Should Christians “Do” Right or “Believe” Right?

If you want to stir the pot, religiously, write or speak on some particular issue. While there will be some who very thoughtfully share their studies about Biblical context or historical settings, there will be others who always respond with something along these lines: “We shouldn’t be worried about [insert issue here]. We should be out living our faith.”

I could not agree more with the final part of that sentiment. Here is the problem, though: the “living” that so many talk about is only drawing people to part of the Gospel, and not to the fullness of belief in Scripture.

We cannot reach people with just part of the Bible. We must live out the Gospel in fullness, and teach people its fullness, too.

For example, people want to tell us that Jesus was near to the brokenhearted, the outcasts, and sinners. That is as true as can be. However, they fail to mention that the Lord also spoke to such issues as the necessity of baptism and the one church He would build. He did not reach people and then say, “Now, just go on your merry way, living however you want to live.” Instead, the Lord would tell people, “Go and sin no more.”

Paul ended virtually every letter he wrote with a string of ways to “live out” our faith (e.g., “Pray without ceasing”) that are usually quite easy to share with others, especially when lifted from the context of the letter. You see, he nearly always began each letter with a deeply theological and faith-building section that needed to be inculcated into the mind of the Christian. (If you want probably the deepest example of this, spend some serious time in the book of Colossians.)

You see, it is not about just “believing” or just “doing.”

I must believe right and do right.

And I will not do all the “right” I can until I believe right.

When I come to believe what Scripture says, for example, about how every person is my neighbor, I will do what I can to reach each person with the love and compassion of Christ. I will try to help the poor, touch the untouchable, and do so many other things that many people say the Church is woefully short on.

But, when I come to believe what Scripture says, for example, about the necessity of baptism, I will also do right in defending the faith and speaking the truth in love about such issues.

Yes, I know there are countless lost souls out there who need to know the love and mercy and grace of God. So, I believe Him and strive to reach out to them through compassion.

But we must also know those same lost souls cannot be partially saved, so we must reach out to them with the fullness of Scripture, not just with the parts we think are palatable and easy.

Jesus both taught and did (Acts 1:1). Why would be not follow His example?

Let’s believe all that is right, and do all the right we can.

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