Welcome back to another episode of Five Minutes in Church history.

Last week we were visiting with Charles Hodge asking him a very important question,

what is systematic theology?

Well, let's visit with him again this week, and let's ask him probably the all-important question, and that

is Mr. Charles Hodge, what is saving faith? Well, for the answer, let's look to one of

the sermons that Charles Hodge preached in the chapel there on the campus of Princeton

Theological Seminary to his students. It was a sermon on Galatians 220, and Hodge entitled

the sermon, Faith in Christ, the Source of Life. Hodge speaks about how it is important

to catch that it is indeed faith in Christ. In fact, he goes on to say that Christ is the

object of our faith. He says that as the object of our faith, saving faith consists in receiving and resting

on Him alone.

He'll say it consists in recognizing Christ, acknowledging Christ, accepting Christ, and

appropriating Christ as He is held forth to us in the Gospel, as He is held forth to us in Scripture.

Saving faith includes, therefore, a resting on Christ alone for salvation.

Well, Hodge wants to show that not only do we have Christ as the object, we also see that saving

faith requires us to mean particular things about Christ. He identifies three things. First,

that Christ is the Son of God. Secondly, that Christ loves us. And thirdly, that Christ

gave himself for us. And thirdly, that Christ gave himself for us.

Hodge adds, all of these are essential elements in that faith which gives life to the soul.

Well, on that first point, that Christ is the Son of God, Hodge says this,

that faith, therefore, which has the power to give life, has the Son of God. Hodge says this, that faith, therefore,

which has the power to give life,

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