We have these questions because we do not understand the scriptures. Lets be honest, they are pretty confusing at times, and we have heard countless preachers tell us contradicting interpretations of them.
I'll be upfront, I'm a pretty big faith guy. What I mean by this is that I believe that it is faith that not only justifies you before God, but also sanctifies you. I believe that you have no power within yourself (in the flesh Romans 7:18) to ever accomplish anything that is of any value. I am one of those guys who takes verses such as Hebrews 12:2 pretty serious. "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Faith without works is dead you say? (James 2:17) For it is God who works in you to both will and to do for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13) If God even places the will for us to do good, then why do we believe that it is our works that sanctify us?
It seems some have come up with a union of the faith vs works problem. They throw out the phrase "it is faith THAT works." Now I have no problem with the doctrine of a faith that produces works, as I just said, it is God who works in you. The problem arises when we try to measure the work that faith produces.
Living in America, we have a very capitalistic mind frame. If we do this, we produce that. This carries over to our spiritual mindset. Churches measure success by attendance, revenue, etc. Christians measure their success by how much money they give, how nice they were to their neighbor, and how little they cussed that day.
This is a very worldly perspective. Two things seem to happen, 1)we beat ourselves up when we don't measure up, or 2)we fill our hearts with pride with this idea that we are doing well. Both our equally destructive. Galatians 3 says it like this, " 1 [a]You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of [b]the Law, or by [c]hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun [d]by the Spirit, are you now [e]being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you [f]suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works [g]miracles among you, do it by the works of [h]the Law, or by [i]hearing with faith?
6 [j]Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7 Therefore, [k]be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God [l]would justify the [m]Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with [n]Abraham, the believer.
10 For as many as are of the works of [o]the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.” 11 Now that no one is justified [p]by [q]the Law before God is evident; for, “[r]THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” 12 [s]However, the Law is not [t]of faith; on the contrary, “HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE [u]BY THEM.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A [v]TREE”— 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might [w]come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Courtesy of http://www.biblegateway.com)
When we fix our minds on Christ, all these things seem trivial. We start believing that God will work in us to both will and to work. We stop trying to measure up, and start resting in Christ.
