The above verse is yet another foundational Holy Scripture that is not understood by mainstream Christianity, otherwise known as the delusional Christian Religion.
This article is about the confusion that exists within mainstream Christianity between belief and faith, although most would not admit that they are confused. It's also about them thinking that it's their faith that saves them and this idea, of course, goes hand in hand with their other erroneous idea of them 'accepting' the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. You see, everything they do in terms of salvation is 'down to them'; the Father does not feature in their salvation at all. How can He when salvation is on their terms of acceptance? As I describe elsewhere in my articles, this is a "tail wagging the dog" scenario.
With the above in mind, this means we often hear a term that they use with great regularity, especially within Anglicanism/Episcopalianism, and the term is: "I have a faith". Now what, exactly, does this expression mean and what do they have a faith in? Well, we don't know, do we, for they do not tell us and they do not tell us because they do not know themselves!? The correct expression should be "I have faith in God the Father" or "I have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ" which automatically tells us that he or she is trusting or putting their faith in the Godhead, but to just say "I have a faith", tells us nothing. It could mean they have faith that night will follow day - so what, even the lost can do that!?
We also hear another expression from them, not dissimilar from the one above, i.e. "I have a saving faith" or even the question "Do you have a saving faith?" Again what, exactly, does this term and question mean? Quite plainly it means that they think that their faith is related to or directly connected to their salvation or that their faith is the determining factor in their salvation. Well I have news for them; their faith has nothing to do with it, it has nothing to do with their salvation at all and to prove it, I will turn to the book of James. There we read the evidence that faith without works is dead:
James 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
So, from this, we can easily deduce that our faith is not something we can have or express without effort or action on our part - it doesn't even exist until we do something. This proves it is something we can bring to life and/or display or prove, by our actions or acts of faith - known Biblically as "works". Abraham showed his faith through action or with works when he offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice, but we never heard him say "I have a faith" or "I have a saving faith." In reality, these terms are just churchianity or mainstream Christian jargon and the next time you hear them say these things, ask them what they have faith in and then for them to show you their works to prove it is real. You won't be very popular, but then nor was the Lord Jesus Christ when He walked this earth. You could also ask them who gave them their 'saving faith' but don't hold your breath while you wait for their answer.
So then, moving on, this leads me to ask the question: Is belief, faith? No and yes is the answer to this question. Belief can mean acknowledging something or someone is true or real just like the demons do:
James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God (i.e. the Godhead is number one and therefore all powerful); thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (Brackets mine).
Here we can see they believe there is a Godhead that's number one and all powerful but that's it, (to say that oneness causes them fear is utter nonsense) all they have to show for it is a dreadful fear due to their fear of the Power and Awesomeness of God. There is no faith, exercised with works, by these demons and it would be impossible for them to show faith anyway for fear kills faith just as fear kills love.
So does belief become faith? Yes, if you keep on believing and/or remain trusting and faithful; this is where the two come together, for continued belief whilst suffering trials and not giving up in this life when the going gets tough, shows faith, especially in times of persecution. When we do this, all we are doing is exercising the faith we have been given. Our faith, though, comes into its own when we take a leap of faith like doing something risky that may involve sticking our necks out, so to speak. So if you haven't, as yet, done so then go on, what are you waiting for!?
Now bearing all this in mind, what is faith, for Our Lord specifically asks if He will find it on the earth when He returns:
Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Notice, He is not going to ask if any of them or any of us are believers, why would He? He gave or has given us the ability to believe at the point of our calling, i.e. when we were saved and when The Father drew us to His Son. Once we are baptised and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit we are given faith and thereby the ability to believe. This is all part of the free gift along with His Glorious Grace. Once the Father God makes us aware of His presence or the fact that He exists we are without excuse so we must believe, we have no choice - how can we not believe and how can we not answer His call?
Now from here on in is where the real mainstream Christian errors kick in and cause so much trouble and confusion for them.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God"
Now, believe it or not, it's from this very verse that most of mainstream Christianity thinks they are saved by their faith. They accept that grace is a gift from God but not the faith part too. So if the faith part of this gift is not ours, whose is it? Come on, think about it, you know very well whose faith it is - The Lord Jesus Christ's faith, who else!? Do you not know that it took immense faith for Our Lord to go to the cross and die for us? This is what "and that not of yourselves" is referring to, IT IS NOT OF US!! Do you understand this very basic and fundamental Truth, I hope so, because this is real fundamentalism of the True Christian Faith, not that fear based meaningless, Bible bashing variety? Now mark, learn and inwardly digest this crucial point, for not only is grace a part of this free gift but faith is as well - the Lord Jesus Christ's faith, it's not our faith. Both His Grace and His Faith make up the wondrous free gift of salvation and we must take this fully on board or our Christian walk will be forever half baked or even dead. Why? Why, because as long as we think it is our faith that determines whether or not we are saved we will always have doubts about our salvation. This cataclysmic error is what the 'salvation by works' system of mainstream Christianity is based upon, it is founded upon not realising that faith is part of the gift of salvation.
