In our last study sheet, we considered Scriptures which spoke of “faith,” “believe,” etc. In them we saw that faith is a gift of God, given in the new birth, and not a work of the creature to be performed in order to be born again. Let us now continue to consult the Scriptures.

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
(John 3:36)

This is a statement of description, not a statement of condition. It doesn’t say that “if one believes he will be given everlasting life.” It says that the believer has everlasting life.

What has been said here is true of the following Scriptures:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
(John 5:24)

“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18)

“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and everyone that loveth Him that begat loveth Him also that is begotten of Him.”
(I John 5:1)

Mark 16:16 also presents a statement of fact and not a statement of conditions to be met: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Acts 13:48 states that “as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” It does not say that they believed in order to be ordained to eternal life.

Romans 4:16 states that “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.” This verse emphasizes that faith itself is a free gift of grace. The verse also emphasizes that the promise of eternal life is absolutely sure to all the spiritual seed of Abraham (all the children of God). Abraham is the spiritual father of both Jew and Gentile in the sense that both are saved exactly like he was — by faith which was freely given to him because of grace.

The pattern of how one becomes a believer is Paul the Apostle. He wrote, “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.” (I Timothy 1:16).

Paul became a believer on the road to Damascus by a direct operation of the Spirit of God. He was not under the sound of the gospel when this occurred. Since this was a “pattern” conversion, all sinners who become believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are born again by the immediate power and grace of God, and not by the ministry of the Word.

In conclusion, we must note that not all men have faith (II Thessalonians 3:2). Therefore, not everyone will believe when they hear the gospel.

Why?

“But ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.”
(John 10:26)

Questions

1. “He that believeth on the Son ____________ everlasting life.”

6. How did Paul become a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ?

Memory Verse:

We have memorized Psalm 110:3; II Corinthians 4:6; John 5:25; John 3:8; John 6:37,44; Philippians 1:29.

Let us memorize I Peter 1:21.