Biblical words have meanings, and meanings communicate intended ideas of the communicator within their socio-cultural context. These ideas can be communicated as precisely in today’s socio-cultural context as they were centuries ago. Even if the words have become archaic today, the intended ideas do not become archaic.
Many nuanced meanings of Greek words, hence the ideas to be communicated, are lost in translation in English, and one of them is “pistis”, often translated as “faith”.
Luke 18:8
… when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith [“pistis”] on the earth?”
“Pistis” in Greek means, in the words of Bill Mounce, “faith, faithfulness, belief, trust, with an implication that actions based on that trust may follow“. “Pistis” speaks of fidelity of the mind, heart, volition, and actions towards the object of one’s belief. It speaks of an uncompromising integrity that refuses to fall short or miss the mark of the requirements of the object of one’s trust, be it a thought, an emotion, a volition, or a behaviour.
Many Christians think that faith is simply believing with the mind or trust with the heart. It is often devoid of holy conduct, obedient actions, and good works that must follow as an integral component of that belief and trust. This kind of faith is not true faith at all.
Faith is analogous to Sodium Chloride, which is the chemical name for salt. Without the component of Chloride, it will just be Sodium, not salt. So, faith without the component of works is not faith at all, and what is not faith cannot justify.
What use is salt if it has no Chloride in it? Can that salt be salty? So, “what use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?” (James 2:14)
Only true faith justifies; for faith, if it is without the definitive component of faithful actions, is useless faith at best or dead faith at worse (James 2:17, 20, 26), being a belief system or conviction by itself.
The Faith of Abraham, the Father of our Covenantal Faith
Hebrews 11:8, 17-19
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. … By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED.” He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.
James 2:21-23
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God.
Abraham was called by God to be His set-apart people and inheritance, not because of any works that he had done or not done, but solely by the grace of God; hence he had nothing to boast about with reference to himself before God (c.f. Romans 4:1). He simply believed God and trusted His calling, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
Yet, Abraham did not just believe and trust, but acted with uncompromising fidelity towards the object of his faith through obedient actions and attesting works of allegiance. Faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was made complete. It was this complete faith that reckoned to Abraham as righteous.
Genesis 17:1
Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless.”
The commandment of God Almighty to Abraham was to walk faithfully before Him, and be blameless in his obedience towards Him. That was the faithfulness of Abraham’s faith that God demanded from him and his descendants.
What would happen if Abraham did not have works that were commensurate with his belief and trust? What if he disobeyed God and did not leave his hometown or offered his son as a sacrifice? Would disobedience and falling away from faithfulness towards God contradict his belief and trust, and yet still reckon to him as righteous before God? Would God continue to reckon an unfaithful and disobedient Abraham as righteous?
Indeed, faith is not true faith without the attesting works of that faith.
Romans 4:16
For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
Today, in accordance with grace, we are granted the same promise of Abraham as sons of the same faith of Abraham.
Hebrews 11:32-34
And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
Faith that strongly trusts in God and faithfully performs acts of righteousness in fidelity to the I AM WHO I AM, is the kind of faith that reckons to us as righteous. No other kinds of faith will justify.
James 2:18-20
But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
Hebrews 2:16
For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham.
Demons believe God and trust in Him more than us because they knew God and saw His power before the foundation of the world, yet they could not and would not perform acts of righteousness that are commensurate with their belief and trust because they are hostile towards God. Thus, if God does not give help to demons to enable them to change their ways like He does so graciously by His Spirit to the sons of Abraham according to their faith, then demons will always be devoid of the holy conduct, obedient actions, and good works that must follow as a definitive component of their belief and trust. If God were to give them help, their repentance might have allowed God to give them salvation if He so desires.
As such, without the power of true faith on account of their sinful works, it is impossible to renew demons again to repentance (c.f. Hebrews 6:4-8).
Is your faith like the dead faith of demons?
The Life and Walk of True “Pistis” Faith that Please God
Romans 8:12-13
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must [or are going to] die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Romans 8:6-8
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Galatians 5:16-17
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
Galatians 6:7-9
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
Notice how Apostle Paul used action words like “live”, “walk”, “do”, and “carry out” to exhort and instruct believers of the faith to please God? Notice how lifestyles and deeds have eternal consequences?
What is reconciliation, or “katallássō” in Greek? (c.f. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19) Reconciliation means “decisively change, as when two parties reconcile when coming, or changing, to the same position.” (source: HELPS Word-studies)
According to Paul, there is no reconciliation between a believer in Christ (“brethren”) and God if the believer sets his mind on the flesh and carry out the desires of the flesh, because the works of the flesh are hostile towards God and cannot please God. In other words, God’s Spirit of holiness can never change to come to the same position as believers living in the flesh. Thus, while God may exercise forbearance for a while, true reconciliation can only happen when a believer walking in the flesh and carrying out the deeds of the flesh repents, sets his mind on the Spirit, walk by the Spirit, and does the works of the Spirit in fidelity to the Spirit of holiness. Such is the nature of true faith that reconciles, and such is the nature of the ministry of reconciliation entrusted to us.
