Transformational Faith Leads to Works

Transformational Faith Leads to Works

What Does it Mean to Believe?

The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia describes belief in relation to God or Christ as, “(1) to assent to the truth of what He says or makes known: (2) to receive and trust Him personally; and (3) to commit oneself to Him in obedience.”^[1]

This means our belief begins when we understand consciously and agree with such to be true. Our value system then shifts when we accept or place confidence in what we hold true. As it pertains to Christ, we start putting our faith in Him for our redemption and identity. This begins to alter our values and perceptions. Lastly, our behaviors are then influenced by our values.

In essence, faith or belief should lead to transformation through a process. Our value systems, which in turn govern our behavioral systems, should undergo continuous and ongoing transformation, albeit this does not imply that everything changes instantaneously. If a belief is truly genuine, it cannot stay dormant in our mind but must emerge as part of what we believe.

Stories: Belief vs Expected Ideals

Genuine Belief Leads to Transformation

Let’s get personal for a moment. My plant-based journey started with a few innocent questions. Next thing I knew, I was reading research journals and watching documentaries, my brain buzzing with new info about the environment, effects to my health, and the not-so-pretty side of factory farming.

Turns out, those tasty burgers and cheesy pepperoni pizzas I loved weren’t just bad for the planet and carcinogenic to my body, they were causing major animal suffering. I had to make a choice: either ignore the evidence that my actions were having harmful effects on animals, my health, and the environment, or modify my behavior to be more congruent with my beliefs. Suddenly, saying no to beef was as easy as a typical American refusing a rat kebab. Highly processed desserts? No thanks, they taste like overly sweet chemicals. Greasy food? Instant stomach agitation.

My beliefs reorientated my values, which transformed my behavior. Heck, even my taste buds and gut bacteria changed! It wasn’t about restrictions; it’s about aligning my choices with my beliefs. Sure, finding decent plant-based options at restaurants can be a challenge, but that’s a story for another day.

“Should-Have” Beliefs Lead to Nothing

We all know those moments when we say we believe something, even parrot the right talking points, but deep down… the beliefs have had no effect. Our “should-have” beliefs are worn like a social disguise.

Take my thesis research on sustainability. I surveyed over a hundred people about consumer behavior regarding cafes. The area I was in… Let’s just say efforts to recycle were about as popular as learning underwater basketweaving. Single-use plastic? Everywhere. But guess what? On the survey, most people ranked sustainability as “important” or “very important” when selecting a coffee shop.

This was an anonymous survey, there was no judgment, yet they still chose the “right” answer over the honest one. It’s a classic case of people knowing what they should believe, not what they actually believe. It’s like social peer pressure, even when no one’s watching!

Faith unto Transformation

A major issue is that many Christians have been indoctrinated to believe things without really comprehending them, which inhibits them from aligning their values and behaviors around the so-called beliefs.

James 2:14-17 – ¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? ¹⁷ So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. (NRSV)

The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture quotes Oecumenius (6^th century): “Take note of what spiritual understanding really is. It is not enough to believe in a purely intellectual sense. There has to be some practical application for this belief. What James is saying here does not contradict the apostle Paul, who understood that both belief and action were a part of what he called ‘faith.’”^[2]

It’s a misinterpretation to use this verse to argue for a works versus grace theology. James isn’t advocating for adherence to the OT Law, but rather highlighting the importance of charity and actions that mirror the values Christ embodies. Genuine faith, according to James, is not merely a verbal affirmation, but one that actively demonstrates love and compassion towards others.

James 2:19 – ¹⁹ You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. (NRSV)

The demons “believe” in God’s existence, but their rebellion has twisted their understanding and depth of the truth. They don’t embrace His love, mercy, or redemptive plan. Similar to them, we can claim to believe something, but our actions and choices reveal whether that belief is truly rooted in our hearts and reflected in our lives.

Rethinking Perspectives

Being homeschooled and raised in a devout evangelical Christian household meant that my church community served as my primary and almost sole social circle. Yet, as I grew older, a flicker of rebellious curiosity would sometimes stir within me. I’d catch glimpses of a world outside the religious walls – a world where I could do whatever pleased me, explore fleeting romances, and indulge in the carefree abandon of youth. What if I would have been able to experience the thrill of a life unburdened by religion, and then choose Christ later? I should clarify that the failure was my aim to be released from responsibility to my conscience; I am not endorsing religiosity, the concept of isolating youth, or even that all my desires were inherently evil.

