We therefore conclude that a faith-based soteriology is biblical. But this, in no way whatsoever, means that we throw out deeds completely. That is clearly heresy. It would result in a head-on collision with the words of James, not to mention seriously bringing into question many of the words of John:
If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth (1 John 1:6 NIV, see also 2:4, 2:6, 2:9, 3:6, 3:9, and 3 John 1:11).
Consider also the words of the apostle Peter:
But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’ (1 Pet. 1:15-16 NIV, see also 1 Pet. 2:11-12)
Even Paul, our primary advocate of raw faith, knows not to thrust aside good deeds. In his letter to the Romans especially, he is well aware that his faith and grace centered theology brings about the temptation to go on sinning, and his repeated attempts to reel in his audience on the matter is really quite heroic:
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. (Rom. 3:31 NIV)
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? (Rom. 6:1-2 NIV)
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! (Rom. 6:15 NIV)
Lastly and mostly, we have Jesus’ confirmation as to the importance of good deeds (Matt. 5:20, 7:24-27, Luke 6:31, 6:47-49, John 8:11, 14:21, and John 14:23-24). We must stick to the bare-bone facts as the Bible has explicitly fed them to us, reading between the lines only barely, wherever warranted by context. We have two such facts. First, salvation is achieved by faith in Jesus Christ apart from works. Second, faith and works share an inseparable bond, such that, if works are divorced from faith, faith ceases to exist. The question therefore becomes: what is the nature of this bond? What relationship do faith and deeds share?
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