Saving faith is the faith of God's elect; the special gift of God to them, wrought in them by his Spirit.
Interpretation
Saving faith is a divinely granted belief that leads to salvation, bestowed upon God's chosen individuals.
This quote by Thomas Boston emphasizes the idea that saving faith is not merely a human effort or decision but a profound gift from God, cultivated by His Spirit within the hearts of those He has chosen. It suggests that true faith, which leads to salvation, is uniquely designed for the elect and highlights the sovereignty of God in the process of salvation.
In practice
In a sermon on grace, one might quote this to illustrate God's role in salvation.
Sinners in their natural state lie dead, lifeless, and moveless; they can no more believe in Christ, nor repent, than a dead man can speak or walk: but, in virtue of the promise, the Spirit of life from Christ Jesus, at the time appointed, enters into the dead soul, and quickens it; so that it is no more morally dead, but alive, having new spiritual powers put into it, that were lost by Adam's fall.
Call it no more free-will, but slavish lust; free to evil, but free from good, till regenerating grace loosens the bands of wickedness.
Free grace will fix those whom free will shook down into a gulf of misery.
Whoever be the instruments of any good to us, of whatever sort, we must look above them, and eye the hand and counsel of God in it, which is the first spring, and be duly thankful to God for it. And whatever evil of crosses or afflictions befalls us, we must look above the instruments of it to God.
No work nor deed of ours whatsoever, no not faith itself, can be the condition of the covenant of grace properly so called; but only Christ's fulfilling all righteousness.
The law discovers the disease, and the gospel the physician.
I realized that everything I had to do I could not do on my own, and so I was almost obliged to put myself in God's hands, to trust in Jesus who - while I wrote my book on him - I felt bound to by an old and more profound friendship.
We may not know when or how the Lord's answers will be given, but in His time and His way, I testify, His answers will come. For some answers we may have to wait until the hereafter. This may be true for some promises in our patriarchal blessings and for some blessings for family members. Let us not give up on the Lord. His blessings are eternal, not temporary.
There is no pit so deep, that God's love is not deeper still.
The wonderful thing about praying is that you leave a world of not being able to do something, and enter Godβs realm where everything is possible. He specializes in the impossible. Nothing is too great for His almighty power. Nothing is too small for His love.
The more I am in a position to be tried in faith with reference to my body, my family, my service for the Lord, my business, etc., the more shall I have opportunity of seeing God's help and deliverance; and every fresh instance, in which He helps and delivers me, will tend towards the increase of my faith.
My entire theology can be condensed into four words, 'JESUS DIED FOR ME'.
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