Producing Faith
In the previous Cross Point we looked at how our salvation must come from the Lord, we cannot create our own salvation. We must be clothed with Christ, which allows him to cover our sins. Instead of a Fig Leaf Faith, we need a faith that has at its foundation true discipleship, following Jesus, trusting in him. In this second article about faith, we look at our need to build on the foundation Christ provides.
Author Os Guinness in his book The Great Quest tells the story of an African Christian discussing the concept of faith using hunting terms to illustrate. He said the European idea of believing, or having faith, has become more of a mental exercise. He compares it to a hunter stalking his prey with a gun, and once he finds the animal he pursues, he raises his rifle to shoot the animal from a safe distance away. All he needs is the gun, ammunition, and the effort to pull the trigger. Once he shoots his prey, the job is done. He may have someone else dress it, or prepare it for the taxidermy. Then he may mount its head on a wall to admire. But the African Christian says his people look at faith more like a lion stalking a stag. The lion cannot capture his prey from a distance, he must get close, and when he attacks it he must use his whole being in the action, mind and muscle. There is no mount on a wall to admire, the kill is about sustaining life and gaining strength for the days ahead. A pouncing faith!
Hopefully we can appreciate the comparison. Too often we have people saying a quick prayer, telling them they are saved, then allowing them to wallow in their ignorance, struggling to stay Christian. But they are still saved, right, isn’t it by “faith alone”? From the get-go, we are in error. The Bible no where instructs or gives an example of becoming a Christian through saying a prayer. From the start of the church, when Peter told the crowd to “repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38) becoming a Christian has involved turning from sin to follow Christ (repentance) and we become “clothed in Christ” in baptism (Galatians 3:27). Once we enter into this new covenant relationship with the Lord, how we live demonstrates our faith. James tell us that we are saved by what we do, not by faith alone (James 2). That is simply real faith, more than mental ascent.
The apostle Peter elaborates on this when he writes his second letter to “those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours” (2 Peter 1:1). He tells them (and us) to confirm their calling. He gets specific, saying, “supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with steadfastness, steadfastness with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love” (1:5-7). This helps us remain fruitful, he goes on to say, and if we lack these qualities we are so nearsighted to be blind. “Be diligent to confirm your calling” he says, “in this way there will be richly provided an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord.”
We can make mistakes and commit sins after becoming a Christian and still be saved, God’s grace covers it all, as long as we maintain our faith. But maintaining real faith is more than just mentally believing, we must exercise our faith in real time action, listening, learning, following, obeying, growing in our discipleship. Pushing all of that to the side, we may have pulled the trigger of faith, but then we lay down the gun and walk away. Instead, pounce on your discipleship with all that is in you, “love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and strength.” Always remember, the Great Commission is not to go save people, it’s to go make disciples. Discipleship defines faith that saves.
Author Os Guinness in his book The Great Quest tells the story of an African Christian discussing the concept of faith using hunting terms to illustrate. He said the European idea of believing, or having faith, has become more of a mental exercise. He compares it to a hunter stalking his prey with a gun, and once he finds the animal he pursues, he raises his rifle to shoot the animal from a safe distance away. All he needs is the gun, ammunition, and the effort to pull the trigger. Once he shoots his prey, the job is done. He may have someone else dress it, or prepare it for the taxidermy. Then he may mount its head on a wall to admire. But the African Christian says his people look at faith more like a lion stalking a stag. The lion cannot capture his prey from a distance, he must get close, and when he attacks it he must use his whole being in the action, mind and muscle. There is no mount on a wall to admire, the kill is about sustaining life and gaining strength for the days ahead. A pouncing faith!
Hopefully we can appreciate the comparison. Too often we have people saying a quick prayer, telling them they are saved, then allowing them to wallow in their ignorance, struggling to stay Christian. But they are still saved, right, isn’t it by “faith alone”? From the get-go, we are in error. The Bible no where instructs or gives an example of becoming a Christian through saying a prayer. From the start of the church, when Peter told the crowd to “repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38) becoming a Christian has involved turning from sin to follow Christ (repentance) and we become “clothed in Christ” in baptism (Galatians 3:27). Once we enter into this new covenant relationship with the Lord, how we live demonstrates our faith. James tell us that we are saved by what we do, not by faith alone (James 2). That is simply real faith, more than mental ascent.
The apostle Peter elaborates on this when he writes his second letter to “those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours” (2 Peter 1:1). He tells them (and us) to confirm their calling. He gets specific, saying, “supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with steadfastness, steadfastness with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love” (1:5-7). This helps us remain fruitful, he goes on to say, and if we lack these qualities we are so nearsighted to be blind. “Be diligent to confirm your calling” he says, “in this way there will be richly provided an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord.”
We can make mistakes and commit sins after becoming a Christian and still be saved, God’s grace covers it all, as long as we maintain our faith. But maintaining real faith is more than just mentally believing, we must exercise our faith in real time action, listening, learning, following, obeying, growing in our discipleship. Pushing all of that to the side, we may have pulled the trigger of faith, but then we lay down the gun and walk away. Instead, pounce on your discipleship with all that is in you, “love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and strength.” Always remember, the Great Commission is not to go save people, it’s to go make disciples. Discipleship defines faith that saves.