Faith and Salvation Part IV - Works

4. Faith changes one's life. This is because of the internal change that takes place when we believe. Before he is regenerated there is no difference between the believer and the unbeliever. Both are completely - to use a Bible phrase - "dead in their trespasses and sins." That means there is no acknowledged spiritual awareness. There is no willingness to acknowledge the true God; no thankfulness.

Then the Holy Spirit, using the preaching of the Gospel, bring spiritual life where there was none before. This opens the believer's eyes to see the danger he is in. In the midst of the shame, confusion and fear that danger engenders he shows Christ offering to take our place. So clear is the sense of danger and so genuine Christ's offer that we cannot but accept; believing he can and will do as he says. Whenever the Holy Spirit acts there is always life and faith follows. At that point the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our hearts; encouraging us to follow the new promptings we feel to serve God. So we learn to do what we can to acknowledge his glory. The change is dramatic but real.

There are two major areas of change: The first is attitude and the second is behavior. Jesus made the difference between salvation by faith alone and its arch-rival "salvation by works" absolutely clear in a picture of the Last Judgment. Remember that, before being born again, there was no difference in either attitude or behavior between the believer and the unbeliever.

a) Changes in attitude: In the picture Jesus gives the difference between those who went away to enter the joy of their master and those who went away into everlasting darkness was shown by the attitude each had to their deeds. The wicked said they had always done what they should. And the good could never remember a time when they had.

The wicked believed they had done enough to merit being accepted. Their attitude was they had never done anything wrong so were worthy. Such has always been the attitude of the wicked until brought into the presence of God. Even when expressed as: "I have always loved my fellow man, even if I have not always done as much as I might have to help him. Therefore I am much better than this hypocritical Christian who says he loves God and is (in reality) no better than me." Their response shows their trust is in their works. Though the forms of work people trust in have become more subtle as the centuries have passed, the attitude remains the same.

During the time of the Reformation there was a common error which sounded like salvation by "faith alone," but the view of faith was faulty. Faith was viewed as something we offer to God, on the basis of which he accepts us into his kingdom. God is not (on this view) able to save anyone unless that person lets him. So, when the Holy Spirit chooses to regenerate a person, that choice is on the basis of "foreseen faith." This view has a particularly pernicious result in today's Churches. The unbeliever is taught that "all you need to do is trust in Jesus and pray this prayer. Claim your salvation and you will be saved."

Apart from the mechanical nature of the idea (which has more of magic that true religion about it) it rests on a flawed view of sin. It is believed that God, working through the Holy Spirit, brings us to a neutral point and offers us salvation and we are left to make the choice which he has foreseen we will make. Unlike the situation described above where the nature of our perceptions drives us to accept and believe, this view has the danger presented so that, should we wish to do so, we can refuse Christ's sacrifice. Some it is claimed actually do.

So, in the final analysis, our salvation rests on our choice - the choice whether to put our faith in Christ. The truth is that we do need to make a choice and the consequence of the choice is real. But when God, the Holy Spirit chooses who is to be born again he does so without regard to anything they have done or will do, so that no one can glory in their own skills or wisdom. Because these people place their trust in "their faith" - they never left the Lord Jesus knocking at the door without opening it - they belong with the first group (above) who trusted in their works.

The second group in the story knew everything they had done was flawed because the sin which remained in them made their every work unworthy. They understand the glory of God, they know his standard is absolute perfection and, they agreed that, if they were to offer anything to God it had to be unflawed. They may feel on occasion they are doing better in his service but their desire to do their best means they are never satisfied they have actually done anything which pleased to him. They accept readily enough that God loves them and is gracious to forgive them when they fail. Yet, so great have been the benefits God has bestowed on them, all they want to do is spend the rest of their lives serving him.

Like the unbeliever they would agree they don't do as much as they would like and that they are no better (when measured by the standard of the Law) than any other sinner. But, where the unbeliever is satisfied with that state of affairs, they who love God keep striving to improve even though content to trust his grace. They hope to spend eternity in heaven but God has already given them more than they had a right to expect, so they are happy to leave the final judgment in his hands knowing he will be glorified even if he should send them into the outer darkness.

Great is their amazement to discover that, as the Apostles had told them, they had been judged to have done all that God had expected of them. They believed in the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice and it had been accounted as righteousness for them.

b) Changes in behavior: Having stressed the priority of faith, is there a place, then, for works? What, if any is the the relationship of faith to works. Jesus makes the judgment plain on the basis of their works. This is significant. Plainly then works does have a place in the judgment but what place?

There is a group who would argue it has absolutely no place. They imagine that "we are saved by faith alone" means works plays no part in the test. In dealing with Matthew 25, they stress the attitude and ignore the rest. Freedom from the Law of God absolves them of every sin they might ever commit. And, so far as that statement is concerned, they are correct. It is certainly a temptation that comes to all who understand that every attempt to keep God's Law fails because it is imperfect. Faced with that reality it is tempting to not even try to keep the Law.

Then there are those who view Christ as if once you have faith in him and allow him to guide your actions, he will give the advice necessary to save your marriage, fix the problems with Government, enable you to get a job so you have enough to live on. Heeding his advice or guidance to improve your life her on earth is "living by faith" and so you will be acceptable.

These views betray a misunderstanding of the true nature of faith. The first treats faith as if it is intellectual assent. The second as if faith enables us to correct the imbalances of our lives - apart from considering what God may intend. The Apostle James dealt with a group who also misunderstood the nature of faith. He said: "... do you not know that faith without works is dead, being by itself?" "Show me your faith without works," he adds, "and I will show you my faith through my works." Faith, true faith is always focused on Christ. It is more than assent it drives us to work; work for God's glory. The works that result (and true faith always results in works) may look the same as the unbelievers' at times but they spring from a different root.

Prompted by the Holy Spirit, we respond to those around us. We see the widows and the orphans and, because we love God we respond in compassion. As we do so we slowly, through the working of the Holy Spirit, become more Christ-like. Because God assesses both action and motive, those which spring from a sincere faith in God are counted as acceptable. All others are not.

Go back to Part III
Go on to Part V