What is faith? In Chapter 11, the doctrine of justification was explained, and we know from Scripture that justification is by faith alone. Faith is knowing that the Gospel is true, and then throwing all of your faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who truly believe abandon all other hopes, whatever it may be, and cast it all on the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is no hope apart from Christ. Even if you have done many good deeds, in the world’s eyes, you still cannot barter with God. Isaiah 64:6 says that “all our righteousnesses are like rags.” Romans 3:12 says, “There is none who does good, no, not one.”

The only hope that people have is to repent of their sins and put all their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting in God alone for their salvation. There is nothing that they can do to earn it. Faith acknowledges that there is nothing that we can bring to the table, and that “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12), the only name is Christ.