Doing Faith

Historically, one of the big dividing lines in the church has been whether we are saved by works or by faith.  And the answer is "Wrong!"  Wait, what?  "Wrong?"  Right!  We are wrong to think that we are saved by either faith or works for the Bible clearly says, "For you are saved by GRACE through faith, not by works..." (Eph 2:8-9).

At the same time, it is wrong to think that faith and works are not integral to salvation or that they are unrelated in God's salvific theme for "It is impossible to please God without faith as the one who comes to God must BELIEVE that he exists and is a rewarder of those who earnestly SEEK after hi" (Heb 11:6).

God does all the saving, not us and not the church.  But those who are being saved are believing in God's will and power to save, and are being "transformed" (Rom 12:2).  To the point: When we believe in God, we accept his grace and begin to live as servants in his kingdom.  We are changed by what we believe and that change is evident in what we do.  If there is no doing, there is no beliveing and if there is no believeing, grace does not abound.

Consider the words of James: "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (2:14-17).

Biblical, life-changing faith, changes one's life and is demonstrated in what one does.  While you are not saved by works, you nonetheless "… work out your salvation...for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose" (Phil 2:12-13).

Specifically, the grace that we accept by faith works itself out in our lives as we go about living.  It changes us and we reflect that change in what we say and do, and how we treat others.  If there is no change in our doing, there is no change in our believing and therefore no grace in our living and no change in our being - we are just being ourselves and that is just not enough.

We must "be transformed into His image" (2 Cor 3:18).  And, that tranformation will be seen in us by a "doing faith," which shares the grace of God in the way we deal with the world around us.  Jus' Say'n.