Subject: Does faith require maintenance? |
Bible Note: Zach, In this case I would prerfer Tozer's phrasing to Bonhoeffer's, since James 2:19 tells us "Even the demons believe and tremble" but they do not obey. Of course Bonhoeffer is not saying all who believe are obedient, he is only saying that one must first believe in order to obey. But belief does not guarantee obedience. Then of course you get into the whole Faith Alone question. I know that many, though not all, who adhere to the Faith Alone doctrine admit that saving faith must be evidenced by works, which those on the other side see as proof that faith alone is not alone. Grace of course is the common element that unites inseparably faith and good works. Even Paul starts Romans in 1:5 with "the obedience of faith" and talks of the necesity of doing rather than just being hearers of the law eight times in Romans 2:6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 25, 26, 27. I don't subscribe to the plan A, plan B explanation of Romans. Nor do I believe Paul in Romans is at odds with James since they are both using Abraham as the example of faith. One thing we can be sure of is that mere belief is not the same thing as saving faith. Emmaus |