Friday, 04 November 2011 06:55
How does faith and works work? This question used to bother me more than any other in Christian theology.To me, Islam is the quintessential works-based religion. For example, three million Muslims are expected to take part in the "Hajj" (Arabic for "pilgrimage") that begins today. They will travel to the Ka'ba, their most sacred site. They believe it was constructed by Adam and rebuilt by Abraham and Ishmael. It contains a black stone they believe was descended from heaven to mark the center of the world. All Muslims are required to make this pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives (Qur'an 2:125). It is one of the ways they seek to please Allah, thus earning their place in heaven.
By contrast, yesterday I stated that self-sufficiency is spiritual suicide. If we try to save ourselves, we miss the salvation God provides: "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not of works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Here's my problem: if God does everything, what do I do? "Let go and let God," people say. But this essay won't be written unless I type its words. After a man transformed a field filled with brambles and weeds into a beautiful garden, his pastor commented on the marvels of God's creation. "Yes, pastor," the man replied, "but you should have seen it when God had it all to himself."
There's another side to the story, one I decided yesterday morning to write as a follow-up to Thursday's essay. Several of you noted the same in your responses: "You have focused on one part of the message and left out the other. If I plant tomatoes in decent soil and water them, I trust God's natural laws to bring forth tomatoes." Another stated, "God wants us to make full use of what he has given us." I especially liked this comment: "God will not walk for us, so he gave us legs."
Paul counseled the Thessalonians: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10). James warned us, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead" (James 2:26). How does faith and works work?
Here's how I view the balance: as I work, God works. My works do not earn his favor or blessing--they position me to receive what grace intends to give. When I surveyed the news this morning, looked up Scriptures, and worked at writing this commentary, I did not create an essay that will change anyone's life. But if I am writing words under the Spirit's leading, God will use them for his transforming purposes.
Once again, Oswald Chambers says it better than I can. In this morning's devotional he states that when a person acts on God's word, "that second the supernatural rush of the life of God invades him instantly. The dominating power of the world, the flesh and the devil is paralyzed, not by your act, but because your act has linked you on to God and His redemptive power." So pray and then work today, to the glory of God.
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Our task is a singular one: be open to mirror his splendor.
It is not "faith OR works."
It is "faith THAT works."
p.s. I too graduated from HBC in 1973. I thought highly of Dr. Collins. He was our fraternity sponsor when I was with APK. Was that the frat you were a member of by chance?
In a similar way, without trying to dissect the complexities of the doctrine of election, it seems that one is either self-sufficient or not.
My problem is not, “If God does everything, what do I do?” Working out my salvation every day is the most difficult thing I will ever do. I can never “Let go,” or I slip back into sin so easily.
The balance of “As I work, God works” seems to me to be quite accurate… for the Christian. Discipleship and discipline are related words, after all. I am just not sure that it is as true for those who are not yet saved.
Faith? Or works? Yes. I am saved by faith – and that, a precious, undeserved gift – to work out my salvation every single day. Praise God!
As far as "Let go and let God", I believe that applies to situations when I have prayerfully done all I can, but the problem still remains, and I have to just give it to God, trusting in Him to resolve the issue according to His will.
"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped." (Psalm 28:7)
I must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day. Night Cometh when no man can work.
Jim, Thanks for your insight. It is a daily encouragement to me.
God Bless!
To me the word Faith has been the hardest Biblical concept to define. It is not simply belief in the right system although it may start there. Neither is it the performance of the right rituals in the right order at the right time though the practice of these rituals can be of benefit when we don't feel faithful. Also, if faith is the saving principal, we have the problem of the place of of works as you point out today?
The best illustration I have seen is to compare Faith and Works to the two blades of a pair of scissors. Which is the more important blade? Is it the right one or the left one? Without both blades you do not have scissors; you have two independent pieces of metal. Without obedience faith is dead. Ideally belief and commitment go together as do trust and obedience. I believe the early church had the same problem we have with these two seemingly separate concepts, so it was James who pointed out that "...a man may say, you have faith and another may say, I have works. Show me your faith without works and I will show my faith by my works." In the ideal that God created it takes both as James taught us, “Faith without works is dead.” Someone else said that Faith is something that you first hear with your ears, then it goes into your mind and into your heart, and then shows itself in how you live.
Ultimately we have to place whatever Faith we have (strong, weak, doubting, shallow, even blind faith) in Jesus Christ who will perfect our Faith . As Lewis pointed out today our programmed faith must become trust in the person of Jesus Christ. It is not the quality of our Faith that counts as much as the object--- Jesus, God with us, who came to save us from our sins, even the sin of a weak faith.
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