Faith or works?

"Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments" (Psalm 119:66).

What gives? Believing commandments? Aren't you supposed to obey commands? How can you believe a command?

I am uncomfortable pressing too far the distinction between law and gospel, belief and obedience - precisely because of verses like this. Of course, if we are talking about how we are saved, fine, it is only through faith in Christ's work. Our obedience does not contribute to our salvation.

But our obedience certainly "comes along for the ride," and if it doesn't, we have to go back to square one and start asking, "Where's the root of faith that should be bearing fruit here?" And not only that, but as the Psalmist points out above, you have to believe in the law-giver before you can obey the law. When it comes to pleasing God, there is no "kept the letter of the law" position. You either believe Him and His Word, and so you do His Word, or you don't believe and so you don't obey. True obedience is always faithful, never just raw effort, guts, merit, didn't-really-want-to-but-stuck-with-it.

Now, to those without faith, there is no obedience before God, even if they are the nicest people in the world, because they don't believe God's commandments, which are your life.

But to some God has given faith, and living out that faith is our current struggle. We believe, but need help with our unbelieving actions. God blesses the smallest amount of faith. But this is an inconsistent, temporary irregularity in our lives, having faith, but not always living faithfully (obediently). We often believe, but don't DO what we should (Romans 7). But over time, they come together. If you don't believe in God's existence, justice, law, or grace, sinful works will prevail. If you believe in God's justice and grace, sin quails. In the end, belief and action fit together. You are what you do. You act on what you believe.

Faith and works are supposed to go together. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:26). To always separate them, myopically asserting that we are saved by faith alone (which I believe), loses sight of their organic unity in our lives. If we do a good work, it is because we first had faith (which God gave us - it is all of God). If we believe Him, we will follow Him.