“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” I’ve grown up spouting those beautiful words whenever I was asked what faith meant. Truly beautiful words, poetic really, but if you ask me to define it or ‘What does that verse look like lived out?’…..I had no idea. Until recently, that is.
Another verse which I knew equally well, but was just as befuddled about is “Faith without works is dead….show me your faith apart from your works and I will show you my faith by my works” Sounds like a riddle~ and a contradiction to other verses such as “By faith you are saved and not of works”. Once again I didn’t know what the verse looked like lived out....until recently.
I ran across these verses in my Bible Study the other day. Usually my reaction is to contemplate the words, rejoice in their beauty and leave it to someone else to figure it out. But this day I decided I would open my heart and put my mind to work, and maybe, just maybe God would show me what those verses look like lived out ~ verses in action. Here’s what I came up with.
Faith in action as defined in Heb 11:6 has three parts: believing God is who He says He is (in this sense, faith is our spiritual identity); committing to do what God requires (this being the key component for this discussion); and trusting in and resting in on God’s promises (in this sense, faith that such and such will happen; hope). If I may pull out the 2nd component: committing to do what God requires. No matter how you look at it, this is works. Obedience usually involves actions, which in the most literal sense is work.
So back to the James 2:17 – the works~ faith dilemma. Faith without works is dead. The works we do (in obedience to God) is the visual representation of our faith. Others can see it. If we have faith in God but do not the works (commandments) of God, then our faith is an empty shell. It isn’t that works are vital to actually have faith, but rather works are the evidence of our faith. People see what you do before they hear what you say. To have true, alive and active faith, we must evidence that faith for others to see. The very core of faith involves works. You cannot define faith without the element of works (obedience to God). Again I clarify this is NOT works to earn our salvation, but rather works to evidence our faith; thus, I will show you my faith by my works.
Using this definition of faith, where works and faith cannot be separated, suddenly Heb 11:1 made so much sense. Faith (obedience to God) is the substance: essential nature, that which gives meaning, assurance, physical evidence of things hoped for: What God says He will do. What did God say he will do? What has God said He would do for you? How are you evidencing faith in his promise? What is the Christian’s hope? Heaven. Eternal life. Forgiveness from sin. Present us faultless before God. Works born of faith is the substance, the validity, assurance of what we hope for. It is the driving force that keeps us alive, knowing there is Someone and some things worth living for. Works is the visual representation of this hope.
Works born of Faith is the evidence {an outward sign; something that furnishes proof} of things not seen. To a non-believer looking on, our works born of faith are evidence that God is real, Heaven is real, hope is real, Jesus is real, mercy is real, forgiveness is real. Just as crime scene investigators gather evidence for a crime someone committed, but no-one saw to prove the who, what, when, where, why and how, our works born of faith prove to a watching world the Who, what, when, where, why and how of the Gospel.
Do you get it? Works born of Faith is the Christians substance for our Hope, the Sinners evidence of a loving God. Faith is not an ideal, it is an action.
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