The Heresy of Faith as Mere Belief: True Faith is Obedience to God that manifest in Action, not Belief
The "protest"-ant reformation not only bought about many heresies, but legitimised heresy, because of the idea that every person has authority to interpret the Scripture as he sees fit, and not as inspired by the Holy Spirit. For anyone can say that his interpretation is inspired by the Spirit. Even cults say that they are inspired by the Spirit!
While some heresies are more obvious, such as the doctrines that God is not Triune, that Jesus did not become man, Jesus is not God, or that the God of the Old and New Testament are two different Gods, other heresies are far more subtle. Some of these far more subtle heresies are so generally accepted and have infiltrated into much of the Church that hardly anyone thinks of them as heresy.
One such heresy is that false doctrine that faith by which Salvation comes mean that one only needs to "just believe". All one needs to do is to believe in and affirm the doctrines of Salvation to be saved. A person need not take any personal responsibility to actually repent and turn to Jesus Christ. While this may seem to be a somewhat humourous exaggeration or even a mockery of what doctrine of belief-only means, it is not. It is precisely what many professing Christians believe.
Such an understanding of Scripture is absolutely false, in dangerously isolating certain verses, such as Ephesians 2:9-10 while ignoring, if not outright doing violence to other passages in Scripture such as James 2:14-26. This heresy that faith means to just believe is often, but not always, the result of the perversion of the doctrine of predestination. Predestination is perverted to mean that one need not only need not do good works, but one only need to be predestined by God, as if to imply some inherent spiritual superiority in such people, particularly, those who zealously believe in the doctrines of Calvinism and attack anyone who does not believe in Calvinism.
This perversion of predestination, in implying that one cannot do good works or repent, is nothing more than an excuse to justify a desire to not repent, all while wanting to be saved and receive the benefits of Salvation. It is indeed no coincidence that the people who hold onto such a doctrine are the most mammonised and religious people on earth. They are the most evil people in the world!
Scripture makes it clear that those who are truly saved have a new nature in Christ: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). These heretics love to do away with this verse to not only deny all responsibility to repent, but to slanderously accuse those affirm such a responsibility to repent on one's own part on a daily basis as being "heretical", in believing in what they call 'works-based salvation' - a slanderous label they use against those who oppose their belief-only heresy. In doing so, they are also denying that work of righteousness that God does in a person, by continually claiming that a person who is truly in Christ as 'sinful'. Such a person has a new nature, and is therefore no longer a sinner, but saint. To claim that a truly saved person is a sinner is to deny Scripture itself, and call God a liar.
Yet, that is precisely what such people are doing in accusing those who affirm the responsibility to repent and strive to do good works as being 'heretical' in allegedly affirming 'works-based righteousness'. If affirming the need to do good works to be truly saved means that one is heretical, then St James who wrote the Epistle of James must be heretical!
St James makes it very clear that good works must be produced to not only show oneself to be saved, but to actually be saved right to the end (James 2:14-17). Such works are part of faith itself, as faith without works is not saving faith at all, but dead faith, a faith which cannot save (James 2:17-18). It is not just evidence of Salvation, but it is precisely what God will judge people by - whether one has good deeds, repaying each person according to his deeds (Romans 2:6-11; Ephesians 6:8; 2 Corinthians 5:10). For as the Scriptures say:
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
(James 2:14-26)
Just as a body without the spirit may exist but is a lifeless one, amounting to nothing but dust, so likewise, faith without works is nothing but a lifeless faith, one that does not lead to eternal life (James 2:16). Do not deceive yourself into thinking that faith without works is faith, but it is nothing but a dead faith, like a lifeless body. What worth is a lifeless body to the one whose body it is? Nothing! So, if a body which is only temporal is worthless when dead, how much more worthless is dead faith, which profits nothing, but leads only a person to eternal Death?
Only faith with good works is true faith. It is not simply good works that is evidence of faith, but good works that is a manifestation of the faith itself. It it is good works that gives such faith life, making it a saving faith, just as the spirit gives the body life.
Believing without works means nothing, and leads to no Salvation at all! Even for the demons believe not only in one God, but also the Trinity, and even that Jesus exist! They even believe that Jesus died on the Cross for the sins of the world, and rose again. Even the devil believes in every single part of the Apostle's Creed! He knows it for a fact! Yet, he is not saved nor can he be saved, because he does not good works, but only wicked works.
You may say that belief refers to belief in the heart, but not just intellectual belief. The belief of demons and the devil himself in God, Jesus and the Apostle's Creed is just intellectual only, and not in the heart, and so therefore, whether one has belief in the heart is the issue. Let me tell you that, that is totally immaterial. For faith is not about 'believing', whether in the mind or in the heart.
For true faith is obedience that manifests in action, not belief. It is not simply a manifestation of belief, but action itself, that follows from right and true belief, being that God is to be obeyed, no matter what the circumstances. Such is true faith. Faith is obedience to God despite not having evidence of things seen. It is obedience to God despite the evidence of things being unseen (Hebrews 11:1). The trust in God that underlies faith must ultimately manifest in action, which is obedience to God. Otherwise, it is not true faith at all. It is only by acts of obedience to God that demonstrates one's faith as Hebrews 11:4-40 demonstrates:
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Indeed, all those people in the Bible mentioned in Hebrews 11:4-40 acted in faith, in obeying God, making their faith true faith. Their faith was manifest in their obedience to God, not their belief in certain truths about Scripture, the Gospel, or God, or even all the truths about such things.
Faith is obedience to God that manifests in action. Mere belief in truths about Salvation, God or Jesus is not faith. Without such act of obedience towards God, which are good works, there is no faith at all, for faith is obedience. In fact, knowledge about the truth of Salvation, without obedience, is dangerous knowledge, because one will be all the more liable to punishment in Hell for failing to obey God.
