If one is a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, he/she will never abandon the faith. In other words, a true believer will continue to “believe in Christ.” This truth is brought out in many scriptures but one of my favorite passages is Hebrews 10:38-39 which says, “Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him. But WE ARE NOT OF THOSE WHO DRAW BACK TO PERDITION, BUT OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE TO THE SAVING OF THE SOUL.” The one who “draws back to perdition” (by renouncing the faith they once professed to believe) was a “mere professor” of Christ. True believers will never renounce the faith, for they “believe to the saving of the soul,” which simply means their salvation that began with being saved from eternal judgment will be completed when Christ comes to take believers home to glory (see Hebrews 9:28).

We have just seen that a true believer will NEVER QUIT BELIEVING, but it is important to see that we should be “growing in the faith.” When we speak of “the faith” we are talking about “the whole body of truth” that has been revealed in the Scriptures regarding the Lord Jesus Christ. It would include the truth about His Person (that He is fully God and fully Man…John 1:1 & 14; Philippians 2:5-8); His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to heaven (Mark 15 & 16); His present work in glory as the Head of the Church (Ephesians 1:22 and Colossians 1:17) and the believer’s High Priest (Hebrews 2:17-18 and 4:14-16) and Advocate (1st John 2:1); and all other truths we have received through the Apostles of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:42). The Apostle Peter said in his first epistle, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may GROW THEREBY” (1st Peter 2:2). His last words to believers were, “But GROW IN THE GRACE AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST” (2nd Peter 3:18). As we learn more and more of our Lord and Savior, “the faith” (the truth about Christ) will become more precious to us and we will be strengthened by it. In short, we will be “established in the faith.” The Apostle Paul wrote of this in Colossians 2:6-7, “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus our Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and ESTABLISHED IN THE FAITH, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” The word “established” means “confirmed,” so what Paul is emphasizing here is a continual walk with Christ where we learn of Him, and as we do these truths will be “CONFIRMED in our hearts and lives.” This will enable us to obey the exhortation that is given to us in Jude verse 3, “I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to CONTEND EARNESTLY FOR THE FAITH which was once for all delivered to the saints.” Satan, the enemy of our souls, seeks to rob us of our enjoyment of the truth by introducing false doctrines to us, but if we are “strong in the faith” his attempts to seduce us will not succeed. The Apostle John speaks to this in 1st John 2:14, “I have written you, young men, because YOU ARE STRONG, AND THE WORD OF GOD ABIDES IN YOU, and YOU HAVE OVERCOME THE WICKED ONE.” So, instead of being led astray from the faith, we will be used of God to defeat the wicked one and actually be a testimony to the faith to those around us.

In conclusion, in order to be “maintained (kept, preserved) in the faith” we need to “continually grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” This will take a real commitment on our part to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 2:16). We should start and end each day by meditating upon the Word of God and as we “grow in knowledge” we need to “obey the Word.” In fact, the desire to obey the Word should come first and when this is our desire God will graciously give us the knowledge of His Word. Jesus declared this in John 7:17, “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine.” Is this your desire, dear fellow-believer? If your desire is to “do God’s will” His truth will be revealed to you and you will surely be “maintained in the faith.”  (460.1)  (DO)