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“Faith” is really a matter of “Allegiance”

It is a frightening fact that many people who profess to believe in Christ, who think themselves Christian, are indeed in danger of losing out on salvation and eternity with Christ and God the Father.

Many earnest Christians have come to believe and trust in a very incomplete gospel. And, it’s not only the mass of naïve Christians who, not having thoroughly studied the Bible for the complete truth, are to blame. Today, in evangelical Christendom, most church leaders, pastors and teachers are presenting a dangerously incomplete gospel message.

The essence of this incomplete truth is epitomized in the popular, but dangerously erroneous thinking that, as Christians, we are saved entirely through our “belief” in Jesus Christ and nothing more. This error is rooted in a terribly mistaken (and mistranslated) meaning of the word “faith”.

Probably the best known text on the issue of “salvation” is Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV) (emphasis added):

“For by grace are ye saved through FAITH;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God,
not of works, lest any man should boast.”

If you ask most Christians what “faith” means in this and other similar texts, you’ll get answers like: “belief”; “belief in (or on) Jesus Christ; “belief in what Christ has done on the cross”; “belief in the fact that Christ has saved us for eternity”. Sometimes people will substitute or add “trust” or “confidence” to their meaning of faith. Usually, most interpretations of the common biblical meaning of “faith” are rooted primarily and often completely in “just believing” (in or on Jesus Christ.) Even well respected Christian leaders are heard to say, “Just believe! That’s it! That’s all there is to being a Christian and being saved!”

As presented in the following pages, there is indeed more – much, much more – entailed in truly having the “faith” and living the “faith” that Scripture really presents. Certainly belief in Jesus Christ is both requisite and foundational to having a true “faith”. But, as I will endeavour to present, true biblical “faith” has a more accurate and much greater primary meaning: “allegiance”. “Allegiance” – or “loyalty” – entails much more than simply a mental assent to having Christ as one’s Saviour. Of course “belief” is required; you can’t really be allegiant or loyal to someone or something you don’t believe in. But “allegiance” also includes much, much more – especially, it also includes “obedience” to God’s will and to all of His commandments.

As the Bible predicted, today throughout Christendom there are many, many false and heretical teachings being put forth from the most popular pulpits and across the airwaves through television. One, as mentioned, is the “incomplete gospel” message that to have faith is just to “believe”. Another false teaching (which will also be partially addressed herein) is that God’s Law has somehow been done away with, in whole or in part. Today many Christians believe and many church leaders preach that some or all of God’s Laws are not applicable for Christians today. How can these leaders propagate such heresy in light of well over one hundred scriptures that plainly confirm that God’s Law is eternal and was never, ever done away with?

The highlight points of this presentation are:

1. We are indeed “saved by grace through faith” (as per Ephesians 2:8)
2. Here “faith” doesn’t just mean “belief”; it more accurately means “allegiance” or “loyalty”
3. “Allegiance” necessarily includes “obedience” to God and to all of His Laws and commandments
4.  Yet, “allegiance” – like “courage” – is more of an “attitude” than an “action”, albeit, an attitude that, if true, will certainly lead to action
5.  Most certainly, we are definitely not saved by our works, by how much we “do”, but we are indeed saved by what is in our heart. If our heart leads us to be allegiant and loyal, we will be saved. If our heart leads us not to be allegiant and loyal, we are in danger of losing out on salvation
6.  Being allegiant and loyal doesn’t mean we won’t sin. Nor does it mean that the sins of an otherwise allegiant and loyal believer will cause a loss of salvation. The prime example of that is David, who the Bible describes as “a man after God’s own heart”, yet one of the chief sinners of Scripture. While certainly a sinner, if you study the life and attitudes of David, you’ll see that he was virtually consistent in his allegiance to God throughout his life. That’s why God esteemed David so greatly: David’s heart was loyal and allegiant to God
7.  Today, many Christians are in real danger of losing out on salvation due to false and incomplete teachings about “faith” and what it really means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. These precious souls are in dire need of receiving the more complete and accurate gospel teaching – and the corresponding “call to allegiance” – without delay. As with the basic gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ as Saviour, their eternal destinies are contingent on their awareness, their acceptance and their response to everything that the Bible says matters on this issue of “faith”

Let’s look at some other key Bible texts about “faith” (emphasis added):

Romans 5: (1) Therefore, having been justified BY FAITH, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (2) through whom also we have access BY FAITH into this grace in which we stand, (3) and not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; (4) and perseverance, character; and character, hope. (5) Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Galatians 5: (6) For in Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but FAITH working through love.

