Why is belief in Christ crucial for salvation?

Belief acts as the means through which we accept Christ's atonement for our sins. Without faith, the remedy offered in Christ is of no effect, much like the people who were bitten by serpents but refused to look to the bronze serpent and were not healed. The sermon stresses that our justification comes solely by faith apart from works, as reinforced in Romans 3:28, which states that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. This radical grace underscores the sovereignty of God in salvation, emphasizing that true belief is a gift from God, enabling us to look and live.