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
(2 Peter 2:20-22)
While some heresies are more obvious, such as the doctrines that God is not Triune, that Jesus did not become man, Jesus is not God, or that the God of the Old and New Testament are two different Gods, other heresies are far more subtle. Some of these far more subtle heresies are so generally accepted and have infiltrated into much of the Church that hardly anyone thinks of them as heresy.
One such heresy is that false doctrine that faith by which Salvation comes mean that one only needs to "just believe". All one needs to do is to believe in and affirm the doctrines of Salvation to be saved. A person need not take any personal responsibility to actually repent and turn to Jesus Christ. While this may seem to be a somewhat humourous exaggeration or even a mockery of what doctrine of belief-only means, it is not. It is precisely what many professing Christians believe.
Such an understanding of Scripture is absolutely false, in dangerously isolating certain verses, such as Ephesians 2:9-10 while ignoring, if not outright doing violence to other passages in Scripture such as James 2:14-26. This heresy that faith means to just believe is often, but not always, the result of the perversion of the doctrine of predestination. Predestination is perverted to mean that one need not only need not do good works, but one only need to be predestined by God, as if to imply some inherent spiritual superiority in such people, particularly, those who zealously believe in the doctrines of Calvinism and attack anyone who does not believe in Calvinism.
This perversion of predestination, in implying that one cannot do good works or repent, is nothing more than an excuse to justify a desire to not repent, all while wanting to be saved and receive the benefits of Salvation. It is indeed no coincidence that the people who hold onto such a doctrine are the most mammonised and religious people on earth. They are the most evil people in the world!
Scripture makes it clear that those who are truly saved have a new nature in Christ: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). These heretics love to do away with this verse to not only deny all responsibility to repent, but to slanderously accuse those affirm such a responsibility to repent on one's own part on a daily basis as being "heretical", in believing in what they call 'works-based salvation' - a slanderous label they use against those who oppose their belief-only heresy. In doing so, they are also denying that work of righteousness that God does in a person, by continually claiming that a person who is truly in Christ as 'sinful'. Such a person has a new nature, and is therefore no longer a sinner, but saint. To claim that a truly saved person is a sinner is to deny Scripture itself, and call God a liar.
Yet, that is precisely what such people are doing in accusing those who affirm the responsibility to repent and strive to do good works as being 'heretical' in allegedly affirming 'works-based righteousness'. If affirming the need to do good works to be truly saved means that one is heretical, then St James who wrote the Epistle of James must be heretical!
St James makes it very clear that good works must be produced to not only show oneself to be saved, but to actually be saved right to the end (James 2:14-17). Such works are part of faith itself, as faith without works is not saving faith at all, but dead faith, a faith which cannot save (James 2:17-18). It is not just evidence of Salvation, but it is precisely what God will judge people by - whether one has good deeds, repaying each person according to his deeds (Romans 2:6-11; Ephesians 6:8; 2 Corinthians 5:10). For as the Scriptures say:
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
(James 2:14-26)
Just as a body without the spirit may exist but is a lifeless one, amounting to nothing but dust, so likewise, faith without works is nothing but a lifeless faith, one that does not lead to eternal life (James 2:16). Do not deceive yourself into thinking that faith without works is faith, but it is nothing but a dead faith, like a lifeless body. What worth is a lifeless body to the one whose body it is? Nothing! So, if a body which is only temporal is worthless when dead, how much more worthless is dead faith, which profits nothing, but leads only a person to eternal Death?
Only faith with good works is true faith. It is not simply good works that is evidence of faith, but good works that is a manifestation of the faith itself. It it is good works that gives such faith life, making it a saving faith, just as the spirit gives the body life.
Believing without works means nothing, and leads to no Salvation at all! Even for the demons believe not only in one God, but also the Trinity, and even that Jesus exist! They even believe that Jesus died on the Cross for the sins of the world, and rose again. Even the devil believes in every single part of the Apostle's Creed! He knows it for a fact! Yet, he is not saved nor can he be saved, because he does not good works, but only wicked works.
You may say that belief refers to belief in the heart, but not just intellectual belief. The belief of demons and the devil himself in God, Jesus and the Apostle's Creed is just intellectual only, and not in the heart, and so therefore, whether one has belief in the heart is the issue. Let me tell you that, that is totally immaterial. For faith is not about 'believing', whether in the mind or in the heart.
For true faith is obedience that manifests in action, not belief. It is not simply a manifestation of belief, but action itself, that follows from right and true belief, being that God is to be obeyed, no matter what the circumstances. Such is true faith. Faith is obedience to God despite not having evidence of things seen. It is obedience to God despite the evidence of things being unseen (Hebrews 11:1). The trust in God that underlies faith must ultimately manifest in action, which is obedience to God. Otherwise, it is not true faith at all. It is only by acts of obedience to God that demonstrates one's faith as Hebrews 11:4-40 demonstrates:
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Indeed, all those people in the Bible mentioned in Hebrews 11:4-40 acted in faith, in obeying God, making their faith true faith. Their faith was manifest in their obedience to God, not their belief in certain truths about Scripture, the Gospel, or God, or even all the truths about such things.
Faith is obedience to God that manifests in action. Mere belief in truths about Salvation, God or Jesus is not faith. Without such act of obedience towards God, which are good works, there is no faith at all, for faith is obedience. In fact, knowledge about the truth of Salvation, without obedience, is dangerous knowledge, because one will be all the more liable to punishment in Hell for failing to obey God.
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
(2 Peter 2:20-22)
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