1 Peter 1: (5) …who are kept by the power of God THROUGH FAITH for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Revelation 2: (10) …Be FAITHFUL until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (11) …He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.

1 Corinthians 4: (1) Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. (2) Moreover it is required in stewards that one should be found FAITHFUL. (3) But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. (4) For I know nothing against myself, yet am justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. (5) Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts; and then each one’s praise will come from God.

Hebrews 10: (34) …knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. (35) Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. (36) For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: (37) “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and not tarry. (38) Now the just shall live by FAITH; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.*”  (* Habakkuk 2:3-4)

Colossians 2: (4) Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. (6) As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, (7) rooted and built up in Him and established in the FAITH, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (8) Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

2 Timothy 4: (7) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the FAITH. (8) Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

James 1: (2) My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, (3) knowing that the testing of your FAITH produces patience. (4) But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

1 Timothy 4: (1) Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the FAITH, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons…

1 Peter 5: (6) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, (7) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (9) Resist him, steadfast in the FAITH, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

Hebrews 6: (3) For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, (5) and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, (6) if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame. (7) For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; (8) but if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. (9) But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. (10) For God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (11) And we desire that each of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, (12) that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through FAITH and patience inherit the promises.

2 Corinthians: (4) Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the FAITH. Prove yourselves.

1 Timothy 6: (11) …pursue righteousness, FAITH, love, patience, gentleness. (12) Fight the good fight of FAITH, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (13) I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things… (14) that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing…

1 John 5: (1) Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves Him who is begotten of Him. (2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. (3) For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

Luke 19: (12) “…A certain nobleman… (13) …called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ (17) … ‘Well done, good servant; because you were FAITHFUL in a very little, have authority over ten cities’ (26) …to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. (27) But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.’”

So what is “faith”?

According to Webster’s Dictionary (emphasis added):

    Faith:

1. (a) ALLEGIANCE to duty or a person; LOYALTY(b) Fidelity to one’s promises
2. (a) Belief and trust in and loyalty to God; belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion(b) Firm belief in something for which there is no proof; complete confidence

     Faithful:

1. Full of faith
2. Steadfast in affection or ALLEGIANCE; LOYAL
3. Firm in adherence to promises or observance of duty

     Believe:

1.  To have a firm conviction about something; accept as true

     Allegiance:

1.  Loyalty owed by a citizen to his government
2.  Loyalty to a person or cause

So what is “faith” in the Bible?

(Excerpts taken from the following sources. Note that emphasis is added, not necessarily
to point to a singular meaning of “faith”, but to highlight an important dimension
of primary meaning that is so often overlooked in Christendom today.)
According to “The Concise Dictionary of the Christian Tradition”
by Douglas, Elwell and Toon, “faith” means:

Trustful OBEDIENCE to God as He is revealed in Jesus Christ…
faith is more than acceptance of truths…

According to the “Dictionary of the Bible”
by Hastings, Grant and Rowley, “faith” means:

…faith in God to mean something more than belief in God, faith meaning a personal trust and commitment, belief only an intellectual or impersonal acceptance or credence, or a traditional dogmatic statement…

…(based on a difference in) the New Testament use of pistis (faith) versus pisteuo  (believe)

…One does NOT simply believe Jesus or believe on or in Him; one commits himself to Him or His name…

…Christian faith is the decisive action of the whole inner man – understanding, feeling, and will; it is the trustful and self-surrendering acknowledgement of God in Christ. It leads to perfect trust in God and so produces OBEDIENCE to His commands.

