Is there a separation between being justified/saved and living a Christian walk? One of the biggest arguments I hear from people who believe in God is,
"Works don't save you, so you shouldn't bother with them. They
produce bondage and distance you from God's love." I wanted to find some answers, so I started with the definition of
works to have a better grasp on the meaning.
Works-
1. the physical or mental effort or activity directed toward the
production or accomplishment of something.
2. the part of a day devoted to an occupation or undertaking. As far as the first part of the argument above - works alone don't
save you - I wholeheartedly agree. "For God so loved the world, that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not
perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NASB). It is belief that
grants me the gift of eternal life with God. But I couldn't stop
there! The second part of the argument is that works should not be bothered
with or they will produce bondage and distance to God. Paul wrote,
"For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of
the Law. Do we then nullify the Law through faith?" ........Listen to
his answer: "Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never
be! On the contrary, we establish the Law." (Romans 3:28, 31 NASB) I looked at this from a parental point of view. When I establish
guidelines for my kids, I expect them to follow them. I set them up
because I love them, want to keep them safe, and want their life to be
full and successful. When they follow these guidelines, I feel like
they trust my judgment and know that I love them. When they don't
follow the guidelines, I don't stop loving them, but consequences have
to follow so they can learn to make good choices. Am I in bondage? In a way, a Christian is in bondage to Christ. I
have to die to myself daily and obey God. My obedience shows God that
I love and trust Him. My disobedience shows my lack of faith and
results in consequences to help me learn to make the right choices. I then looked at how James ties faith and works together:
"What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has
no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without
clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go
in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what
is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it
has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, "You
have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and
I will show you my faith by my works."
So faith without works is useless. James goes on to say:
"You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe,
and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow,
that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father
justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You
see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the
works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which
says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS
RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God. You see that a
man is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was
not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the
messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body
without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."
(James 2:14-26 NASB)
Faith without works is also dead. What I DO shows what I BELIEVE. I can hear the Word of God and say
that I believe it, but if I never have Christ-like actions to back
that up, I would be a hypocrite. Works are the result of my faith. They go hand in hand. Works alone
are useless. Faith alone is useless. When the Holy Spirit is truly
inside of me, I am guided to become like Christ ("Christian" or
literally "little Christ"). If I have real faith in Jesus Christ,
there will be real works that follow. Works don't save me, but they
certainly show that I've been saved. It is absurd for me to think that reflecting God could distance me
from Him. James shares: "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and
not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of
the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural
face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he
has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who
looks intently at the perfect LAW, the LAW of liberty, and abides by
it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this
man will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:22-25 NASB) So, I find that there is no separation between faith and works. Works
can't save you and faith alone is dead, but real faith will always be
followed by real works. What role does the LAW play in your Christian walk? Until next week,
Lisa G.
"Works don't save you, so you shouldn't bother with them. They
produce bondage and distance you from God's love." I wanted to find some answers, so I started with the definition of
works to have a better grasp on the meaning.
Works-
1. the physical or mental effort or activity directed toward the
production or accomplishment of something.
2. the part of a day devoted to an occupation or undertaking. As far as the first part of the argument above - works alone don't
save you - I wholeheartedly agree. "For God so loved the world, that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not
perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NASB). It is belief that
grants me the gift of eternal life with God. But I couldn't stop
there! The second part of the argument is that works should not be bothered
with or they will produce bondage and distance to God. Paul wrote,
"For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of
the Law. Do we then nullify the Law through faith?" ........Listen to
his answer: "Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never
be! On the contrary, we establish the Law." (Romans 3:28, 31 NASB) I looked at this from a parental point of view. When I establish
guidelines for my kids, I expect them to follow them. I set them up
because I love them, want to keep them safe, and want their life to be
full and successful. When they follow these guidelines, I feel like
they trust my judgment and know that I love them. When they don't
follow the guidelines, I don't stop loving them, but consequences have
to follow so they can learn to make good choices. Am I in bondage? In a way, a Christian is in bondage to Christ. I
have to die to myself daily and obey God. My obedience shows God that
I love and trust Him. My disobedience shows my lack of faith and
results in consequences to help me learn to make the right choices. I then looked at how James ties faith and works together:
"What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has
no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without
clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go
in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what
is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it
has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, "You
have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and
I will show you my faith by my works."
So faith without works is useless. James goes on to say:
"You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe,
and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow,
that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father
justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You
see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the
works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which
says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS
RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God. You see that a
man is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was
not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the
messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body
without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."
(James 2:14-26 NASB)
Faith without works is also dead. What I DO shows what I BELIEVE. I can hear the Word of God and say
that I believe it, but if I never have Christ-like actions to back
that up, I would be a hypocrite. Works are the result of my faith. They go hand in hand. Works alone
are useless. Faith alone is useless. When the Holy Spirit is truly
inside of me, I am guided to become like Christ ("Christian" or
literally "little Christ"). If I have real faith in Jesus Christ,
there will be real works that follow. Works don't save me, but they
certainly show that I've been saved. It is absurd for me to think that reflecting God could distance me
from Him. James shares: "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and
not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of
the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural
face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he
has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who
looks intently at the perfect LAW, the LAW of liberty, and abides by
it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this
man will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:22-25 NASB) So, I find that there is no separation between faith and works. Works
can't save you and faith alone is dead, but real faith will always be
followed by real works. What role does the LAW play in your Christian walk? Until next week,
Lisa G.
