I’m on Dr. Ambrosio’s email list, and today’s mailing included an article on Faith vs. Works. Dr. Ambrosio happens to be a member of my parish, and used to be a professor at the University of Dallas, but now he’s primarily a conference speaker, and he has his website which is full of good articles and resources. He is very much in the Catholic mainstream, but I find his writing very understandable from a Protestant perspective, which is not the case with a lot of Catholic writers I’ve encountered. Unfortunately, like a lot of arguments in this world, much of the problem stems from each side missing the essential points of the other side. However, from time to time people emerge that are able like C. S. Lewis and Pope Benedict XVI who are able to articulate their beliefs in a way that outsiders can understand.

Here is a quote from the article that I believe beautifully captures the point of the Faith and Works issue.

Biblical faith is not just belief.  It is surrender.  It is a complete entrusting of oneself to God in Christ and acceptance of his power, his will, and his plan.  If we truly say yes to Him and let his grace into our hearts, we’ll never be the same.  His love begins to work through us and change our lives.  His Spirit takes up residence within us, giving us the strength to do what we could never do on our own, even to begin to love like He loves.

So true biblical faith is not passive.  It is active, dynamic, and alive.  That’s why St. James says that faith without works is dead (James 2:24-26).  Abraham believed that an unknown God was calling him to leave civilization and march into the desert to find a land that this God has promised him.  He did not sit and contemplate this call or set up a shrine to this God.  He got up and began walking (Genesis 12).

So we justified by faith, if we mean the authentic biblical faith that causes us to walk in God’s ways.  And we are justified by works, if we mean the works of charity that can only flow from faith and grace.

So really, it’s not faith vs. works.  It’s faith that works.