According to “The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia” published by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, “faith” means:

…in the Greek, pistis, bears the sense not of faithfulness alone, but of the reliance or trust that is the basis of man’s faithfulness…

…James is warning against the antinomian conclusion that mere assent is the justifying faith of Abraham and his believing successors…While faith justifies, this faith is the faith which is demonstrated in works, which operates by love(Gal.5:6), and which necessarily implies OBEDIENT action (Heb.11).

…while faith must include an intellectual element, i.e. the reception of the words and works fulfilled in Christ, recorded in Holy Scripture, and proclaimed in genuine preaching, a mere assent to the body of facts and truths contained is very much less than faith…it carries with it also a redirection of the emotions and a liberation of the will, so that there can be true committal to God and a true reorientation of the whole life and person in this committal… Faith is this  committal to God…

…The power of faith is the power of its object. Merely to believe does not help…

…faith is not just passive. Divinely given, involving a total reorientation of life, it is also supremely active. Closely related to the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit, it is the dynamic behind the Christian life…Faith is the inward compulsion, not only to trust God, but, trusting Him, to OBEY Him, to do exploits in His name, to bring forth fruits of righteousness, to find expression in faithfulness. Thus Abraham, believing in God, does things consistent with his faith. There is no cleavage between the faith that looks to God alone and the works which are the fruit and expression of OBEDIENT faith. Christians walk in faith (2 Cor.5:7). They are strong in faith (cf. 1 Cor.16:13). They rejoice in faith (Rom.15:13). They are the household of faith (Gal.6:10). They bear the shield of faith (Eph.6:16). Their faith works by love (Gal.5:6).

…It is the trusting response of love to Him who first loved us…

…faith is no mere acceptance of facts and doctrines. It is trust in Christ and His accomplished work as the only but all-sufficient ground of salvation. Because of  this orientation to Christ, faith alone is enough for justification…Nor is faith merely a human response. It is the work of the life-giving Spirit, and as such it is itself a living and active thing which is naturally and necessarily accompanied by fruits of righteousness. These fruits are not a ground of justification. Justification and sanctification are not to be confused. On the other hand, the absence of these fruits is a sign that there is no true faith. Justification and sanctification are not to be separated…
According to “The Encyclopedia of Christianity”
by Fahlbusch, Lochman, Mbiti, Pelikan, Vischer, Bromiley and Barrett, “faith” means:

…The Old Testament has no noun for faith…the Old Testament speaks of faith and belief only in forms of the verb, so that whether secular or theological, it is always a process…

…Isaiah is undoubtedly an early witness to the theological use of faith…(30:9)lack of understanding and unbelief are equated with disobedience and rebellion (1:2)… To “stand firm in faith” would have been the requirement of the hour…

…Faith and trust are obviously not identical…rejection of this word leads to death, and therefore one cannot question it but can only listen and obey…the Deuteronomistic view…a faith that is now very close to OBEDIENCE… The same Deuteronomistic view influences later…(have) prophets call for conversion …The Call is not to believe but to hear the word of God and OBEY…

…subjectively, faith entails endurance and patience in difficult situations, which is close to the Greek sense of faithfulness…

…the Synoptic Jesus did not demand faith in himself…

…in Hebrews and James…faith is viewed subjectively as patience or steadfastness…

…James views faith as an attitude, for example, of steadfastness (1:3) or impartiality (2:1).

…The New Testament has no single view of faith…Two main lines…objective (and) subjective…Thus in relation to faith in Jesus, faith is eschatological  experience of the risen Lord…in relation to God, it is sure trust in the promises of his saving action…and in relations to believers, it is obedient acceptance of integration into God’s reconciling and justifying work in Jesus Christ…

…The Bible as the normative account of faith…gives us no uniform understanding of faith, however, nor even a clearly defined concept of faith…

…FAITH NOT CONCRETELY LIVED IS NO FAITH AT ALL, but neither does faith emerge as such merely by being lived…
According to the “Dictionary of Theology”
by Rahner and Vorgrimler, “faith” means:

