What is saving faith?
Saving faith is faith plus nothing for salvation, not works of the law or human effort. It is the kind that needs nothing else and comes by hearing, not by keeping the law. The Holy Spirit received is the evidence of salvation, resting on Christ's finished work.
Les teaches from Paul that salvation is faith plus nothing. It is not the Christian experience later on; he is speaking of salvation itself. If it were not faith alone, Christ died for nothing and in vain. Paul asks who has bewitched them, so that they should not obey the truth—the finished work plus nothing. The evidence of salvation was receiving the Holy Spirit, not getting there by the works of the law. Romans 10:17 says faith, saving faith, the kind that needs nothing else, comes by hearing—not by works. There is no work in hearing.
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.