the call to faith
THE CALL TO FAITH
The call to faith is not an invitation to reinterpret God's truth to fit our lifestyle — as many in Jesus’ day attempted to do. God, our Creator, sent His beloved Son to show us that there is far more to life, love, and faith than religion or tradition alone. In the four Gospels, Jesus often asked deep and searching questions to reveal Himself, His heavenly Father, and the Holy Spirit — One God in three Persons, known through relationship, not ritual.
In Jesus’ time, connection with God was centered in the Jewish temple and synagogue. Many Jews believed they were holy because of their strict observance of the law. Gentiles, by contrast, were seen as outsiders — unclean, pagan, and beyond the reach of God’s covenant. But even among the Jews, religious practices had become self-centered. Though they honored the Torah — the first five books of Moses — they often made exceptions and lived according to manmade traditions instead of God's holy standards.
Jesus saw through this spiritual pride and told the self-righteous, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Sadly, many today still think of themselves as good without God — trusting in self-made philosophies or pluralistic beliefs, rather than in a God who speaks truth, offers mercy, and prepares us for life beyond death.
The humbling truth of the gospel is this: we have all sinned and fall short of God’s glory. But Jesus came to pay our debt, so we wouldn’t have to pretend to be righteous. Instead, we are invited to find real life through His righteousness. Jesus calls us to walk by faith with the Father, to follow Him into new life, and to be empowered by the Holy Spirit — adopted into His family, His body, His Bride — the Church.
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Recognizing Your Need
For Help
For Help
Pray, I believe...Help my unbelief. And reach out with your desire.
Lord Jesus, Live in me, and let me live You.
Lord Jesus, Live in me, and let me live You.
Finding Jesus
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C. S. Lewis once observed, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” That longing — that restlessness — may be the soul’s signal that we were created for more than this life alone.
He also wrote, “Look for Christ and you will find Him. And with Him, everything else.” True fulfillment isn’t found in what we achieve or acquire, but in the One who created us for Himself. When we seek Christ, we begin to see that our deepest desires are met not in this world, but in relationship with Him.
He also wrote, “Look for Christ and you will find Him. And with Him, everything else.” True fulfillment isn’t found in what we achieve or acquire, but in the One who created us for Himself. When we seek Christ, we begin to see that our deepest desires are met not in this world, but in relationship with Him.
The shore invites us to stillness — and reminds us of the deep longing only God can satisfy.
A beach reminds us of the vastness of creation — and of the soul’s longing for rest, beauty, and meaning. Saint Augustine, writing in his Confessions, put it this way:
“Man, a little piece of your creation, desires to praise you… bearing with him the witness of his sin… and the witness that you resist the proud. Nevertheless, to praise you is the desire of man… You stir man to take pleasure in praising you, because you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
We were made to know and glorify God. The ache in our hearts — for joy, for peace, for belonging — is not a flaw but a pointer. As both Lewis and Augustine remind us, this longing is fulfilled only when we return to our Maker and rest in Him.
How Faith Is Born
Faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ — but it deepens as we taste and see that the Lord is good. Like bread and wine on the table, Christ offers Himself for our nourishment; like the cross standing high on the mountain, He calls us to see His glory and draw near. We are invited not only to listen, but to feed on the Bread of Life, drink the cup of salvation, and behold the goodness of God revealed in Jesus. Faith is more than belief — it is a living response to the One who gave Himself for us.
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"I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will "Taste and see that the LORD is good, blessed in
never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will the one who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34:8
never be thirsty." John 6:35
never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will the one who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34:8
never be thirsty." John 6:35
The Root of Hope
and the Gift of New Life
Hope takes root when we receive Christ. As we believe the word of truth and turn from sin in repentance, God's love enters our hearts and begins a transforming work. This is salvation — not earned, but given — a rescue from sin and its consequences by God's mercy and grace. Through Jesus, we are forgiven, made right with God, and brought into a new life that lasts forever: a life filled with peace, purpose, and relationship with the One who made us and calls us His own.
