The Christian argument over faith and works is much like the chicken and the egg paradox. Of course we know that for there to be an egg, there must be a mother hen. And yet, a hen cannot exist without hatching from an egg. The question for the ancient Greek philosophers who first pondered the problem is which one comes first. So it is with the argument of faith vs. works. What we can all agree on is that neither can exist in a bubble. Both are required. But in what measure? Which comes first or is of greatest importance? Therein lies the disagreement.
Some would argue that our works serve as essentially a second half of the picture of salvation. Sort of like a yin and a yang. From this perspective, one solidifies or finishes their salvation, which begins with faith, through works of righteousness and obedience. Others would argue that works are the fruit of salvation. They don't contribute to salvation per se, but rather serve as an outward expression of an inward work of the Spirit. Still others, perhaps many who profess to be Christians, though they may even deny it outwardly, functionally believe that it is our own morality and good works that tip the scales of God's favor on our behalf; thus neglecting genuine faith in the work of Christ all together. But this is not the teaching of Christianity. To be transparent, my own understanding of scripture falls into the middle category. However, I believe that while the first understanding is theologically incorrect, there is some practical merit to that line of thinking. Allow me to explain.
One of the great tragedies of the modern church is that so many Christians have been trained to believe that the salvation offered by Christ through his gospel is the spiritual equivalent of a "get out of jail free" card in the board game Monopoly. In other words, the goal of much of ministry has simply been to invoke "decisions" for salvation, with little regard for discipleship and teaching people what it means to truly follow Christ.
The reformers argued that a proper understanding of scripture, and particularly Paul's writings, was to see his perspective on justification as "by grace, through faith" and not through any works of the law. I mean, to be fair, it shouldn't have ever been a question, considering the apostle says it explicitly as such in his letter to the Ephesians (among other places). Regardless, the Church had strayed from a biblical understanding of justification and the reformers worked diligently to restore her to orthodoxy. But their teaching never encouraged people to view the Christian life as the watered down mess that it is today. They desired to be faithful to what the Bible actually says. And the biblical authors, especially those of the New Testament clearly teach that living out one's salvation requires a great deal of work.
So, we are not saved by works, but neither are we saved from them, at least not in the sense that we think of today. To call oneself a Christian is to literally profess to follow Christ. To be a follower imparts obedience...it means you are committed to doing something. It involves action.
Again, it is the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians that writes that we are created (or more correctly understood, re-created) through our relationship with Jesus for good works. According to him, this is God's plan for salvation. In other words, as man is created to be God's image bearer, his reflection or representative, within creation; the Christian is recreated to serve as Christ's reflection into a broken and fallen world, so that when people look at us they see Jesus.
Too often we as Christians lose sight of this aspect of our faith. In our emphasis of grace, we have, in a sense, over-corrected and lost something vitally important to the Christian life...an love and grace-fueled desire for good works. I don't believe this struggle is new. One need not look very hard to find ample exhortation to do good works among the writings of the New Testament. Perhaps nowhere is the relationship between good works and faith more clear than in the epistle of James.
Not surprisingly, many Christians have struggled to understand the message of James. They hear, "a person is justified by works and not by faith alone" (James 2:24) and immediately wonder if perhaps James is introducing a contradiction. I think the fundamental misunderstandings surrounding the message of James isn't rooted in confusion about works, rather it is grace which we don't fully understand.
By definition, grace means a free gift. If something is earned, it ceases to be grace. Grace is unmerited. It is the receiving of something one does not deserve. However, this doesn't mean that something cannot be given graciously and yet still come with binding commitments and expectations.
I believe this is why scripture so often uses marriage language as a visible representation of the gospel. When a couple enter into marriage they participate in a ceremony where, before God and family, they make promises to one another. The nature of those promises is unconditional...for better or for worse...in sickness and health...for richer or poorer. In other words, the marriage vows are a commitment to love and honor one's spouse regardless of whether they deserve it or not. And anyone who is committed in marriage can vouch for that. Marriage is rooted in grace.
However, at the same time, those vows aren't simply something we say. They are promises we have committed to honor. Though I may have done nothing to earn it, my wife is obligated to love and honor me as her husband...not just on the days when that is easy, but on the days when I am unlovable as well. And I share that obligation to her.
Now, imagine if our mindset towards one another was simply one of obligation. "She has to love me, so I can just kick my feet up and relax." How fruitful would my marriage be? How would my wife thrive in that environment? For that matter, how would I? When it comes to marriage, we get that there are legitimate expectations that come with the promises we make and those we receive from our spouses in our marriage vows. And we trust one another to honor them.
I think this is the same belief that underlies the New Testament teaching on faith and works, especially in James. By grace, Jesus has committed to love his bride, the Church, in the good times and especially in the bad. Though we may be an ugly bride at times, our Lord loves, honors, and cherishes us and his commitment to us unconditionally. But the expectation is that the relationship is a two way street of mutual love, affection, and commitment. So, while our works don't merit grace, indeed they cannot; they surely do play an important role in our relationship with the Lord and Savior who is the source of that grace. The more we understand that, the more we will flourish in our marriage union to Christ.
In Grace,
Chris Morris
If you missed this week's sermon (or just want to listen again), follow the link below to listen. Or subscribe to our podcast in iTunes.
Part 14 - Faith & Works
Questions discussed in this sermon:
1. How would this passage comfort its 1st century readers specifically?
2. Is there observable fruit of the Spirit in your life?
3. How do you “keep in step with the spirit” in your life?
Next week's lesson: Hebrews 6:13-20
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