Acts of Faith

If you’ve been in Church for any period of time, you’ve probably heard the word “Legalism.” It is a word based on a concept that can be found in Scripture, meaning “those who try to gain heaven by acts of the Law.” In other words, it’s meant to be for those who have a list of rules one must follow if they are to gain access to Christ. The Early Church was plagued by this concept, and even Peter, according to Paul, was taken in for a time. It is a dangerous way to live, because salvation through acts of righteousness nullifies, in a person, the act of the Cross. After all, doesn’t the word say “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9)?

This word legalism, however, is also abused and misused in the opposite direction to silence people who are calling people to live righteously when calling out blatant sin. Those who want to have Jesus and their lawlessness will often call people who are calling sin what it is “legalists” and use their own scriptures to attempt to silence their critics. It is all a very confusing, to be honest. If I try to live by the law, I AM being legalistic, and if I try to live righteously, I will be called legalistic. What am I to do?

Simply put, remember this: we ARE saved by grace through faith. That same book that says this statement also states we are made for good works that God has prepared ahead of time (Literally verse 10 of Ephesians 2!). It is not contradictory to say that, because I follow Christ, I ought to live righteously! Every act we do is an act of Faith!

I have faith in Christ, so I repent of my sins. I have Faith in Christ, so I am baptized and receive remission of my sins and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In Faith, I follow Jesus, and try and imitate Him. In Faith, I press on, even while those around me engage in lawlessness. I desire to be Holy as He is Holy, and so everything I do after putting my faith in Jesus is an act of faith! Since I am saved, I desire to please Him, and so I shall do what He says, and I shall put my trust in His COMPLETE Word, and not merely what fits my narrative. James, the half brother of Christ, says “Faith without works is dead,” and this does not mean we earn our faith by works, but that if we are saved, we shall bear fruit accordingly. If you’re following Jesus, you will WANT to do the works, not because you have to, but because you have been saved and made new, and, out of gratitude, your life will be an offering to Him daily.

John 14:15-17

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

Ephesians 2:8-10

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Romans 3:

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,

“That you may be justified in your words,

and prevail when you are judged.”

But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;

no one understands;

no one seeks for God.

All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

no one does good,

not even one.”

“Their throat is an open grave;

they use their tongues to deceive.”

“The venom of asps is under their lips.”

“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

“Their feet are swift to shed blood;

in their paths are ruin and misery,

and the way of peace they have not known.”

“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

James 2:14-26

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.