Lasting Peace Comes Not Through a War but in True Faith in the Gospel

What is true faith?

• True faith is a sure knowledge
• whereby I accept as true
• all that God has revealed to us in His Word.

John 17:3. "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

John 17:17. "Sanctify them by Your truth.  Your word is truth."

Hebrews 11:1-3. 

• Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
• For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
• By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

James 2:19  You believe that there is one God.  You do well.  Even the demons believe; and tremble.

At the same time it is a firm confidence

• that not only to others, but also to me,
• God has granted forgiveness of sins,
• Everlasting righteousness, and salvation,
• out of mere grace,
• only for the sake of Christ's merits.

Romans 5:1  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 2:20  "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Hebrews 10:10  By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Ephesians 2:8-10

• For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 
• not of works, lest anyone should boast.
• For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

This faith the Holy Spirit works in my heart by the gospel.

Acts 16:14  Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us.  She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God.  The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Romans 10:17. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

1 Corinthians 1:21  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

The Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 7