True Biblical Faith is not Passive
Many people think that faith is belief. Belief that God exists . . . that Jesus is the son of God . . . that Jesus rose from the dead. Intellectual assent to all these truths is of course important, and is an indispensable part of the act of faith. Such belief often leads to religious actions – the hanging of crucifixes in our home, the wearing of medals, the recitation of prayers. These acts of piety are also good.
But mere belief and acts of piety are not enough to save us. Those rejected by God in Matthew 7:21-23 clearly “believed” in Jesus – in fact they prophesied and worked miracles in Jesus’ name. But he said to them “out of my sight, you evil doers.” One of the strongest lines in the gospels gives the explanation of this: “None of those who cry out, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of God but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
Biblical faith is not just belief. It is surrender. It is a complete entrusting of oneself to God in Christ and acceptance of his power, his will, and his plan. If we truly say yes to Him and let his grace into our hearts, we’ll never be the same. His love begins to work through us and change our lives. His Spirit takes up residence within us, giving us the strength to do what we could never do on our own, even to begin to love like He loves.
So true biblical faith is not passive. It is active, dynamic, and alive. That’s why St. James says that faith without works is dead (James 2:24-26). Abraham believed that an unknown God was calling him to leave civilization and march into the desert to find a land that this God has promised him. He did not sit and contemplate this call or set up a shrine to this God. He got up and began walking (Genesis 12).
So we justified by faith, if we mean the authentic biblical faith that causes us to walk in God’s ways. And we are justified by works, if we mean the works of charity that can only flow from faith and grace.
So really, it’s not faith or works. It’s faith that works.
But mere belief and acts of piety are not enough to save us. Those rejected by God in Matthew 7:21-23 clearly “believed” in Jesus – in fact they prophesied and worked miracles in Jesus’ name. But he said to them “out of my sight, you evil doers.” One of the strongest lines in the gospels gives the explanation of this: “None of those who cry out, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of God but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
Biblical faith is not just belief. It is surrender. It is a complete entrusting of oneself to God in Christ and acceptance of his power, his will, and his plan. If we truly say yes to Him and let his grace into our hearts, we’ll never be the same. His love begins to work through us and change our lives. His Spirit takes up residence within us, giving us the strength to do what we could never do on our own, even to begin to love like He loves.
So true biblical faith is not passive. It is active, dynamic, and alive. That’s why St. James says that faith without works is dead (James 2:24-26). Abraham believed that an unknown God was calling him to leave civilization and march into the desert to find a land that this God has promised him. He did not sit and contemplate this call or set up a shrine to this God. He got up and began walking (Genesis 12).
So we justified by faith, if we mean the authentic biblical faith that causes us to walk in God’s ways. And we are justified by works, if we mean the works of charity that can only flow from faith and grace.
So really, it’s not faith or works. It’s faith that works.
Comment
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Comment by Anna on February 6, 2009 at 10:03pm
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Jesus himself said that Abraham had works:
John.8
[39] They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
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