Practically trusting in Christ

[nwink]

What does it look like, practically in the believer's life, to trust-in/lean-upon Christ for salvation?


Edit for clarification:
What are the signs in a believer's life that he/she is trusting-in/leaning-upon Christ for salvation? (what kind of attitudes, reactions, thoughts, lifestyle, etc)

Often, saving faith is considered to have 3 essential elements: knowledge, belief, trust. It seems a person could have knowledge, think he/she believes, yet not truly be trusting-in/resting-upon Christ's saving work...such as a subconsciously-moralistic person who needs to realize they are actually resting upon their good works instead of resting entirely upon Christ. What are ways a believer can self-examine his/her heart to know if he/she is trusting-in/leaning-upon Christ? (We are often told we need to be resting upon Christ, but not as often do we hash-out what that practically looks like in a believer's life)

 

[dudley]

Nathan I can only trust in Christ...
Salvation is of God, not of man. John 1:13 says, "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." The expression, "not of blood," simply means that salvation is not inherited through the bloodline. No one is saved because his mother or father is a Christian. "...nor of the will of the flesh" means that there is nothing the flesh can do to earn salvation, including reformation. "...nor of the will of man" means there is nothing man can do to save himself. "...but of God" means that nothing of man enters into salvation.
If that be true, then man's behavior-good or bad-has nothing to do with obtaining salvation. Titus 3:5 says, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us...." Ephesians 2:8, 9 tells us, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." It is impossible to mix grace and works. Salvation is either by grace or works; it cannot be a combination of the two.

 

[rbcbob]

It looks like a Christian who is walking in confidence and peace; a life lived with confidence in Another and having that peace which passes all understanding from Another.

 

[FCC]

Everyday I write my son a short note from a passage in the Bible. This morning's note was based on I Thessalonians 5 and Paul's counsel to the Thessalonicans to "rejoice evermore. Pray wtihout ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (vv. 16-18) These verses are hard, if not impossible for any human being to fulfill practically outside of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. How do we practically show that we are trusting in Christ? By doing what these verses tell us to do, not out of our own strength, but because of Christ living in us! Earlier in the passage Paul wrote, "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also we do." (vv. 9-11) The reason we can rejoice evermore and pray wtihout ceasing and give thanks in everything is because Christ died for us! Everything that happens to us, everything that we do, is God's will for us and it is glorious! Everything in life is God's doing and it is for our good and His glory that it happens. Thus, I think, we can practically walk in Christ, but trusting in him and remembering that Jesus was appointed to suffer the wrath of God in our stead and that He has obtained our salvation! Glory to God in the highest!

 

[nwink]

Thank you for the good words so far. What I specifically had in mind was: what are the signs in a believer's life that he/she is trusting-in/leaning-upon Christ for salvation? (what kind of attitudes, reactions, thoughts, lifestyle, etc)

Often, saving faith is considered to have 3 essential elements: knowledge, belief, trust. It seems a person could have knowledge, think he/she believes, yet not truly be trusting-in/resting-upon Christ's saving work...such as a subconsciously-moralistic person who needs to realize they are actually resting upon their good works instead of resting entirely upon Christ. What are ways a believer can self-examine his/her heart to know if he/she is trusting-in/leaning-upon Christ? (We are often told we need to be resting upon Christ, but not as often do we hash-out what that practically looks like in a believer's life)

 

[py3ak]

James Durham gives three points that are useful to the practice of trusting Christ, and also for knowing that one is in fact so doing. This is from memory, so I could well be wrong, but I believe it is Sermon 40 of The Marrow of the Gospel, and of course since it is from memory my wording will be a little different.

1. That we trust in Christ alone. We don't seek to supplement His righteousness.
2. That we trust in Christ under particular challenges of conscience. Instead of making excuses or trying to counterbalance the negative impact of sin on your concience by something you've done, you simply betake yourself to your advocate with the Father.
3. That we trust Christ for the defects in our graces, like the man who prayed, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."

 

[KMK]

WSC Q. 36 What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God’s love,[100] peace of conscience,[101] joy in the Holy Ghost,[102] increase of grace,[103] and perseverance therein to the end.[104]

The first three flow from the 'sense' of justification, adoption and sanctification. The second two flow from the 'being' of justification, adoption and sanctification.

 

[nwink]

Here's are some good sections about trusting in Christ from Spurgeon's book All of Grace:

Trust is the lifeblood of faith; there is no saving faith without it. The Puritans were accustomed to explain faith by the word "recumbency." It meant leaning upon a thing. Lean with all your weight upon Christ. It would be a better illustration still if I said, fall at full length, and lie on the Rock of Ages. Cast yourself upon Jesus; rest in Him; commit yourself to Him. That done, you have exercised saving faith. ... Let me try again. Faith is believing that Christ is what He is said to be, and that He will do what He has promised to do, and then to expect this of Him.

Faith exists in different persons in various degrees, according to the amount of their knowledge or growth in grace. Sometimes faith is little more than a simple clinging to Christ; a sense of dependence and a willingness so to depend. When you are down at the seaside you will see limpets sticking to the rock. You walk with a soft tread up to the rock; you strike the mollusk a rapid blow with your walking-stick and off he comes. Try the next limpet in that way. You have given him warning; he heard the blow with which you struck his neighbor, and he clings with all his might. You will never get him off; not you! Strike, and strike again, but you may as soon break the rock. Our little friend, the limpet, does not know much, but he clings. He is not acquainted with the geological formation of the rock, but he clings. He can cling, and he has found something to cling to: this is all his stock of knowledge, and he uses it for his security and salvation. It is the limpet's life to cling to the rock, and it is the sinner's life to cling to Jesus. Thousands of God's people have no more faith than this; they know enough to cling to Jesus with all their heart and soul, and this suffices for present peace and eternal safety. Jesus Christ is to them a Saviour strong and mighty, a Rock immovable and immutable; they cling to him for dear life, and this clinging saves them. Reader, cannot you cling? Do so at once.

If a person were to make a statement of something that happened this day, I should not tell him that I would try to believe him. If I believed in the truthfulness of the man who told the incident to me and said that he saw it, I should accept the statement at once. If I did not think him a true man, I should, of course, disbelieve him ; but there would be no trying in the matter. Now, when God declares that there is salvation in Christ Jesus, I must either believe Him at once, or make Him a liar. Surely you will not hesitate as to which is the right path in this case, The witness of God must be true, and we are bound at once to believe in Jesus.