An old question

     Most of you don't claim the titles of Calvinism or Arminianism, but we all want to draw a line. Where is the line that shows the end of faith and the beginning of works, or the end of works and the beginning of faith? This question, this line-drawing experiment, is why there are somber, dry Christians alongside irreverent, rebellious Christians. The invisible line may be placed by your subconscious, or  your parents or friends. Before you realized you have such a line, you are walking down it, often too far into faith or too far into works.
     How do we find the balance? Dad preached on this today. He told a story of a man who would row people across the river. On one oar he had printed FAITH and on the other, WORKS. Someone asked him what this means. He said nothing, but dropped FAITH and rowed with WORKS. He went in circles, obviously. He repeated this with FAITH. Only when he used both oars could he move forward through the water. This is an easy example, but it doesn't draw our line permanently.
     I thought of this line in a new way. What if it isn't a line at all? At least, not with ink, or chalk, or tape. This division between the two could be a living thing. At a youth Bible study a few weeks ago, we discussed faith as  living thing, but we rarely discuss works as living. In Romans 4:4, Paul says, "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt." He who does works, not having faith,  is only attempting to fulfil a debt that we owe to God. This debt can never be paid, and the works are dead, dead, dead. In the next verse, Paul says, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Is the line drawn yet? Certainly not, if we turn to James. Chapter 2:17, "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."
     The Bible never contradicts itself. James and Paul were dealing with two different situations. Paul was trying to convince the church that circumcision was not the way to God. It is merely a work that God had asked them to do as Jews. James was explaining that dead faith is useless. Both of these inspired writers understood that God has combined faith and good deeds in such a way that you cannot have one without the other. The line between them is ever mixing them together. When you believe in God, and that He sent His Son to die for us, you have faith. You can't stop there, any more than you can buy a plant and keep it inside and never water it or let it see sunshine. You can't shove your faith into a dark room and expect it to stay alive. You must keep it out, feed it with following God's word. Works good deeds don't save us, but faith without any desire to do good is weak faith, that will whither until it dies. I think of it as a favor that God has given us. He gave us salvation for free, but He will accept the humble offerings of our serving others. I don't redeem myself that way. I just enjoy life on earth more, doing something with myself. Who wants a faith that changes nothing about you? There is no human who is completely content with who they are. I want something that grows inside me, changes parts of me I didn't know I had.