Works and Faith

I have thought many months about this most important topic and thought it time to write down some of my biblical findings. There is much misunderstanding about how and what being born again and living the Christian life entails. Works in the bible is defined as any act, effort, or deed. Living by works of the law would be how the Jews lived and live still today. You have a list of rules and you follow them. All religion lives in this way. It says if you do this and this then God will love you. If you obey all these laws, then God will be so pleased, He will give you eternal life. Works is the tangible (rule list.. check, check...), faith is looking, seeking, hoping for the unseen. A definition of faith is given is in the book of Hebrews...

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

So we see that faith is the thing or the substance of the unseen. Faith is the intangible. There is no action in faith and we cannot grasp it with our hands.

Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

In this passage Paul says we are saved by hope of the unseen. The intangible. Let me ask you, do you live your life in hope? Or do you live your life by works of the law? Do you have a list of rules and regulations that you live by? Do you read your bible a certain amount every night, or pray so and so long everyday, so that you feel good? You have accomplished your goals for the day? Do you try to maintain your salvation by working for it? Is your gospel, a gospel of self improvement or a gospel of grace?
Charles Spurgeon has some worthy examples of faith...

The merchant places his money in the care of a banker, and trusts altogether to the honesty and soundness of the bank. He entrusts his capital to another’s hands, and feels far more at ease than if he had the solid gold locked up in an iron safe.
The sailor trusts himself to the sea. When he swims he takes his foot from the bottom and rests upon the buoyant ocean. He could not swim if he did not wholly cast himself upon the water.
The goldsmith puts precious metal into the fire which seems eager to consume it, but he receives it back again from the furnace purified by the heat.


Those are some wonderful examples of everyday faith. Jesus also had many fantastic examples of faith when he healed the sick and forgave their sins. As you may recall Jesus often told the sick man made better, "Thy faith has made thee whole". When Jesus told the sick to go and show themselves to the priests, they were not yet healed, but as they went along believing Jesus, they were healed. It was not faith that healed them, Jesus healed them, but faith was the vehicle through which He healed them. Look at Peter walking on the water. He started in faith, but started doubting. Over and over Jesus demonstrates and marvels at the faith of certain people. He never, marvelled at the amount of scripture that the scribes memorized or the amount of knowledge they had, but always the most important thing that Jesus admired, was faith.

Now having described faith and works, when was the last time you were at a church meeting and heard the pastor describe faith, or preach a sermon on believing God? When is the last time you heard the truth as to how we ought to live our "Christian lives"? What does the Apostle Paul say?

Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

How did we receive Jesus? By FAITH!

Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him(IN JESUS), and stablished in the FAITH, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Is your pastor leading you from Christ? Are you being taught to walk by faith or by the deeds of the law? Sadly, this warning, is very relevant today and we would do ourselves a great service to heed it.

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: AND THE LIFE WHICH I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH I LIVE BY THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Let me ask you friend, is Christ dead in vain? Did Jesus die for nothing? Do we all understand what Paul is saying hear to the Galations? The Galatians believed in Jesus for salvation but they were starting to go back to the old way, keeping feast days, holy days, and sabbath days. They start to revert back to the Mosaic law. Paul tells them that they are in danger of departing from the faith. They were going back under the law and frustrating the grace of God. So what should we set our affections on?

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

What Paul is saying here is, if you are a Christian, set your affection on the unseen, the intangible, on Jesus. Stop looking to rules, religion, your self, your life and just look to Jesus where your life is hid. Seek the Kingdom of God that comes not with observation, walk in FAITH, desire the heavenly country and put your hope in things eternal, knowing that you are a stranger and a pilgrim here on this earth.

So in conclusion, I ask this question. Why, if there is a definite line between living by faith, and living by the works of the law, are we only taught works of the law? Why is every message in church about DOING? Are we being decieved and being lead away from Christ? These are some hard questions that DEMAND an answer. Or maybe you just don't care. We live in an age where people don't care. Well I care. I care that there are many wolves among the sheep. I care that the sheep are being led away from Jesus. I care about the bride of Christ. I care about Jesus.

Romans 4:5 To him that worketh not but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Jesus died for the UNGODLY! Friend, that is you and me!
It's a FREE GIFT. Dwell on that, FREE GIFT! You cannot do anything to earn it and and the only people the gift is offered to, is THE UNGODLY! This means YOU! This is wonderful news and you don't have to DO ANYTHING, just believe. It's not what you do my friend, it's what He has done... Tetelesti. It is finished.