Authentic Faith (a.k.a. a faith that is not dead)

For hundreds of years now there's been a disagreement between Roman Catholics and Protestants (just ask the Irish). 

SIDENOTE: I can't imagine Jesus is at the right hand of God the Father in heaven looking upon us with glee that we've separated ourselves by denomination. He commanded unity - one church. This is what the term "catholic" means: universal. We can disagree - that's okay. But let's do it together, as one church under our one Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Back to the topic at hand. The question at the center of the disagreement is, 

"Is salvation through faith plus our works, or is it through faith in Christ alone?"

There are extremely valid arguments on both sides ... as well as valid fears from each side that the other will take their view too far, one way or the other:

• That the Protestants will say, "It's just faith, so I don't need to worry about these silly Laws."
• That the Roman Catholics will say, "I will lose my salvation if I don't follow the Laws perfectly."

But all this really means is, there are true Christians on both sides who just want to get it right because they love God. And as I study this more and more, I realize that we are far closer on this topic than any of us realize. 

Here is my perspective, take it or leave it:

• God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, so that we should not only not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) ... followed by, He did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. (John 3:17) So, God did it. He saved us through stepping in to time and space and sacrificing Himself to pay the debt ... because we could not save ourselves.
• ... all our righteousness are like filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6) Our works count for nothing. Zilch. It's like adding 337 good works to God's infinite salvation. Now, this does not mean that our obedience doesn't matter, just that it doesn't affect salvation.
• Thus 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 without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:17-18) The term faith, in more modern times, seems to have been bastardized to mean, "All I must do is say the words and I'm good to go." 

This is where we get to the meat of the matter: 

NOMINAL FAITH versus AUTHENTIC FAITH

We're especially guilty of nominal faith in our Western culture. We who say we are Christians (on average) seem to believe that we can cast our vote for Jesus and then go on with our live as we see fit. "Grace abounds! That's what the Bible says!" That's true, but with a caveat. Grace abounds for one reason: 

We're not capable of keeping the Law perfectly. 

This is why we need Jesus who kept it perfectly FOR us.  

If our faith is authentic, we have given our lives to the sovereignty of Christ, the King of Kings, to let Him lead it. For that to happen, we will want to know Him more (pray), know what He has to say (study), know that it pleases Him to obey and that it's for our best to do so (trust), then ... you guessed it ... obey His Commandments. He didn't come to do away with the law, but to get our eyes on the right thing: Him.

Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. 

No, I came to accomplish their purpose.

Matthew 5:17 NLT 

He's saying, in essence, "Keep trying your best to obey Me, little one. But when you fail - and you will - I've got you. I'll be your righteousness." Our works, by themselves, might get us to the outer edge of Hell County, at best, but never over the border into Heaven proper. But if we trust in Him fully, with authentic faith, we begin our eternal life, without the constant worry of failure.

Faith plus works? Not exactly. 

Authentic faith, meaning a faith that leads us to trusting and obeying Him? I believe that's the ticket.