The Nature and Relationship between Faith and Works

            Paul and James are often pitted against each other because they addressed the same issue, but on the surface seem to stating opposing conclusions about the nature of the relationship between faith and works. Paul says that we are justified by faith, and James seems to be saying that we are justified by works. However, it is important to note that these two biblical writers were addressing different issues. The letter of James was likely one of the first epistles written, he addressed the practicalities of one’s faith in Jesus. He used common sense to address a practical issue. Asking a very basic question, if you have faith in Jesus, yet there is no evidence of that faith in your life (i.e. works), then what’s the point of your faith? It’s useless. For as Paul wrote in Eph. 2:10, we were saved for a purpose, that purpose is to live righteously, which means doing good works.

            Paul, who wrote later than James, focused more on the theological aspect of justification. We are justified on the basis of our faith in Jesus, that He was who He said He was- Son of God, Messiah, and King; and that we agree with Him about the nature of sin and our own personal sin. God is holy, we are sinners, therefore we deserve condemnation, and we are in need of a savior. God has provided us a savior that is Jesus Christ. The saving action of the savior is Christ’s atoning work on the cross. This is the means for our salvation, not our own good works. No amount of good works or personal righteousness can put us in God’s good favor. Our best efforts are like dirty menstrual rags compared to God’s holiness (Is. 64:6).

            We, who have the benefit of studying both letters, must affirm both messages. We are saved only by the work of Christ, yet that salvation through Christ has an inbuilt purpose of transforming us into someone like Jesus. A person motivated to do good works, to live righteously before God and to love the savior. Faith in Jesus is one of action. James made the same point in his scenario about the lacking brother or sister (2:15-17). If our faith does not motivate us to help a brother or sister in need, what good is it? Why even have faith in Jesus? For true faith in Jesus motivates us to take action. Faith and works go hand in hand. Faith without works is not the faith that Jesus offers which that leads to salvation. James went on to discuss the examples of demons (who have belief without works= not saved), and Abraham and Rahab (who had faith with works= saved). In fact the relationship between faith and works is so inseparable, it is comparable to a body detached from the spirit, remove one from the other and the result is death (2:26).

Davidic Kingdom in New Testament

             As we can see throughout the narrative of the Old Testament the Davidic covenant played a central role. However, direct mention of or even teaching of it is remarkably absent in the New Testament. This yet, is not an indication of its lack of presence. It is in fact very present. Acts begins with the pre-ascension appearances and teaching of Jesus. It is likely based on the context of His teaching before the crucifixion and resurrection that Jesus spoke to the disciples about the Kingdom. There is also the record in Acts 1:6-8 of the discussion between Jesus and the Apostles about the restoration of Israel. That was not a work that God was going to bring about until the second coming of Christ. According to the parables of Jesus about the Kingdom, the Kingdom of God is going to build slowly through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the establishment of Christ’s church and the inauguration of the New Covenant.

The relationship of the Davidic promises to the resurrection. God did promise to David that an heir of his would always sit on his throne. Jesus was that descendant of David, yet He died? So how was Jesus to be the eternal heir of David? And always sit upon His throne? The answer is the resurrection and ascension. Jesus died on the cross making atonement for all those who would believe in Him. And He also was resurrected by the power of God. Yet He did not resurrected as a ghost or trans-personal being, He resurrected as human being who ascended to the right hand of the Father in an eternal incarnation who will return and take His rightful place on David’s throne.

            The relationship of the Davidic promises to the Gentiles- Jesus came in fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise in Genesis 12:1-3. God promised that he would one day have an offspring that would bless the entire world. That descendant was the heir of David, root of Jesse, the rose of Sharon Jesus Christ. Through His work on the cross He made atonement for the entire world, “once and for all” (Rom. 6:5-11). The “once and for all” refers to all who believed in times past, present and future. The future includes Gentiles. As we can see Christ appeared before Paul and made him Apostle to the Gentiles, and even before that, in the Gospels Christ taught that the Gentiles would be one day welcomed into the family of faith. There are other references to Davidic promise in the Epistles and in Revelation. 

A-Mil, Pre-Mil, and Post-Mil- What's the Difference?

Revelation 20:4 has caused quite a bit of theological ruckus among theologians and Christians. The verse clearly indicates the saints resurrecting and reigning with Christ for a thousand years. Some disagree though if this verse is referring to a literal thousand years or a figurative thousand years, or they argue about when this thousand year reign is placed in the time frame of the last times] I’ll briefly distill each view below.

Amillenialism- The theologians in this camp reject the idea of a literal thousand years. They see the millennial Kingdom as something that is already present in the church age. It is interpreted as a symbolic period of time. They see this view as being consistent with the highly symbolic nature of the apocalyptic genre of the book of Revelation, sometimes indicating that the thousand years represent God's rule over his creation or the Church

            Postmillenialism- The theologians in this camp recognize the thousand year reign as literal, however they think Christ will return (second coming) after the thousand years is over. The thousand years will be a golden age for Christians when righteousness is practiced widely. They see Christ’s reign as physical and earthly during the millennial reign. In terms of the rapture, they typically tend to see it coming before (dispensational) or after (historic) the tribulation preceding the millennium.

            Premillenialism- The theologians in this camp believe in a literal thousand year reign, however, they see Christ’s return (second coming) happening first, then Christ is present throughout the thousand year reign. In terms of the rapture, the “Pre-mils” disagree with the “Post-mils” that Christ’s second coming will be before the Millennial Kingdom. Therefore the rapture would be after in conjunction with the Second Advent. 

Why is Accountability Important?

       

       This practice is more so under the umbrella of fellowship, but I think it is such an important ill used discipline that it deserves its own paragraph. There are several passages that I could mention on this topic, but I think Paul captured the idea best in his epistle to the church in Galatia, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:1-2). That “restoring” Paul speaks of we have example of in I Cor. 5 when Paul offers strong words for what the Corinthian church ought to do with a brother in sin. They were to correct, rebuke, and if the brother was repentant than as Matt. 18 stated “you have won him over”. 
       Paul describes that we are not merely dealing with flesh and blood, we battle against spiritual powers and forces (Eph. 6:12). In other words, when we battle against sin we are entering into an ongoing spiritual conflict between Satan and the hosts of the heaven. Satan, as we know wants to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10). The answer to Daniel’s prayer was withheld because the angel was in battle with a fallen angel (Dn. 10:12-14). Make no mistake, there is a strong connection between the world seen and unseen, what we do matters, and sometimes what happens in our lives is borne out from the world unseen. Therefore, we need to keep each, through gentleness and love, in righteousness and away from sin, and do that by keeping each other accountable.