Does faith produce works or do works produce faith?

Answer 1

Yes. Basically it is all about the person. A person that wants to have more faith or stronger faith can start by obeying the commandments, IOW doing faithful works...by doing this...their faith can grow and strengthen.


On the flip side...Faith can compel a person into doing works they may not have thought of before. Works to help and direct others towards God.

So, it can work both ways.

Answer 2

One can work good works for the wrong reason, thus works do not necessarily produce faith. Faith, being an active word, necessitates that the faithful person act according to their faith else their faith is not actualized. Faith motivates us to move forward in good works when we can't see the end from the beginning. I do this because I know it is the right thing to do and I have faith that God will help me to accomplish it. So my vote is on faith, real faith, active faith, producing good works because faith without works is dead, being alone.

Answer 3

Well thats an interesting question. It depends on the point of view. Seeing works and miracles does not produce faith. Faith will produce works, by yourself and by God. But exercising faith in God will bring you to do good works, which will increase your faith.

Answer 4

faith produces works

Answer 5

I think this is a generalized question, and it differs for each person to a varied extent. Although faith has been described as "believing with actions," sometimes faith more believing with the actions. And works is usually faith in action, sometimes you do something even though you're grumbling through it, or not really believing. Therefore, I think it depends on the person or even situation.

Answer 6

faith without works is dead
you can have faith and no works
works produce faith

Answer 7

Both.

When we make a decision for Christ we covenant to follow Him throughout our lives, to live as He would have us live and to be good and loving and kind, etc. The Holy Spirit works within us to help us desire good and shun evil.

Also, living certain principles helps us to have faith. For example, we may not have faith that fasting gives us spiritual strength, or that tithing brings material blessings, but if we choose to do these things anyway (i.e., works) then we often discover the rewards that they bring. We gain a testimony (faith) of these principles.

Answer 8

Both. To properly answer questions concerning salvation, we must first define the terms. Catholics and our separated brethren have different definitions for the words we commonly use.

Salvation. Catholics use this term to refer to the whole process, from its beginning in faith, through the whole Christian life of works in love on earth, to its completion in heaven. To our separated brethren this term means the initial step--climbing aboard the ark of salvation--not the entire journey to the final destination. As you can see, the Catholic has a much broader meaning for the term "salvation" or "saved" while our non-Catholic brethren have a much smaller view.

Faith. To the Catholic, this is one of the three theological virtues [faith, hope and charity (love)]; faith is intellectual belief. To our separated brethren it is accepting Jesus with your whole heart and soul. In this case it is the Catholic who has the much smaller view while our non-Catholic brethren use it in a much broader sense.
With these definitions in mind, if someone asks me "Have you been saved?" my answer is "Yes, by the grace of God." This will answer the question from the point of view of the non-Catholic who asked it.

A more correct answer, from the Catholic perspective would be "I have been saved from the penalty of sin by Jesus' death and resurrection, I am being saved from the power of sin by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and I will one day be saved from the presence of sin when I go to be with the Lord."

Answer 9

Gal:3:5: He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?


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Answer 10

Neither, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Rom.10:17