Accept those whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. Some consider one day more sacred than another; others consider every day alike. Everyone should be fully convinced in their own mind. Those who regard one day as special do so to the Lord. Those who eat meat do so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and those who abstain do so to the Lord and give thanks to God. For we do not live to ourselves alone and we do not die to ourselves alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat your brother or sister with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.” So then, we will all give an account of ourselves to God.

—Romans 1, 5-12 (TNIV)

This section of Paul’s letter to the Romans was likely written to the Jewish Christians at the church of Rome who had not quite been able to shake off old customs and habits and accept fully their freedom in Christ. Paul calls them weak in faith. Note that he does not admonish them as much as he reminds everyone to bear with one another over things that are not essential to the faith, i.e., “disputable matters.”

He tells the “weak” Christians not to judge the “strong” and the “strong” Christians not to hold the “weak” in contempt. Do you see the humble mindset here? Do you see Paul’s belief in who Jesus is come through? He reminds us that we are not to judge, that is God’s right alone, and each one of us will have to give an account of ourselves to God.

Are you putting into practice that which Paul admonishes you to do? If all members of Christ’s Body, the Church practiced this one thing, it would literally turn heads and attract great attention.

So is this last verse on having to give an account to God an example of a faith/works dichotomy? Not at all. We will indeed give an account to God for our works and it will be well for us if our works flow from our faith. Because we understand that God has acted on our behalf in Christ to save us from eternal death and separation from him, we will act humbly and not haughtily (like refraining from being judgmental of our brothers and sisters in Christ). We will not rely on ritual or anything else other than Christ, and our behaviors will reflect that faith. We will act like we really have been saved by the blood of the Lamb and our actions will reflect and imitate the Lord who loves us and gave himself for us. God will see that reflected in our actions and we will surely hear the blessed words, “Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into the reward that was prepared for you by the blood of the Lamb. You have indeed acted like you believed it!”

God comes like the sun in the morning—when it is time. We must assume and attitude of waiting, accepting the fact that we are creatures and not creator. We must do this because it is not our right to do anything else; the initiative is God’s not ours. We are able to initiate nothing; we are able only to accept. If God does not call, no calling takes place. If God does not come, there is not history! History is the come of God to us, and the way in which we reply. Only God created the heavens and the earth; only God can create history. We carry it out through our response, but the inspiration, the design, and the strength to carry it out come from him. In short, he is what creates, and we creatures are in an act of becoming.

—Carlo Carretto, The God Who Comes

In Carretto’s piece above we see faith manifesting itself in humility. Carretto acknowledges that God is creator and he is creature. A whole set of behaviors must perforce ensue. We would not expect to see someone with this mindset acting arrogantly or presumptuously. We would expect to see a robust prayer life because the creature needs to get his marching orders from the Creator. Faith always manifests itself in works.

And Friends, though you may have tasted of the power and been convinced and have felt the light [of God], yet afterwards you may feel winter storms, tempests, and hail, and be frozen, in frost and cold and a wilderness and temptations. Be patient and still in the power and still in the light that doth convince you, to keep your minds to God; in that be quiet, that you may come to the summer, that your flight be not in the winter. For by the power and by the light you will come to see through and feel over winter storms, tempests, and all coldness, barrenness, emptyness. And the same light and power will gove over the tempter’s head. In power and light you will see God revealing his secrets, inspiring, and his gifts coming unto you, through which your hearts will be filled with God’s love.

—George Fox, Journal

Here we see another example of faith manifesting itself in action, this time in the form of patience and perseverance in prayer during our dark nights of the soul or what Fox refers to as “winter storms.” Why pray and persevere in it if you do not believe in its efficacy or in God’s power or willingness to act? Faith always manifests itself in works.

I call to you, O Lord, from my quiet darkness. Show me your mercy and love. Let me see your face, hear your voice, touch the hem of your cloak. I want to love you, be with you, speak to you and simply stand in your presence. But I cannot make it happen. Pressing my eyes against my hands is not praying, and reading about your presence is not living in it. But there is a moment in which you will come to me, as you did to your fearful disciples, and say, “Do not be afraid; it is I.” Let that moment come soon, O Lord. And if you want to delay it, then make me patient.

—Henri Nouwen, A Cry for Mercy

Those whose intention God foreknew he predestined from the beginning. Those who are predestined, he called, and those who were called, he justified by baptism. Let no one say that God’s foreknowledge was the unilateral cause of these things. For it was not foreknowledge which justified people, but God knew what would happen to them, because he is God.

—Interpretation of the Letter to the Romans

God only predestined those whom he know would believe and follow the call. Paul refers to them as the “elect.” For many do not come, even though they have been called, but no one comes who has not been called.

—Augustine on Romans 55

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken

Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou, from hence, my all shalt be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I’ve sought or hoped or known;
Yet how rich is my condition:
God and heaven are still my own!

Let the world despise and leave me;
They have left my Savior too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me;
Thou art not, like those, untrue.
And, while thou shalt smile upon me,
God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate, and friends may shun me;
Show thy face, and all is bright.

Haste thee on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith and winged by prayer;
Heaven’s eternal day’s before thee,
God’s own hand shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mansion;
Swift shall pass thy pilgrim days;
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

—Henry F. Lyte