faith for faith

The great theologians of centuries past were correct when they saw in the Scriptures two covenants–the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace. Both have existed since before the fall of man in the Garden, and both continue to exist to this day. Moses, after writing of both covenants in the historical account of Adam’s Transgression of the Commandment and the Promise of a Crusher of the Serpent’s head, continues to write of both after he has received from Yahweh the Law. Concerning this, the apostle Paul writes in Romans 10, “For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them” (v. 10:5). This is, by Moses, the acknowledgement of the perpetuation of the Covenant of Works, viz. that he who obeys the Law will be declared “just” by the Law. However, since it is made quite clear by the apostle in the preceding chapters of his letter that no one has kept the Law, the apostle appeals to Moses’ appeal to the Righteousness that comes by faith. For Moses writes and the apostle adds:

But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (i.e. to bring Christ down) or “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (i.e. to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (i.e. the word of faith that we proclaim) (vv. 10:6-8). 

The apostle’s appeal to the revelation given to Moses demonstrates that there are, even now, two methods to approach Jesus Christ (i.e. God) and his righteousness. The first way is the way of works. This method is a declaration by the heart that one will pull himself up by his own boot straps and rise to meet God halfway. It is rule keeping that manifests itself in self-righteousness based upon tithing, wearing nice suits on Sundays, and not being a drain on the government as other low-lifes are. These might acknowledge with their lips that Jesus Christ is God and that he came down to Earth and dwelt among men and died and rose up from the dead, but they do not base their righteousness upon him. They instead look to themselves and their own law-keeping and think that they are right with God simply because ten percent of their gross income goes to the local church.

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In the fifth grade, I loved to read fiction. I remember going to the bookshelf at school and checking out books and taking them home and finishing them in one sitting. In that time, there was one book that I pulled off the shelf and checked out over and over again—Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawlings. I loved that book. Yet, even after having had read it several times, I do not remember much about the story, but I do remember one statement quite vividly: “Well, it’s been my experience God helps those who help themselves … And if you want God’s help bad enough, you’ll meet him half way.”¹ Though this statement is made in the context of a boy getting some hunting dogs, it accurately paints the common religious mentality of all men, whether one’s a devout Jew in Palestine or a redneck in Oklahoma wanting a pair of hunting dogs.

The problem with humanity’s natural view of religion is that it always has a “meet God half way” mentality apart from the Truth. The natural ignorant man who is zealous for God will always try to find a stepladder to him. The Buddhist will use intense meditation, the Muslim ritual prayers and fasting, the Jew strict and hedged obedience of the Torah, the Baptist will not “smoke, drink, or chew, or go with girls that do,” and the “contemporary” Christian will sing nothing but praise choruses and read the Left Behind series until Jesus comes back. Regardless of the religious guise in which it manifests itself, the “meeting God half way” is the greatest and most successful lie that the devil has ever told.

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