…the word generally used for faith signifies “to be confident”, “to hold fast”. Faith, in the Old Testament, also connotes the FIDELITY of the whole people and of  the individual to the God of the Covenant in response to his fidelity…Hence faith can take on the sense of OBEDIENCE, that is, to the will of Yahweh as revealed in the Law…

…faith is not mere confidence, but an act of assent to those things which God has revealed and promised…this faith is the gift of God’s grace in us…it is the beginning of human salvation, the foundation and root of all justification…

…Without works (that is to say hope and love) it is dead…we are obliged to render God revealing the perfect OBEDIENCE of our intellect and will in faith…
According to “Harper’s Bible Dictionary”
by Harper & Row, “faith” means:

…in the Bible trust in, or reliance on, God who is himself trustworthy. The New Testament and the Greek Old Testament express the understanding of faith primarily with two terms (pistispistis, pisteuein), which are related to the primary Old Testament verb “to be true” or “be trustworthy”…

…The Hebrew verb means, for the most part, “to be true”; lying behind this is the root meaning “solid”, “firm”. This sense of “to be true” is intensified in the passive (Niphal) form of the verb so that one can speak of a person as “trustworthy” or “reliable”. The causative (Hiphil) form of the verb suggests the acceptance of someone as trustworthy or dependable…

…The primary nouns derived from the verb “to trust”…are “firmness, stability”… and “truthfulness, FIDELITY, faithfulness”…This covenant relationship presupposes a mutuality of obligation (Deut. 7:9: “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS…”)

…For the New Testament understanding of faith, Hab. 2:4 is an important reference: “Behold, he whose soul is not upright in him shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faithfulness.” Here the characteristic meaning of trust (‘emunah) is well summarized: FIDELITY to God as the sign of the righteous person…

…For Paul the concept of faith is a dynamic one. Thus, he can refer to the “activity of faith” (1 Thess. 1:23), an activity that manifests itself in love (Gal. 5:6: “faith working through love”). Faith involves “progress” (Phil. 1:25); it is not something static, captured once for all, but involves striving (Phil. 1:27…) and it increases (2 Cor. 10:15) and it is an energy at work in believers (1 Thess. 2:13). Since faith is not a static possession, Paul urges that faith be established (1 Thess. 3:2) and made firm (1 Cor. 16:13; 2 Cor. 1:24), for it is possible not only to have deficiencies in faith (1 Thess. 3:10; Rom. 14:1) but also to believe in vain (1 Cor. 15:2; Rom. 11:20). Essential for Paul’s understanding of faith is the conviction that God assigns to each the measure of faith he wishes (Rom. 12:3,6; 1 Cor. 12:9). Yet no matter what the measure of faith is, the OBEDIENCE of faith is expected from all (Rom. 1:5; 16:16).
According to the “Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Bible”
by Louis F. Hartman, “faith” means:

…In the Old Testament the verb “to believe” (…basically, “to hold as trustworthy”; …“to be firm, reliable, loyal”) is often used with God as the object. The relationship of man toward God that is designated by this verb implies a certain assent of the mind, but it signifies primarily confidence in the heart and OBEDIENCE in the will…the FIDELITY of the just, becomes the earmark of the true sons of Abraham, who is regarded as the model of perfection…especially in OBEDIENCE and confidence in God…In the Synoptic Gospels, as in the Old Testament, faith often signifies confidence rather than intellectual assent to a truth…

…Faith is also an act of the will, inasmuch as it demands a conforming of conduct with the good news that is accepted; hence Paul speaks of “OBEYING” the gospel (Rom. 10:16; 2 Thess. 1:8; Acts 6:7…) and of “OBEDIENCE of the faith” (Rom. 1:5; 16:26), which means either obedience to the message of the faith (2 Cor. 10:5, where “obedience of Christ” means obedience to Christ) or OBEDIENCE that springs from faith.

…(Faith) also entails active charity, for “in Christ Jesus neither circumcision is of any avail, nor uncircumcision, but faith which works through charity.” (Gal. 5:6; 1 Cor. 7:19; Gal. 5:22; 6:8).

