Faith And Works

Hebrews 11:8-18

The debate over faith and works has raged from the time of Christ. Part of the reason is that both sides have ignored some scripture. Books like the power of positive thinking have captured many peoples attention. They have lead to many successes, and to some spectacular failures. Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar is quoted as saying, “Positive thinking never made me able to do anything, but it made me able to do everything better than negative thinking.” Our actions will be determined by what we believe, not our beliefs by our actions. Without faith, the actions will be tentative and ineffectual. Misguided faith will lead to disaster. The story of Abraham illustrates the relationship of faith and works.

“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10)

Abraham acted on God’s command, with no idea of his destination. Believing God, he lived in tents never having land that he could call his own. He acted on that belief, and continued to do so, expecting that one day God’s promise would be fulfilled, not just in an earthly natural manner. His wife Sarah demonstrated a similar faith, resulting in Abraham having children. Even Sarah’s sin in giving Hagar demonstrated her belief in God’s promise, though diluted by human reasoning.

“Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.” (Hebrews 11:11-12)

At the time of her death, Sarah had only seen her son Isaac. Abraham only saw his sons Ishmael and Isaac and their children. Even Abraham’s grandson Jacob and his children never saw their family own the land, just living as nomads in other countries. Never the less, they believed that it would happen to the degree that Joseph, Abraham’s great grandson commanded that when Israel took possession of the land, they were to take his bones with them and bury them there.

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” (Hebrews 11:13-17)

Despite more than five hundred years of having no country of their own, including four hundred years of slavery, Abraham, and his family never went back to their homeland, because some of them believed God’s promise. Even when it seemed that obeying God would destroy all his hopes, Abraham continued to obey.

“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son. Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” (Hebrews 11:18-19)

Sacrificing Isaac would have destroyed the last hope of seeing God’s promise fulfilled, but Abraham acted in obedience to God’s command. Doing so demonstrated Abraham’s faith in God. God intervened and saved Isaac’s life, providing another sacrifice. His faith came first, and led to his actions. Paul discuses the importance of this fact.

“What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:1-3”

If it were Abraham’s actions that produced the results, Abraham could say look at what he had accomplished by his own efforts. Instead, he trusted God to produce the results, just acting on those promises, and God counted it to him for righteousness. He cannot brag that they obtained the land. They received it from God. In Galatians Paul points out that our salvation and spiritual life are dependent on the same kind of faith.

“He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” (Galatians 3:5-7) Ephesians 2:8-9 reiterates the idea that the works do not result in salvation. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

James stresses that faith is not complete until it is acted upon. Faith that does not result in action is powerless. “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” (James 2:20-24)

The action taken should have destroyed all hope of receiving the blessing, rather than fulfilling it. Faith prompted Abraham to obey contrary to all logic and reason. His actions demonstrated his faith. Isaac Bashevis Singer is quoted in New York Times Magazine, Nov. 26, 1978. “We know what a person thinks not when he tells us what he thinks, but by his actions.” If a person really thinks God will keep his promise, he will act on it, even though it seems counterproductive.