Salvation is a Godly mix of Faith and Works

Today’s reading: Philippians 2:12-18

I find myself often starting these devotionals out with these words: God’s timing is interesting. It just so happens that C.S. Lewis quotes from today’s reading in the very passage of Mere Christianity I was studying  just before falling asleep last night.

Thank you, God, for writing much of today’s devotional for me. I’ll just re-type Mr. Lewis  here. He very maturely addresses a great, chicken-or-the-egg type question that has caused me (and many other Christians) much consternation over the years: what’s the root of salvation, faith or good works?

Here goes:

“The Bible really seems to clinch the matter when it puts the two things together into one amazing sentence. The first half is, ‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling’ — which looks as if everything depended on us and our own good actions: but the second half goes on, ‘For it is God who worketh in you’ — which looks as if God did everything and we are nothing. I am afraid this is the sort of thing we come up against in Christianity. I am puzzled, but  I am not surprised. You see, we are now trying to understand, and to separate into watertight compartments, what exactly God does and what man does when God and man are working together. And, of course, we begin by thinking it is like two men working together, so that you could say, ‘He did this bit and I did that.’ But this way of thinking breaks down. God is not like that. He is inside you as well as outside: even if we could understand who did what, I do not think human language could properly express it. In the attempt to express it, different Churches say different things. But you will find that even those who insist most strongly on the importance of good actions tell you you need Faith; and even those who insist most strongly on Faith tell you to do good actions. At any rate that is as far as I can go. ”

Recent circumstances have led to my heavy involvement in two churches these days. This unique experience has allowed me to see both ends of Mr. Lewis’s spectrum simultaneously.

The United Methodist Church in which I am a member is heavy on “good works.” The pastor encourages her congregation to” just get out and do good things” for the many troubled households in the city. “We’re not necessarily trying to get them to church or even talk to them about God,” she says. “We’re just trying to serve them. God will take care of the rest.”

While this pastor always builds her sermons around scripture, her off-the-podium emphasis is on doing good deeds as opposed to a heavy, daily dose of Bible study. (Though, to be clear, it’s important to add that I’ve never heard her discourage Bible study, of course.)

My non-denominational church, meanwhile, encourages its members to grow themselves spiritually, by a very focused study of God’s specific word. The pastor encourages his congregation to meditate daily upon The Bible, to memorize meaningful scripture, and to turn to it — as opposed to the pastor himself or any other source — for guidance on all matters.  “Seek the word of God in all things. And bring your Bible to church!” I’ve heard him say a time or two. I don’t recall him pushing the church to, say, conduct a canned food drive, or a campaign to help the homeless. (Though, of course, I’m certain he would never discourage such things.)

The first church’s idea is that good works will lead a man to faith. The other church assumes that a solid faith will lead to good works.  I’ll put in my two cents (probably worth even less than that): my preference is for the second approach.

But, indeed, I’ve come to understand this really is just a matter of preference. I think such differences in churches are often over-stated, and the rhetoric is  too dramatic. I don’t believe that either of my churches is evil — or even misguided. In fact,  every church I’ve ever known is a haven for good works and faith alike. I think that is a glorious thing!

Yes, I have my preferences in this discussion, but I’m not going to quarrel with others over theirs.  I’m not even going to change churches over this question. (Okay, well,  it seems likely, I will eventually commit myself exclusively to the non-denominational church, but that’s only because of geography. It’s in the region where I’ll likely be moving.)

I’m simply going to remember my own faith, always work to build upon it, and let it help me heed Paul’s great advice:

“Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world.” (Verses 14-15)

Thanks be to God for my Faith! May the works it inspires be forever for His glory.