"Faith Alone?" - January 8, 2008

Recently, someone said this to me, "Faith pleases God and is what justifies man in Gods eyes...period."  But the only place in the bible where the words "faith" and "alone" occur in the same sentence is James 2:17 "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."

But the former statement is dogma to most Christians.  In fact, I was being critical of a minister, and this was the retort given in his defense.   "You can't criticize so-and-so; he teaches salvation by faith alone; he is a true Christian preacher."  No, he is not.

It was Martin Luther who first formulated the idea of justification by faith alone, well, perhaps not.  The Apostle James seemed to be writing against the same heresy when he wrote James 2:24 "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."  Luther was known to hate the book of James.  Why would anyone follow someone who hated the writings of a known Apostle, who walked with Christ?

So am I suggesting that we are saved by our works? Not in the way you might think  Where people get confused is because the Apostle Paul has said that, "that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." Gal 3:24

The works of the law are not the kinds of works James was talking about.  James was pointing out that faith does something to people, it makes them do things.  Whether it be to offer up one's only son as a burnt offering, or to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, faith has an effect on the faithful to make them do the things that faith is dictating.

Where people fail is when they believe that they can "accept the Lord" as a solitary act of faith (which is itself a work anyway) and that that work alone, simply placing ones faith in Christ, fulfills everything required for salvation.  BUT IT DOES NOT.

"The just shall live by faith."  A solitary act of faith does not constitute "living by" faith.  Faith goes from faith to faith, which means that one act of faith leads to another act of faith; and faith increases, because we keep having faith; but not only that, our LIVING faith leads us to do more and more things (works) which vitalize our faith and keep it alive.

Because, if your faith is dead, so is your salvation. "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."  "For without faith," I say, LIVING FAITH, "it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews11:6)  Do you suppose that dead faith can please God? I didn't think so.

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