Indeed, without true faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), because if we believe God in our minds and trust Him with our hearts, and yet set our minds on the flesh, and live according to the lusts of the flesh, we are effectively living in hostility and rebellion towards God, being unable to subject ourselves to the law of God (like demons?), hence, without true reconciliation, we are going to die the second death. However, if we live by the Spirit of holiness, and subject ourselves to the law of God in holy conduct, obedient actions, and good works as a definitive component of our belief and trust towards God, then we will have true reconciliation, and we will live through eternity.
Romans 6:12-13,16,19
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. … Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? … I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
The way we live and the works we do through our mortal bodies will determine whose slave we are, and our eternal outcome. Even though you may be a believer in Christ, yet if you go on presenting the members of your body as instruments of disobedience, you will be a slave of the father of disobedience, Satan, resulting in lawlessness and death. However, if you present the members of your body as instruments of faithful obedience, you will be a slave of Christ, resulting in sanctification and life.
Whose slaves are you?
We are to be “little christ” in the image of the holy conduct, obedient actions, and good works of Christ, not “little satan” or “anti-christs” in their image of disobedience and hostility towards Christ.
“Pistis” Faith in Christ IS the Grace of God Unto Salvation
Well, you may ask, “What about Ephesians 2:8-9 that says ‘for by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast’?”
Indeed, works outside of “pistis” faith in Christ, no matter how good they are, cannot save because Christ is the designated gift of God’s grace for salvation through active faith in Him. Like Abraham, we have the grace of God to be reckoned as righteous, not because of works that we have done or not done previously, but through the gift of Christ in whom we must necessarily place our “pistis” faith.
Yet, “pistis” faith means that believing and putting trust in Christ at the hearing of the gospel require proactive actions in keeping with that belief and trust.
Romans 10:8-10
But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
Matthew 3:8
“Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance;”
You cannot belief Christ in your mind and trusting Christ in your heart without also physically acting on that belief and trust through confession with your mouth in repentance.
In addition, your cannot confess with your mouth in repentance alone without active deeds to produce fruits of that repentance; for repentance without fruits of repentance is just empty words, hence not true repentance unto salvation.
So, bearing fruits in keeping with repentance is bearing holy conduct, obedient actions, and good works that must follow as a definitive component of our belief and trust in God and His Christ.
Outward actions affirm inward believe and trust, and bearing fruits prove fidelity towards the object of that believe and trust.
Therefore, faith, from the very beginning of its inception leading to salvation, requires commensurate works and fruits in keeping with our belief and trust.
Do you have outward actions that can prove your inward belief and trust? Do you have expressions of fruits that can attest to your fidelity towards Christ?
If you ask a farmer about growing good trees that bear good fruits, he will tell you that it is hard work even though God provides sunshine and rain in their seasons. It requires appropriate works that are commensurate with the types of trees and the desired quality of fruits from those trees. It could possibly require more work if the farmer needs to transform bad trees bearing bad fruits to become good trees bearing good fruits.
So, for bad trees to become good trees, intensive works of “repentance” are required; and to prove that the bad trees have become good trees, bearing good fruits in keeping with “repentance” is required.
Ephesians 5:8-10 AMP
For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [lead the lives of those native-born to the Light]. For the fruit (the effect, the product) of the Light or the Spirit [consists] in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart, and trueness of life. And try to learn [in your experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to Him].
Similarly, we repent because our conduct, if it remains in keeping with our former self in darkness (c.f. Ephesians 2:1-3), is not in fidelity to the holy nature, moral character, and sovereign will of God in the Light. When we repent of such infidelity towards the Light, we must then bear fruits of the Light in keeping with our repentance so that we can prove that we have become good trees bearing good fruits, else our confession may be empty words, our repentance may be a delusion, and we may still be bearing bad fruits of darkness.
To bear fruits of the Light that consist in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart, and trueness of life, we must put in the hard work of exercising self-control, denying our flesh, carrying the cross, and following Christ according to the image of His faith in the persevering power of the Spirit, so that we will not again fall short of the holy nature, moral character, and sovereign will of God.
Therefore, true faith has a walk, lifestyles, and deeds that are constant proofs of what is most acceptable to the I AM WHO I AM. Such is the nature of true faith that justifies and reconciles.
Revelation 2:4-5
‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.’
Indeed, first love has commensurate deeds of first love. If we depart from deeds in keeping with first love, then Jesus will no longer be our first love in reality. Furthermore, without appropriate works that are in keeping with first love, there will be no fruits of first love to proof our first love towards Christ.
If we do faithful deeds of love to grow fruits of love to prove our love for our spouse and children, then do we do faithful works of first love to grow fruits of first love to prove our all-surpassing first love for our God and His Christ?
If not, Jesus will remove our place in the Spirit as His people from His presence.
