Faith, Works, and Repentance

Today, I’m thinking about three passages from Scripture that appear to describe how a person’s behavior will affect how he/she will be judged on Judgement Day.  The first is a line from Matthew’s gospel, Chapter 16, which reads as follows:  “For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.”  (Matt 16:27).    This appears to oppose the idea that all that is needed for salvation is faith.  It seems that how a person conducts himself in this life is also important. 

The second is the Parable of the Talents found in the gospel of Matthew, Chapter 25.  (Matt 25:14-30).  Here, Jesus tells about a man and his three servants, interpreted to mean God and three of his created human beings, each of whom was given gifts.  It is what these servants did with the gifts that is at issue.  Two of them used the gifts to produce more.  But the third, out of fear, did nothing except protect what he was given.  This third servant did not act according to God’s will.  While calling the first two servants “good and faithful,” the third he called a “wicked, lazy servant.”  This third servant was assigned to “the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and the grinding of teeth.”  It would seem from this that having faith but doing nothing with it is not what God has in mind for us and puts us in danger as far as salvation is concerned.

The third is from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, where Paul says that God’s judgement will be revealed based on our repentance, or the lack of it.  He says this “By your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgement of God, who will repay everyone according of his works:  eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness."  (Roma 2:5-8).  The point here seems to be that repentance, or sorrow and atonement of our sins, is very important for the attainment of eternal life.

So I would conclude that true faith, i.e. faith that leads to good works, and repentance are key to our salvation.  My prayer for today:  “Lord, please strengthen my faith.  Help me to act on my faith in ways pleasing to you and help me to always seek forgiveness of my sins.  Amen.”