The Great Debate- Faith Vs. Works

This debate of faith verses works has been going on forever, but the truth is man will never be able to figure this out on his own.  How much should we do?  What should we do? These are important questions.  I believe only God has the answer to these questions.  The answer lies in prayer.  We must ask God what he wants us to do and not do anything if it's not directed by God.  We must do what God wants us to do, nothing more and nothing less than that.  This requires constant contact.  This requires seeking God's will constantly.  We must be lead by the Holy Spirit who lives in us once we are saved.

I want to stress that the only way we can live right and please God is through God himself. We cannot live the right way in our own strength.  Now that Christ has died for us, we are living in the age of grace, the age in which God's law is written on our hearts once we accept Jesus as Lord.  

Jeremiah 31:33

"But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

Now we know what we should do through God's law written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit, because he acts as our conscience and our guide, guiding us to all truth.  

John 14:26

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

Even though we are living in the age of grace, grace is not the only concept in action. Our good works are the EVIDENCE of our faith.  Overall, God is most concerned with our hearts being right with him, because he knows if our hearts are right with him we will be motivated to do good works by love.  Our relationship WITH God trumps our works FOR God every time.  He wants a relationship with us more than anything else.  Also, our good works should not be done for our glory, but to glorify God alone.  

Matthew 5:16

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

There is a balance of walking this fine line of faith and works, where it's easy to go to extremes.  "Moderation in everything, and everything in moderation" is a good motto. This is the way of balance and moderation.  We must walk with balance on the narrow path, not looking to the right or left, but walking straight ahead, eyes stayed on Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life.  It can sometimes feel like walking on a tight rope, but if we keep our eyes on Jesus we can do anything! 

Proverbs 4:25-27

25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.

We need God's help to walk this way of balance, and stay on track, because we are not able to on our own.  

Matthew 19:26

"But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible.”

Below is the famous passage in James: "Faith Without Works is Dead".  I just love the book of James!  

James 2:14-17

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?  If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

We are saved by God's grace alone, but this does not mean that we can be complacent, and not do any work to help others with their faith.

Paul said:

Colossians 1:28-29

"Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.  To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily."

LABOR and STRIVE; These are not passive words.  We have to act when we feel lead to act by the Holy Spirit, to do anything and everything God calls us to do.  

I want to end with a great quote from Saint Augustine:

"Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you."