For this reason, James said, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18) True faith in Christ cannot be devoid of the commensurate works of faith in fidelity towards Christ.
The Final Judgment when Jesus Christ Returns
So, how does Jesus Christ set apart those who are His from those who are not; that is, separating those who are of the true faith that unwaveringly trusted God, consistently bore fruits in keeping with repentance, and faithfully performed acts of righteousness in fidelity towards God, from those who are not?
2 Timothy 2:19 LEB
However, the solid foundation of God stands firm, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “Everyone who names the name of the Lord must abstain from unrighteousness.”
1 John 2:3-6
By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
As Jesus said in Matthew 25:31-46, and Paul in Romans 2:4-8, God will render each person according to his deeds at the final righteous judgment of God when Jesus Christ returns.
He will set apart those who are truly His people who have lived and walked in the faithfulness of His faith towards God; for everyone who names the name of the Lord must have abstained from unrighteousness, that is, the one who says he abides in Him ought to have walked in the same manner as He walked in all righteousness of conduct and deeds. These will enter into His rest and eternal blessedness.
However, those who have not lived, walked, or bore fruits according to true faith will go away into eternal punishment. He will certainly remove their lampstand out of its place in the temple of God.
Hebrews 10:26-31
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Indeed, true “pistis” faith will not trample underfoot the righteous Son of God by our continuous sinning, regard as unclean the blood of the covenant by which we are set apart, and insult the Spirit of grace by whom we have been introduced into the family of the holy God through the gracious work of Christ. God will certainly repay such unfaithfulness to His holy nature, moral character, sovereign will, and good pleasure. Jesus will surely declare to them, “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:23)
Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”
The final judgment will proof and reward our faithfulness to true “pistis” faith in God and His Son in the Spirit of holiness while living, walking, and working on earth.
Conclusion
Verily, we maintain that a man is justified by active “pistis” faith apart from works outside of faithfulness towards Christ (c.f. Romans 3:28). Therefore, having been justified by active “pistis” faith, we have peace with God through our bearing of peaceful fruits of righteousness that are in fidelity with the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by active “pistis” faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that our active faithfulness during tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven fruits of character; and proven fruits of character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us to help us walk in fidelity to the holiness of God in the image of Christ (c.f. Romans 5:1-5; Hebrews 12:11).
Romans 1:17
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith [“pistis”] to faith [“pistis”]; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH [“pistis”].”
Habakkuk 2:4
“Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith [“emunah” in Hebrew, or faithfulness, fidelity, steadfastness].”
Biblical faith is consistent in meanings in both Greek and Hebrew language, in both New and Old Testament, and to both Paul the apostle and Habakkuk the prophet; that is-
Unwavering Belief + Steadfast Trust + Faithful Actions + Fruits of Fidelity = Faith
The righteous man shall live by this faith; or conversely, a man shall not be righteous unless he lives by true faith.
The more we practice faithful actions, the more we will bear fruits in fidelity with the image of God and His Christ, and hence the more we shall manifest the holy righteousness of God in us and through us – from faith to faith.
Indeed, just as the righteousness of God has been manifested in and through Christ Jesus through His faithful living, we shall be, or become, the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ through “pistis” faith as well (c.f. Romans 3:21-22; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Many of us today have missed the mark of the kind of faith that is defined by scriptures. We are no longer living by the faith of Abraham, the father of our faith; and we have fallen short of Jesus’ kind of faith that is required by God.
What kind of faith do you have?
Do you have true “pistis” faith that saves?
Do you have faithful works that prove your fidelity towards God and His Christ as first love?
Philippians 2:12-13
So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
Finally, brethren, God is at work in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. He is working in us so that we can work for Him, just like Jesus Christ did.
Faith has works of faithfulness towards the object of our faith, and our salvation is resting on it.
Therefore, let us work with Him, with much fear and trembling whenever we are unwilling, so that we will not receive the grace of God in vain (c.f. 2 Corinthians 6:1); “for the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:11-14), to the praise of the glory of His grace. Amen.
Post-Script
Some Christians would insist that we are saved by grace through believing in Christ alone, not through works; yet they agree that doing good works of love and bearing good fruits in keeping with repentance should follow as a result of salvation, even though these are not necessary for salvation.
Therefore, if doing good works of love and bearing good fruits in keeping with repentance do not follow as a result of our salvation, and we go on sinning, it simply means that we did not have true faith to begin with, and hence we were not saved in the first place.
Doesn’t this circular thinking ascertains that a man is justified by works and not by faith that believes alone? (c.f. James 2:24)
In fact, this circular thinking would present an even more complex situation, both theologically and practically, as it would call into question whether a confession of faith in Christ as Saviour at the acceptance of the gospel preached is in fact dead faith that cannot save or living faith that truly saves. There is no way of knowing one’s salvation status at the point of receiving Christ as His Saviour until he is attested by the works and fruits of his faith at the final judgment of Christ.
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