…the examples of OBEDIENCE in those who are praised as models of faith…show that faith must be active, proved by good deeds. Faith is therefore an orientation of the whole man toward Christ…this faith is not merely an assent of the mind; it is also the uniting of the whole man to Christ, for “to believe” is to come to Christ.., to live with His life…, to receive Him into oneself as food and drink…This faith manifests itself in active charity, which consists in… “keeping the word” of Christ…and to keep His word is to “know” Him, which is practically the same as belief in Him…Faith in Christ is an act that God demands of man…, a commandment of God…, and the necessary means of obtaining salvation and everlasting life. To refuse to believe is to sin…
According to the “Bauer Encyclopedia of Biblical Theology”
by Johannes B. Bauer, “faith” means:

…(In the Old Testament) Two Hebrew roots in particular are used to express faith. One (‘aman) stresses the idea of certainty, strength and firmness; the other (batah) expresses the energy of faith and trust…showing that there is no place in it for any kind of passivity. There is also a certain element of hope and expectation  contained in the meaning, and in this way the word occurs about a hundred times in the Psalms and is rendered as “believe” and frequently also as “trust” or “hope’…

…The first model for this unlimited faith, this believing and faithful self-abandonment to God based on the covenant, is Abraham, the father of those who believe…Literally, everything was demanded of him, so that his faith was tested to the utmost limit…Again and again, these various situations in which he finds himself and which affect him in his inmost being are intended to confront the man as he is, and make him into a “believer” or an “unbeliever”…Nonetheless, we read in Heb. 11:8: “By faith Abraham OBEYED…By faith he sojourned…” Paul had also to go into the meaning of this faith in Rom. 4, as faith is as essential to the New Covenant as it was to the Old…

…Faith is necessary to salvation. If unbelief precludes salvation (Lk. 8:12; Mk.16:14,16), then belief is necessary to salvation…Faith is the prerequisite for the new condition of being into which the disciple of the Lord enters when he leaves everything behind in order to follow Jesus (Mk. 1:18; Lk. 5:11; Mk. 10:28). By this is meant that the believer separates himself from everything and everybody…in order to unite himself with Jesus in a lifelong communion. He participates in the destiny of his Lord, shares his poverty…, takes up his cross with Jesus…, is scorned and abused, hated and persecuted with him…

…Faith in the preaching of Paul…the basic noun pistis and the verb pisteuein not only occur very frequently in all the epistles, but also occupy a central place in them, and especially in those to the Romans and the Galatians…It is an idea which, however, has different levels of meaning. The range of meaning of pistis extends from that of “fidelity” (Rom. 3:3; Gal. 5:22; 2 Thess. 1:4; 2 Tim. 4:7) to certainty of belief and conscience (Rom. 14:23)…

…indeed, in Paul “FAITH” and “OBEDIENCE” are very closely related. In Rom. 1:5 and 16:26, he speaks of the “OBEDIENCE of faith”, which means in all probability the faith which consists in obedience, recognition and acknowledgement of the Christian message and subjection to the will of God which is revealed in it. In this way the apostle is able to employ the words “faith” and “obedience” almost reciprocally. What is designated in Rom. 1:8 as “your faith” can be called, in Rom. 16:19, “your OBEDIENCE”…

…The new existence “in Christ” in fact grows out of faith…and faith and  communion with Christ belong do closely together that is possible to say that faith in Christ means that faith is brought about through a life-relationship with Christ…

…As Christ himself proved his faithfulness (Gal 3:1-6); so it is necessary for Christians to preserve this attitude of commitment and not to betray this trust (10:32-39), so that, after all that God has bestowed upon them, they do not go  astray through lack of trust and so apostasies (3:7-4:11)…

…With (James) there is no question of discussing the relationship between faith and works in the matter of justification, but of giving practical guidance and impressing on Christians that their faith should be a living faith which has a positive result in everyday life (1:3,6,21; 2:1-5; 4:7; 5:8-11,15). The demons believe in the one God and shudder (2:19); a faith without works is dead and barren (2:17,20). A living faith is shown in patience (1:3), in the love of one’s neighbour (2:15-17), in hospitality (2:25), in trusting prayer (1:6; 5:15) and, above all, in piety (1:27; 2:22)…

