9. I hope this helps.
Shalom!
Hi, Alice. Thanks for another fine article.
I liked your analogy about believing medicine will work but not actually taking it. A good way to describe faith that is shallow and lacking substance.
Yea, I don’t think Paul & James contradict each other either. It just makes sense that if Christ saves us that fruit of that will show in our lives.
As the Christian music group DC Talk put it: : “Love is a Verb!”
Hello TJ, it’s really nice to hear from you again!
The problem with many people who claim to have faith in Jesus is that there’s no evidence that they actually believe. Declaring with your mouth that you believe is not enough, you also have to believe in your heart (Romans 10:9). When you believe with your heart, fruits are sure to follow.
“Love is a verb.” I like that definition too.
Alice,
This biblical verse you used is powerful I use it each living day. Believing in something that one cannot see and being determined that the positive outcome will be done in certainty. How can I have faith that I will be healed if I see myself convulse daily? I chose to believe. Its a decision. No rocket science. Hot topic.
Hi Linda,
Indeed, the word of God is powerful; it’s a weapon available for us to use daily to combat any kind of obstacles that try to get in our way.
You’re right, to keep believing in something with certainty can be hard especially when we don’t see even the slightest hint that it’s gonna happen. In your case, I can’t imagine how hard it must be for you to keep believing that you’ll get healed. But you made a decision to keep believing; you are choosing to believe because you know that God is faithful and in Him nothing is impossible.
When we can’t see God’s hands, we just have to trust His heart.
God bless!
Thank you so much for sharing this. I really liked how you said that if you truly do have faith, then your faith will produce works that show that faith. I know certain denominations put works ahead of anything else, but that is simply not true especially if you don’t have any faith. I am definitely a believer in Christ and know that He is my Savior and so I want to show that. Great article and I will share this with others.
It is undeniable that there are certain religious groups or denominations that focus too much on work to the point that they believe their good works will contribute to their salvation. But this clearly contradicts the doctrine of salvation by grace alone through faith.
Good works which include submission to God and obedience to His words are necessary but they do not in anyway have any bearing to our salvation. Good works supports the faith that we claim we have and they will be used to evaluate us at the rewarding ceremony when we face Jesus at the judgment seat of Christ.
Thanks Brian, God bless you!
Thanks for the beautiful post on faith Alice.
I loved the way you clearly explained and stepped through the different kinds of faith and clarified how the word in James is consistent with Paul’s teachings.
It is indeed challenging but true that a genuine faith does produce a heart change that results in evidence of works. On the other hand, just merely going to church and having head knowledge doesn’t produce any change. My favorite saying is, ” Going to MacDonald’s everyday doesn’t make you a hamburger.”
Accordingly, James 2:14-26 is one of the most difficult passages to interpret and has caused many Bible readers to conclude that James is teaching the necessity of works in salvation, which in effect is contradicting Paul’s teaching of salvation/justification by faith alone.
Although it is clear that the Scriptures do not teach a work-based salvation, a genuine faith in Christ always produces good works as a result of a changed heart. It’s so very easy to say we have faith but without the fruit of the Holy Spirit manifested in our life, (i.e., good works), the faith we profess is questionable.
I agree with your favorite saying which in effect is saying, “Going to church very Sunday doesn’t make you a Christian.”
Fantastic page. Being a Christian, I also understand the importance of faith in our walk with Christ. I also believe and agree with you that accepting Christ as your savior is your first step that needs to be taken. Trust and prayer and reading the scriptures on a daily basis build that relationship and foundation and then naturally you will produce good works from the fruit of the spirit which resides in us. We are imperfect and will still sin but we have that which prevents us from living in that sin. Jesus washes away our imperfections and continues to grow in us a new creation in Him. God bless sister and keep proclaiming the works of our Savior. Much love.
Hello Catherine, thanks for your thoughtful comment, it means a lot coming from a sister in Christ.
The role of works in salvation is one of the most misunderstood subjects in Scriptures which in effect is causing disagreements among Christians. Bible readers seem to think that James was contradicting Paul when he said that one is justified by works and not by faith only (James 2:24). However, a closer look at James’ and Paul’s letters clearly reveal how these two great followers of the Lord Jesus are in agreement with regards to justification by faith alone.
The Lord Jesus has done all the works needed to redeem us, all we have to do is place our faith in Him and in His finished works. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Then we are made new in Christ to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). Good works do not in any way contribute to our salvation but good works are the result of a genuine, saving faith.
You’re absolutely right, good works come naturally as a result of being in Christ. Good works are the fruit of the Holy Spirit manifested in the life of a genuine believer. We still commit sin and will never attain perfection until we behold the glory of the Lord face to face. But let us allow God to transform us daily from glory to glory and let Jesus continually wash us.
Shalom, God bless you!