A Saving Faith
At the close of this week’s sermon, the question was posed, “If those who knew you heard you were a Christian, would they believe it?” I have heard it stated another, perhaps more direct, way…“If you were accused in court of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Hmmm. Evidence? Like, proof? Isn’t faith a matter of the heart? Only God can assess that! Ephesians tells us that “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith. And this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” We cannot earn salvation since it is a free gift. But according to James 2:20, “faith without deeds is dead”, so there must be something more.
The stage design for this series illustrates this point in the form of two trees...one that produces fruit and one that does not. Fruit bears the evidence of a tree’s identity.
It does not make a tree what it is, but fruit is the essence of a tree’s purpose. Is a peach tree that doesn’t produce peaches still a peach tree? Technically, yes. It’s DNA is unchanged. But a fruit tree that produces no fruit, is a disappointment, a frustration, and in many ways, an imposter.
On His way to Jerusalem, Jesus comes upon a fig tree in full leaf, leading Him to assume the tree was producing early fruit. When He finds the tree barren but for the show of leaves, He curses it and the root withers and dies, (Mark 11:12-14).
This is an object lesson for the Christian who hopes to please Christ. He expects us to produce fruit, describing Himself in John 15:5 as the vine and His followers as the branches. “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit”. Spiritual fruit is described as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” and this fruit is displayed through good works.
Perhaps the most famous parable in the Bible is that of the Good Samaritan. In it, Jesus illustrates the importance of faith in action. When faced with an opportunity to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in caring for a helpless man, two “religious” men, a Levite and a priest, ignored him. It was a Samaritan man who bound the man’s wounds and arranged for his continued care.
When Jesus asks His disciples, “Which of these men was a neighbor to the man?”, wasn’t he really asking “Which of these men bore fruit? Which of these men displayed the deeds to substantiate their faith?” The Levite and the priest were like the fig tree, covered with lush green leaves but utterly barren. Their lack of fruit was evidence of something very displeasing to Jesus…a faith without deeds.
Works will never save us. Matthew 7:22-23 details the plight of anyone who seeks to justify himself solely on the basis of good deeds. “Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you”.
Works alone are not enough. Faith alone IS enough but a faith that isn’t accompanied by deeds and doesn’t produce fruit, is not saving faith. Good works and fruit spring naturally from real, saving faith.
And on the basis of such things, one could be rightfully convicted as a follower of Christ.
~ Melissa Gibbs has been a member of LIFE Fellowship for over 10 years, is the mother to four boys and widow of the late JD Gibbs.