What does it really mean to have saving faith?

What does that faith entail? What does it actually consist of?

Well, those are some of the questions that we're going to explore today with my guest, John Piper.

Along the way, we'll also hear how John himself came to saving faith in Jesus,

and how his view of that faith has changed over the years.

As many of you know, John served for over three decades as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis,

and is the founder and lead teacher of Desiring God.org, a ministry dedicated to helping people everywhere experience a deep and

abiding joy in Jesus. He's spoken at conferences worldwide and is the author of dozens of

well-known books, including his newest from Crossway, What is Saving Faith? Reflections on

Receiving Christ as a Treasure. Let's get started.

Well, John, thank you so much for joining me again on the Crossway podcast.

Thank you. It's a privilege to be here. I'm excited.

So today we're going to discuss the nature of true faith, faith that saves us.

But before we get into that, I was wondering if you could share a little bit about how you came to faith.

How did you become a Christian?

What was that journey like for you?

Well, it might encourage some people to know that I don't remember becoming a Christian.

I know some people who think that's not legitimate, that you can't be born again and not know you're born again.

That's crazy, they say.

However, here's what I mean.

My mother and father were both precious believers. They're both with Jesus now. And my mother tells me that in 1952, when I was six years old, on vacation in Florida, at a motel.

My conscience was evidently working over time and making me concerned that I was a sinner,

...