…Paul too fundamentally insists on the practical working out of faith in everyday life (Gal. 5:6)…

…faith is the means to salvation and that unbelief leads to perdition…

…Faith in Christ is thus decisive in the matter of man’s salvation…

…It is clear from this that man cannot produce faith of his own accord. Faith must be bestowed upon him by God: “No man can come to me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44; cf 6:65; 17:6-8). On the other hand, however, it is man’s own fault if he does not come to believe (15:22; cf 40)…

…Faith and conduct…The faith of one who is “in the world” is demonstrated in KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS…
According to the “Dictionary of the New Testament”
by Xavier Leon-Dufour, “faith” means:

…Faith alone justifies and not works of the law. But faith is active through love and produces the delightful fruits of charity. Hence, the sense of a “rule” of faith, succeeding the rule of Law…

…As the adherence of one’s whole being, faith is the FIDELITY in the midst of tests and continual progress in knowledge of God which flowers in wisdom…

…The Greek of the New Testament does not distinguish between FAITH and FIDELITY (pistis), between believing and faithful (pistos)…Someone is faithful who, through the test of time, holds fast in the faith and who thereby expresses God’s fidelity to his promises and Jesus Christ’s fidelity to God himself…
According to the “Theological Dictionary of the New Testament”
edited by Gerhard Friedrich, “faith” means:

(comments in reference to the Greek words that are translated “faith”)…used poetically of confidence in weapons or skill in weapons; of trust in men…Inasmuch as trust may be a duty…can come to have the nuance “OBEDIENT”…the expression denotes the…reliability of those bound by the treaty…“FIDELITY”…“reliability”… “certainty”… “trustworthiness”…the “guarantee” which creates the possibility of trust, that which may be relied on, or the assurance of reliability, “assurance”…“oath of fidelity”, “the pledge of faithfulness”, “security”…in particular…denotes the reliability of persons, “faithfulness”…

…This makes it evident that (faith) is not just theoretical conviction but piety…as well…

(In the New Testament “faith”)…there is also an echo of the Old Testament sense of “faithfulness”…OBEDIENCE, trust, hope and faithfulness are also implied…being a believer is not a static affair…

…faith as an act of OBEDIENCE would always entail a certain measure of activity on man’s part. In truth, however, more than a measure of activity is presupposed in faith. Faith is act in the supreme sense…
Faith is not just Belief

Today, if you asked most Christians what “faith” meant, you’d most likely get some of the following answers: “belief”; “believing in God”; “believing in (or on) Jesus Christ as one’s personal Saviour; “confidence in Jesus Christ and/or God”; “trust in Jesus Christ and/or God”.

It’s not that these meanings are inaccurate; it’s that they are terribly (and dangerously) “incomplete”. As James writes, even the demons “believe” and tremble. The simple fact is that it is not enough just to “believe”, one must be “allegiant”. A better translation of Ephesians 2:8-9 might be:

For by grace are ye saved through ALLEGIANCE;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
not of works, lest any man should boast.
Allegiance an Attitude not an Act

Note that like “courage”, “allegiance” in itself is not an act, not “works”. Allegiance is an attitude – an attitude of the heart and mind.
Allegiance necessarily includes Obedience

One cannot claim to be a Christian and wilfully disobey God or Jesus Christ. Look at just a few Scriptures that confirm this.

John 14: (15) “If you love ME, keep My commandments.”

Matthew 19: (17) “…if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

Matthew 15: (10) “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

John 14: (21) “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” (23) “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. (24) He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.”

Luke 6: (46) “But why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say? (47) Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: (48) He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. (49) But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

Matthew 7: (21) “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (22) Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ (23) And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Mark 7:(5) He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honours Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. (7) And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ (8) For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men…(9) …all too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition…(13) …making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.”

