Faith is effective because it rests in the finished work of Christ, not in our actions (Romans 5:1).
Faith's effectiveness is rooted in the understanding that it is not a mere act of will on our part, but a gift from God that leads us to rest in what He has accomplished through Jesus Christ. As Ephesians 2:8-9 reveals, we are saved by grace through faith, and this is not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. Saving faith is the fruit of God’s saving work and thus guarantees our salvation as we believe in the sufficiency of Christ's work. Historically, the Reformed tradition emphasizes that it is by grace alone through faith alone that we come to salvation, resting in the reality that our belief itself is a result of God’s initiating grace.
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