The Separation of Faith and Obedience is Anti-Gospel
“….faith is not faith until it does something”
While on sabbatical to write TTANC, Susan and I have been visiting Calvary Baptist Church in Xenia, Ohio pastored by David Conrad. By the way, our home used to be the building they worshiped in. Pastor David is preaching through the book of Romans, and 10:13-21 was on the plate for last Sunday. The focus of this post is verses 16 and 17:
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
What does it mean to obey the gospel? This is so simple that it is easy to miss: verse 16 could rightfully be restated as, But they have not believed the gospel. The apostle Paul first frames acceptance of the gospel via obedience, then he quotes Isaiah who frames acceptance of the gospel via belief: “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” Then Paul restates what Isaiah said in the context of faith: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” Faith, belief, obedience—all the same. Obedience doesn’t come from faith or flow from faith, it is faith.
Let’s visit another passage that illustrates this. Christ said in John 3:36;
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Again, in this verse with two independent clauses linked by the same subject of eternal life, obedience and belief could be switched between the two clauses, or either one used for both.
Is this really that hard to understand? You can’t separate obedience and faith (the hindrance of sin will not be addressed in this post). Why? Because faith isn’t faith until it does something. What a pity that theologians have made the book of James so controversial in regard to the whole supposed works/faith issue. All James was saying is that faith isn’t faith until it does something:
Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? (James 2:20).
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works (James 2:22).
And what is the standard for the works of faith? What works? Again, James does not leave us without an answer:
But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing (James 1:25).
What about boasting? There isn’t any because faith is a gift from God. If God doesn’t grant it to us, we do not have it. But be sure of this: like all gifts, once one receives it—they own it. It is our faith, and we also own the obedience that is faith—it’s our obedience as well. And as James wrote, the blessings are in completing our faith with obedience to the truth (2:22). In the parable of the talents Christ warned against separating faith and works, calling those who do so “wicked, lazy servant[s].”
Christians can get in the middle of the Arminian/Calvinism fray if they want to, but both are guilty of distorting saving faith; both separate what is one, obedience and faith. Both brainwash our children with the faith alone mantra. Yes indeed, faith alone, but also obedience alone. You can obey the gospel or believe the gospel—pick one, they are both good. Say it anyway you want to; it’s all the same. Arminians separate the two by teaching faith alone without works. That’s simply not true. Once the gift is given, obedience comes with it. We are justified by the gift, but after that, faith works, or you don’t have it, or you are not working out what has been worked in.
The Reformed are a little more craftier in their damning lies. They concur with the proposition of this post, but in their endeavor to be the gatekeepers of God’s self-esteem, they devise complicated theological systems that make our faith and obedience Christ’s faith and obedience. No gift has really been granted, we are merely the prepositions of salvation. This comes from not only separating faith and obedience, or law/gospel, but then synthesizing justification and sanctification. Obviously, if there is no difference between the two, we must be sanctified the same way we are justified which is passive. Receiving a gift is passive, putting the gift to work is not. But if the same gospel that saved us sanctifies us, it’s all about receiving and no giving.
Even as an unbeliever I knew this truth intuitively—I think by the common grace of God. I was begged by an Arminian to just “say the prayer.” Bless his heart, when I wouldn’t, he wept. Better than a Reformed person who would have responded this way: “Oh well, just means you’re not chosen.” Of course, I wouldn’t have bought into that either. I wouldn’t profess because I knew I wasn’t willing to leave the old Paul behind. I still liked the old Paul. Even then, I wouldn’t have known how to word it, but I knew that there is no difference between faith and obedience.
Christ, the apostles, and the prophets used the two words interchangeably throughout the Scriptures. I wish we could pose a question to James: “James, can one be saved if he/she doesn’t understand that obedience and faith are the same thing?” Is love for God a requirement for saving faith? Ok, well, Christ said the following in John 14:
If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Then immediately following that statement He said:
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper
Sure, we can’t do it without two “helpers,” Christ and the Holy Spirit, but I’m thinking with those two helping the job should get done! What kind of gospel displays a life that is no better than many others with both Christ and the Holy Spirit helping? But Michael Horton says that exerting our own effort in the process is trying to “be the gospel” rather than merely preaching the gospel. That’s a lie.
However, I have some truthful news for both Arminians and the Reformed alike. To the Arminian: No love for God—no salvation. To the Reformed: In your favorite Bible, the ESV, Christ called the Holy Spirit our “helper.” A helper doesn’t do it for us, they help. I thought you guys are educated? Even a child knows a helper helps and doesn’t do it all. And the fact that we do something in the process of sanctification is not “bad news.” Stop lying and start telling the truth for a change.
What faith is in regard to the gospel is obviously a critical question, and separating faith and obedience is a false gospel. The idea that obedience is optional or done by “Christ for us” is not the good news of salvation. True faith is a gift that we cannot earn, but once we have it, it is never without works, or it is not true faith—being alone. The devils merely believe only, and do tremble.
paul
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
I have no problem with the idea that faith is obedience since the gospel is a command to be obeyed. Neither do I have a problem with the proposition that faith always gives evidence of itself in works of obedience. Faith that doesn’t work isn’t faith. But, to say as you have that faith IS obedience in the sense that faith is obedience to God’s commandments, suggests that we are justified before God through our obedience. Is that what you really intended to convey?
