Gold tried in the fire

Faith is the magnificent New Testament treasure of motivating truth, which has not been adequately appreciated in many discussions of justification by faith. It means much more than what we call trust, for it has within it no self-centered basis. It is a heart appreciation of God?s love [agape] revealed in the sacrifice of Christ. Such faith, being dynamic, enables the gospel to be truly the power of God unto salvation, for it works by love in both justification and sanctification. Justification by faith rests on the legal provisions of the cross, but it is more than a legal declaration: it enables the believer to be obedient to all the commandments of God.