The fruit of a righteous life is like a tree of life,
and those who help others find God are truly wise.”
Proverbs 11:30 (Paraphrase GNT)
Our Debt, His Payment
Christ’s atonement — His payment for our sin — has been understood in different ways across Christian traditions.
According to Arminian theology (a view with Wesleyan roots), Jesus's sacrifice made God’s grace available to all. This grace, often called prevenient grace, awakens the human heart — freeing the will from sin’s grip just enough to make a real, personal choice. In this view, salvation is offered to everyone, but it only becomes effective when a person responds in faith. The concern with this perspective is that it may seem to depend on human effort — not only to accept salvation, but to hold onto it.
This raises an important question: Is salvation something we initiate by choosing — or something God begins and finishes by grace?
Paul gives us this answer in Ephesians 2:8–10 (GNT):
“For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it. God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.”
According to Arminian theology (a view with Wesleyan roots), Jesus's sacrifice made God’s grace available to all. This grace, often called prevenient grace, awakens the human heart — freeing the will from sin’s grip just enough to make a real, personal choice. In this view, salvation is offered to everyone, but it only becomes effective when a person responds in faith. The concern with this perspective is that it may seem to depend on human effort — not only to accept salvation, but to hold onto it.
This raises an important question: Is salvation something we initiate by choosing — or something God begins and finishes by grace?
Paul gives us this answer in Ephesians 2:8–10 (GNT):
“For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it. God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.”
By contrast, Calvinist theology teaches that salvation is entirely initiated by God. Because of our deep spiritual deadness (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13), we need more than help — we need a resurrection. God doesn’t simply improve us; He gives us a new heart (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26). In this view, salvation is not about our ability to choose God, but about God's power and mercy in choosing and saving us.
One metaphor often used in Arminian thought is: God gives everyone a gift. It’s not the wrapping that matters — the real treasure is inside. But you must choose to open it.
Though these perspectives differ, both agree on this: salvation is a gift made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The difference lies in how and when that gift is received — and who ultimately makes it effective.
Faith leads Us to Peace
IIf salvation depended on us, it wouldn’t truly be a gift — it would be something we earn. But Scripture says we are saved by grace through faith, not by our own efforts. We cannot give ourselves spiritual life, just as we could not birth ourselves physically. What we receive — Christ’s righteousness — is entirely His doing, not ours.
Salvation comes as the Holy Spirit awakens us to believe — this is regeneration, not just prevenient grace. And the peace that follows? It doesn’t come from our circumstances, but from God in Christ. He renews our minds and softens our hearts.
The ability to walk in peace is something we grow into. Even mature Christians can struggle when cares and fears weigh us down. True peace comes as we surrender our hearts, our worries, and even our unbelief to Jesus. We are not promised peace in this world, but we are offered lasting peace in Christ, as He guards our hearts and minds.
A New World View
The peace of Christ not only calms our hearts — it ushers us into a new reality. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we are not just comforted — we are reborn. This is the miracle of regeneration: the mind renewed, the heart awakened, and the soul made alive to God.
When you are “in Christ,” you step into a new world view — one where everything is changed. Jesus doesn’t just forgive your sins; He clothes you in His righteousness and brings you into union with Himself. He dwells in you, and you in Him. In this union, we begin to live from a different place — no longer defined by our past, but by His presence and purpose in us.
“Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (GNT)
I
When you are “in Christ,” you step into a new world view — one where everything is changed. Jesus doesn’t just forgive your sins; He clothes you in His righteousness and brings you into union with Himself. He dwells in you, and you in Him. In this union, we begin to live from a different place — no longer defined by our past, but by His presence and purpose in us.
“Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (GNT)
I
Standing in the light of a new day — a picture of what it means to be made new in Christ.
"See to it, then, that no one enslaves you by means of the worthless deceit of human wisdom, which comes from the teachings handed down by human beings and from the ruling spirits of the universe, and not from Christ. For the full content of the divine nature lives in Christ, in his humanity, and you have been given full life in union with him. He is supreme over every spiritual ruler and authority (Colossians 2:8-10)."