FAITH

As mentioned in the youtube video, we receive the gift of God by faith. The Bible says that faith is the key that opens the door to heaven. You could have a key ring with several keys on it, they all may look similar, but if you go to the front door of your home, you could try all the keys on the key ring except the right one and they will not open the door....The right key to heaven is called faith, saving faith. That will open the door to heaven. Nothing else in the world will open that door.

So we now know that faith is the key to heaven, but what IS faith. First we will look at what it is NOT. It is not just knowledge about historical facts of Jesus. Some people believe in Jesus like George Washington. They believe He actually lived. He was a real person in history, but they are not trusting in Him to do anything for them now. Most people say that they believe in God, but that belief/faith is not what the Bible means by saving faith......In James 2:19 You believe in One God, good! Even the demons believe that and shudder. And in the first part of Matthew 8:29 the demons said, What do you want with us Son of God. So we see even the demons believe in God and  we know they don't go to heaven. So believing in God is not what the Bible means by saving faith.

Another area that many people mistake for saving faith is like temporary faith in emergencies.  Like praying to God that their children will get better when they are sick. Or when people travel the pray to God for safe travel. Or say you had a big decision you prayed to God for wisdom in making that decision.....All these things are good to do, but they are only temporary situations that has to do with OUR lives. Many people trust in the Lord for all these temporary matters. But saving faith is trusting Christ to save you....save you eternally.

  I know before I accepted Christ into my life,  I was trusting MYSELF for getting into heaven. I tried to live a good life, I tried to go to church, I tried to live by the Golden Rule. etc. but the problem with those things is that it was all about "I".

Saving faith is trusting in Jesus Christ ALONE for our salvation. It is relying on Christ alone and what "HE" has done rather on what I have done to get me into heaven.   In Acts 16:31 it says Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.