That is the question. I have heard many TV shows say, “All you need to do to be saved is repeat this prayer.” And sometimes I just wish that were the truth (I have many problems with those TV shows anyways, a different conversation for a different day). If God had made it so simple to get into Heaven, why would the path there be called narrow?
Faith is an important part of getting into Heaven, you must have faith to follow all of the commandments that God has given. In Ephesians 2: 8-9, you see the importance of having faith. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (ESV). Faith is no doubt important to spiritual growth, but it is not by faith alone that we are allowed access into Heaven. In James 2, James writes to the twelve tribes in Dispersion that “faith apart from works is dead (James 2:17, 26).” A nice section of chapter two is dedicated to convincing the tribes that faith and works are to both be used to gain access into Heaven. James even gives the example that if a brother or sister in Christ is hungry or unclothed and you say, “Go and be clothed” or, “Go and eat,” nothing good will come of it. However, if you feed or clothe them, your faith has given you the power to help a brother or sister in Christ in his or her time of need. (James 2: 14-16) James also gives the example of Abraham offering his son as a sacrifice. “You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works (James 2: 22).”
If God had expected us to only have faith and never do any good from it, why would He have given the commandent to go into all nations and preach the gospel (Matthew 28: 19, Mark 16: 15)? If by faith alone we are saved, how would anyone besides ourselves know the glory of God? Jesus himself said that we are to let our light shine to the world in such a way that people will see our good works and glorify God the Father (Matthew 5: 16). There is that word again: works. If no works are performed, the effects that we are to have gone through when we are added unto the Lord’s church, through the public act of baptism, will be nonexistent.
If we have faith, and nothing else, we will not follow the commandments that are given by God. If faith is all there is to it, we can do whatever we want. But how can we do whatever we want if some of the things society throws in our way as “okay” is a sin? We are to keep a clean conscience so as to make wrongdoers feel shame for accusing Christ’s followers as fellow wrongdoers(1 Peter 3: 16). If we act the same as the world because we believe that just having faith that Jesus Christ is the son of the living God, we are no different than those living in sin. We are to be separate from the earth and all of its worldly pleasures and to live self-controlled lives (Titus 2: 11-12). Sinfulness keeps the word from being spread to all (Mark 4: 19), there fore it should be cast off and life should be a fresh, clean slate after joining the Lord’s church.
By faith, we are saved; but by faith our works are made to come through and redeem others that the kingdom of Heaven may hold all who would listen.
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