Matthew 4: (4) “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 5: (17) “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. (18) For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. (19) Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 12: (50) “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

1 John 2: (2) Now by this we know that we know him, if we keep His commandments. (4) He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (5) But whoever keeps his word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. (6) He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

1 John 3: (1) Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! (16) By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (18) My little children, let us not love in word or tongue, but in deed and in truth. (19) And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. (22) …we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. (24) Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.”

1 John 5: (2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. (3) For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

2 John: (6) This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.

Matthew 22: (11) “…when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. (12) So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. (13) Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (14) For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Matthew 24: (3)“…what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (4) And Jesus answered and said to them, “Take heed that no one deceives you. (5) For many will come in My name, saying I am the Christ, and will deceive many. (11) Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. (12) And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (13) But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Matthew 25: (1) “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (10) …and the door was shut. (11) Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ (12) But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you,’”

Luke 13: (23) Then one said to Him, “Lord are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, (24) “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and not be able. (25) When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ (26) then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ (27) But he will say, I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ (28) There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast out.”

Luke 21: (34) “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. (35) For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. (36) Watch therefore, and pray always that you may counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

John 8: (51) “Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

Proverbs 4: (3) For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake My law…(4) …keep My commandments and live. (5) Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of My mouth. (6) Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; love her and she will keep you.

Acts 10: (34) Then Peter opened his mouth and said, “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. (35) But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.”

1 Corinthians 4: (1) Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. (2) Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

2 Thessalonians 1: (7)…when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, (8) in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

James 1: (22) But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James 2: (10) For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

James 2: (20) …faith without works is dead. (21) Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? (22) Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? (24) You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. (26) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Revelation 1: (2) Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Revelation 12: (17) And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 14: (8) Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or in his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God. (12) Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 13: (4) Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Prove yourselves.

1 Timothy 4: (1) Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons…

2 Peter 2: (1) But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. (2) And many will follow their destructive ways, because of the way truth will be blasphemed.
A Call to Allegiance and Obedience
and a Call to Evangelize Others

Repeatedly through Scripture, Jesus Christ himself points to a simple, fundamental and vital aspect of our relationship with Him:

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

He further mandates that we observe “all” things He has commanded and that we teach others to do so also:

“Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you…”
Matthew 28:19-20

In today’s world of confused Christianity, many represent that all God wants is for us “to accept Jesus” – requiring mere lip service. Even in Paul’s day there were false ministers who were misrepresenting the genuine teachings of Christ. In the book of Luke Christ questions why one would call Him Lord and not obey Him. James warns about empty, vain faith, stating that even the demons believe and that faith without works is dead.

An added challenge is that many Christians today are like the Jews of Jesus’ day – believing in Him, but not obeying, lest they be put out of their churches – for they love the praise and favour of men more than the praise of God.

In being allegiant, in being faithful, diligent and discerning in obedience to Jesus Christ, we need to seek after Scriptural truth to know we are really being obedient to Christ and not to errors of tradition, apostasy or counterfeits of the devil.

May the Scriptures and the counsel described herein incite and support you to do the following:

1. Make a personal commitment to Jesus Christ to be fully and complete allegiant to Him as your Lord (not only accepting His gift of salvation as your Saviour)
2. Continue to search the Scriptures to discover more of God’s truth and how it can give you added blessings and protection for your life
3. As you so search the Scriptures diligently, if you find areas where God is calling you to be obedient (perhaps in one or more areas which you’ve overlooked so far in your Christian experience), make a personal commitment to be fully obedient to all His commands
4.  As you study, as you learn and as you grow in your “allegiance”, share this vital knowledge, experience and blessing with others you know and come in contact with (odds are that nine out of ten Christians you know aren’t aware of these important facts). For some of them, it will make an eternal difference

Stand therefore, having girded your waste with truth,
having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able
to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
And take the helmet of salvation, and
the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…
Ephesians 6:14-17

A Christian cannot be truly allegiant to Christ
without striving to be totally obedient to Him.
Braden Caldwell

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For more information on BibleDiscovery.ca, please contact Braden Caldwell at (phone) 416-804-6213 or (email) bradencaldwell777@gmail.com

Copyright © 2010 Braden Caldwell