LikeLike
Anon,
“And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” Justification does not have to be maintained. It is a onetime completed, declarative act of God. Believers are guaranteed glorification no matter what. The righteousness of God has already been credited to our account in full. Righteousness nor justification is on the installment plan. Therefore, none of our acts can contribute to something that is complete. Justification is past-tense. The theology that teaches that justification has to be maintained with perfect righteousness until glorification is New Calvinist / SDA theology which contradicts the truth that our glorification is already guaranteed because of the righteousness already deposited to our account.
LikeLike
But said “faith isn’t faith until it does something.” I am not talking about a future justification but a completed justification. If faith and obedience are the same, [“Faith, belief, obedience—all the same. Obedience doesn’t come from faith or flow from faith, it is faith.”] then are you not saying that our justification in the past was through obedience. It seems so simple, it is easy to miss.
Additionally, if obedience IS faith, how can you say sanctification is not through faith since you believe sanctification is through our obedience to Scriptural commands?
LikeLike
No, I am not saying that at all. Faith is a GIFT. But once that gift is granted, obedience is a part of it. But once the faith is granted, justification is no longer in the picture. Your argument is with Christ and the apostles–not me.
LikeLike
Ok, Faith is obedience in some sense, but obedience also comes from Faith too. Faith is being sure, understanding the value of what’s being said – it’s the motive. Motives produce action, they go together. Christ had compassion, therefore He healed. By Faith we move:
Rom 1:5 “to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.”
Phil 2:17 “the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.”
1 Thess 1:3 “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Anon said: “Faith that doesn’t work isn’t faith.”
True, but two ways of Faith:
Faith does not work in regard to the forgiveness of sins because God doesn’t ask it. Rom 3:25 says “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” Therefore Paul says “the man who does not work” according to David: “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” So, by faith alone we are forgiven and “we have gained access into this grace in which we now stand.”
However, Faith does work (active) when commanded and is blessed:
Gen 22:15 “The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”
So Christians do like Father Abraham, “the man of Faith.” We are the predestinated children of Abraham. Who did Christ come to help? Heb 2:16 “For surely it is not angels he (Christ) helps, but Abraham’s descendants.”
Arkansas Bill
LikeLike
Bill,
Agreed. I am always willing to be persuaded by a good biblical argument. But I still think that obedience is more than the mere product of faith.
LikeLike
I think Anon needs to read some A.E. Mitchell. Rewire, reread the Bible, think more along the lines of genetics and heredity. Forget for the moment the elaborate book keeping imputations that are outside, over there, in Him. These gifts, Faith, Hope, and Love poured into our hearts produces a changed person. It’s a lesson in nature. Born again of imperishable seed (seeds produce patterns), a “good and noble heart” produces the harvest God is looking for (Parable of the Sower). Can an Ethiopian change skin? Leopard change spots? Do grapes grow on thorn bushes? Can a fig tree bear olives? Good trees produce good fruit? Or, a dog returns to it’s vomit because it’s a scavenger. A sow returns to wallowing because it’s a hog. God is our Father now, are we not being transformed to be like Him? Jesus call us brothers, we’re related, we hear and obey. It’s what’s in a man that counts. Nathanael was a true Isrealite, in whom was no deceit.
I like Ps 78 which talks about the faithless Isrealites out in the desert after Egypt. The point in that case is: No Faith means No obedience.
Arkansas Bill
.
LikeLike
From the doctrines of God we understand that God can neither deceive nor be deceived. God’s word is pure truth. We can abandon all doubts because of that fact. Therefore, ultimately we are to believe no one but God. Faith is a spiritual, supernatural, Holy Spirit gift that enables us to do just that. If God asks for believing alone, then believing is the right thing to do. If God asks for work, then working is the right thing to do. Faith is right in either case, and faith is obedience. The phrase “this was credited to him AS righteousness (NIV)” is said of Abraham’s faith/ believing (Rom 4:3 forgiveness of sins), and of Phinehas’ faith/working (Ps 106:31 averting the plague).
I bring this up because John Piper in COUNTED RIGHTEOUS IN CHRIST page 54 wants to say of faith alone: “it was credited to him FOR righteousness” (not AS righteousness) because it shows the imputation exchange from Christ’s ledger to Abraham’s judicial ledger. However, it doesn’t make sense in the case of Phinehas’s righteous act.
Some translations show “AS righteousness.”
Romans 4:3
New International Version (NIV)
3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him AS righteousness.”
Romans 4:3
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed to God, and it was areckoned [reckoned] to him to rightwiseness.
Romans 4:3
Revised Standard Version
For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him AS righteousness.”
Romans 4:3
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him AS righteousness.”
Arkansas Bill
LikeLike
What is the actual faith and obedience?
LikeLike
Faith is alive as demonstrated by the action it produces. So, faith is life, and obedience is the active demonstration of that life. Faith believes and acts on that belief. Saving faith is not passive–it doesn’t require something to act upon it–it has an active life in and of itself.
LikeLike