Faithful Works

One argument I hear a lot towards Protestants, and specifically the doctrine of sola fide (justification by faith alone), is that it supposedly implies a “dead faith” or faith without works. They argue that if our only justification for being deemed righteous by God is our faith and not anything we ourselves do, then by extension our works do not matter. Therefore, we do not have to actually do anything and do not need or seek to please God with our actions. Thus, sanctification does not occur. In other words, we do not actually change or become closer to God. However, this is not what the doctrine implies at all. While sola fide does state that works do not count towards your heavenly merit, this does not mean that works are considered unimportant or unnecessary.

Firstly, I will address works and their relationship to salvation. Works are not a requirement for justification, they are a fruit of justification. When someone receives the saving grace of God, and by extension comes to a true saving faith, they are a changed person. Their nature that previously only desired sin, has now been altered to seek Christ and to glorify him. Thus, they will now desire to perform good works, and they will desire to please and obey God. Salvation leads to sanctification. However, this does not mean that the works we perform are inherently good. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Everything we do, no matter how righteous it seems on the surface, is tainted by sin. Be it substance, motive, or circumstance. Therefore, nothing we can do will ever possibly count in our favor. Works in a sense, increase our debt of sin when performed by themselves. Thus, they cannot aid us in becoming righteous. Works done through the grace of God exalt him, but they are his doing and not ours. They are not the grounds of our redemption, they are a sign of it. When we are saved through faith by the grace of God, we are saved by something outside ourselves. We are saved by something that is not tainted by sin. This salvation intrinsically transforms us to begin to grow in righteousness, albeit we cannot ever become fully righteous in of ourselves. In essence, sanctification does not beget justification, it is the product of it.

Works are a necessary and inevitable result of a true faith. Put simply, if someone has a true faith then they will perform good works. Our works do not improve our chances of gaining access to heaven, they are not the grounds by which we are declared righteous. However, it is through them that we show our faith and our salvation. We perform good works because God has drawn us to him, he has changed our nature so that we might desire good instead of evil. God does not give one and not the other. It is not possible to have a true saving faith and not perform good works. If one claims to have faith, and does not show it through works, then the faith is not a true one. Obedience and actions follow faith. Works are not meaningless. They are not pointless simply because they do not pave the way to heaven. They support and emphasize our faith. They glorify God. And they are proof of our sanctification. We are saved by faith alone, but not a faith that is alone.

-BlackFox

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