The boundaries of my upbringing sometimes felt like a tightrope, requiring constant balance and effort. It was easy to envy those who seemed to dance through life without a care, unburdened by the consequences of their choices. Yet, as I deepened my understanding of my faith, a profound shift occurred. It wasn’t about blind obedience or white-knuckled resistance to sin anymore. It was about seeing the true nature of sin, its insidious ability to hollow us out and leave scars on others.

Take the dark world of online pornography, for example. Beneath the glossy veneer lies a harsh reality of exploitation, where consent is often absent and even children become victims. Even secular voices, through platforms such as TED Talks, warn of its insidious effects. It warps our understanding of love, intimacy, and even our perception of others. It’s a thief, robbing us of the genuine connections we crave.

When we truly grasp the destructive power of such choices, we’re not just avoiding sin; we’re taking steps towards a richer, more fulfilling life. It’s about liberation, not limitation. It’s about choosing wholeness over the hollow promises of fleeting pleasure.

Release the Rulebook, Join the Revolution

The focus as a follower of Christ is not about tiptoeing around sin like it’s a minefield. Following Jesus is about radical love that eliminates the lines between cultures, races, social statuses, and genders as described in Galatians 3:28. It’s about building a kingdom that doesn’t just tolerate differences but actively fights against injustice, racism, inequality, and rejection.

We’re not called to avoid things; we’re called to join something bigger. Break free from the rat race of chasing money, power, and fame. True freedom comes when we embrace a life that’s not about us.

Matthew 25:34-36, 40 – ³⁴ Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; ³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ ⁴⁰ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’

Leon Morris in The Pillar New Testament Commentary points out that, “We should not understand this in the sense that these good works have earned them their salvation; grace is as important throughout this Gospel as anywhere in the New Testament. Jesus is not saying that these are people whose good lives have earned them salvation as their right. He is saying that God has blessed them and brought them into his kingdom, and he proceeds to cite evidence that shows that they do in fact belong in that kingdom.”^[3]

To add, salvation is a gift; and if we accept it sincerely, it brings us enduring peace, which enables us to love others more deeply as an outcome of that peace.

Our manifestation of Love

Jesus is teaching that our actions towards the “least of these” are a direct reflection of our love for Him. It’s about more than just avoiding sin; it’s about actively seeking to please God and build His kingdom. According to Matthew 22:37–39, the greatest commandment is to love God and love one’s neighbor. When we truly understand that building God’s kingdom isn’t a requirement but a calling, we are empowered to pursue it with joy. Rules lead to fear which might keep us in line, but love sets us free to be authentic and love genuinely.

When we fixate on our own shortcomings, we get stuck in a cycle of guilt and shame. It is like staring in a mirror, all self-focused. But when we see how our actions affect the heart of God, our gaze turns toward Him, and then it’s about love. Our focus shifts from avoiding His wrath toward love and a desire to bring Him joy.

Think about when you’re traveling and find something a family member or friend would love. You buy it without hesitation. It brings you joy to show them you care and share in their happiness. That’s the kind of giving God’s after–joyful, generous, from the heart. Motives are important. That is why we are called to have a spirit of joyful giving (2 Corinthians 9:7), not a rigid, legalistic adherence to a 10% tithe. When we see someone in need and feel a genuine desire to help, we’re not just loving our neighbor; we’re living out our love for Christ. We’re building a new kingdom where systems of brokenness crumble under radical love and we can actively take part in the redemption story God is writing in the world.

When our values are rooted in the reality of God’s kingdom, compassion for the hurting and marginalized becomes second nature. It’s not about striving for perfection or beating ourselves up when we fall short. We all have baggage–past hurts, addictions, struggles that make change difficult. But when we truly grasp the beauty of God’s love, living it out becomes less of a mental checklist and more of a natural response guided by our core values.

Let’s release the rulebook mentality and embrace a faith that’s vibrant, joyful, and overflowing with love. Because in the end, it’s not about what we avoid, but about who we become in the process.

Conclusion

Whether it’s the urgent call to protect our oceans from plastic pollution or the profound invitation to participate in building Christ’s kingdom on Earth, our beliefs need to be more than just words. We must actively seek knowledge, grapple with complexities, and allow these truths to resonate deeply within us. Only then can we experience a genuine transformation of values and actions, leading to a life that aligns with our deepest convictions.

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^[1] W. T. Purkiser, “Believe,” in The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia, ed. Charles F. Pfeiffer, Howard F. Vos, and John Rea (Moody Press, 1975).

^[2] Gerald Bray, ed., James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 28.

^[3] Leon Morris, The Gospel according to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992), 637.