Now just for the sake of this study, let's put it from another perspective. OK, so it's not our faith; what's the point you're trying to make I hear some of you say? The point here is this; if we claim that all faith is ours then what we are really saying is we are involved in our salvation and it's all down to us when, quite clearly, it is not - we play no part in it at all. All we do is answer the Father's call to His Son and receive His wondrous free gift, that's all there is to it - nothing else. We have no part in the process of our salvation - none!
So what are you saying - what about our faith I hear you say again? Are you saying our faith has no role at all! Good questions, and what about our faith? Well, as I have clearly shown, to begin with, we don't have any faith of our own; it's given to us in order to redeem us and then it's dead until we do works: the Lord's Faith has done its job and saved us, but all it is, is faith alone.
James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
There we have it; our faith is dead if it does not have works and yet we still have faith and is here called 'faith alone'. This is like a business man receiving an interest free loan; he now has the money for free which will enable him to set up his business. He is now officially a business man (saved), but how he utilises this wonderful gift of free money (faith) will determine whether he is a successful business man or an unsuccessful businessman - a good and faithful servant or a bad, slothful lazy servant. Please read the parable of the talents for the Lord's explanation of this arrangement.
This is the point mainstream Christians misunderstand from the bad teaching they receive on Ephesians 2:8. If our salvation is dependent upon our faith, and that faith, in turn, is then enlivened or made real by works, then we automatically have a part in our salvation and we can literally lay claim to it for it is our works that have made our faith alive. Furthermore, we can even boast and pat ourselves on the back because our works are now involved; we could even say "I have a saving faith," for it's all mine. Now most, if not all mainstream Christians, will admit that we cannot earn our salvation by works, but at the same believe in just that - salvation by works. Is it any wonder why many of them are confused? You see if we believe that all faith is ours and that it is enlivened by our works and is a catalyst in our salvation then, by default, our works must feature in our salvation and yet at the same time we all know this is nonsense and a blasphemy.
So, if our faith has nothing to do with our salvation, what is the point of our faith, what use is it and what does it achieve for us? Well I'll tell you straight it doesn't save you that's for sure but what it does do is this, it proves and it rewards. It proves we are true believers because we remain believers through thick and thin; through trials - faith becomes a verb instead of a noun and hopefully we keep on believing right to the end of our lives, but be warned for this is the minimum requirement. Moreover, when we display faith in action as well, though risky living and/or stepping out in faith, it scores and stores us rewards or treasures in heaven which we will receive when Our Lord returns to set up His Kingdom here on this earth. As I have already mentioned, this is what the parable of the talents is all about in Matt 25:14-30. We all have God given talents of some description or another so we are literally without any excuse if we say we have nothing to offer our brothers, sisters and fellow man. The Father God gives us the basics or foundational building blocks of salvation through His grace and faith and it is up to us to build upon what we have and what we have been given. Here though is a warning. Whatever you do, do not bury or hide your talents for, whatever you were given will taken from you and given to those who showed that being the recipients of that free gift of faith they put it to good use and displayed it by the results of their works.
Please note, acts of faith do not have to always be 'good works' or do-gooding charitable actions alone. For example, as mentioned earlier, starting a new business as a believer takes immense faith as you are not trusting in yourself alone for its success. As a son or daughter of God you are in partnership with your brother The Lord Jesus Christ, no matter what you do, and you will rely upon Him for your business success. When you succeed you will then give Him the praise, the honour and the glory. From the other perspective, a worldly businessman will do none of these things apart from swagger, boast, pat himself on the back and order himself a Mercedes Benz. I know, because in the past as a lost soul, I did all these things, but they didn't last!
Charles Crosby
Please visit my web page: http://yes2truth.com.istemp.com/index.html
Article revised and edited 26th October 2008
Feel free to write me if you wish to learn more: yes2graceatgooglemail.com Please use '@' in place of 'at' thank you
"Only The Truth can set you free and you shall be free indeed if you put your freely given faith in The Truth and The Truth is the Lord Jesus Christ" - Charles Crosby
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