Preaching a Faith Not Our Own

Evangelicals often find themselves doubting the sincerity of their personal decision for Christ, resulting in an existential fear of rejection by God. By examining Torrance’s writing on conversion and faith, this paper argues that such doubt arises from a dualistic, deistic understanding of faith that fails to consider the vicarious humanity of Christ. Such salvific anxiety and doubt are resolved if personal faith is instead viewed as ontologically rooted in Christ’s vicarious faith offered to the Father as humanity’s substitute and representative. Since many Evangelical traditions include a time for response after the preaching event, homiletical guidance for offering a clear invitation for conversion that includes this nuanced understanding of faith is presented.