We often use words like “faith” and “belief” interchangeably, assuming we understand their full meaning. But what if there’s more to faith than we realize? What if our understanding is incomplete, even if we’ve been in church our whole lives?

This post dives into the rich meaning of faith, drawing insights from the Apostle Paul’s letters to the Galatians and Romans, and a book titled 15 New Testament Words of Life by Dr. Nijay Gupta.

Galatians and Romans: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Paul’s letters to the Galatians and Romans are foundational texts that explore similar themes, particularly the concept of faith. Interestingly, while Romans is much longer (16 chapters to Galatians' 6), Galatians was written first. Think of Galatians as the “seed” from which the more thoroughly developed arguments in Romans grew. If you read them sequentially, you can see how Paul built upon his initial thoughts in Galatians.

Though Romans is lengthy, it’s surprisingly concise. The entire letter fits on the front and back of a standard newspaper page – a quick read for people in ancient times! Romans was addressed to the multiple churches in the vast city of Rome, while Galatians was written to a single church in the province of Galatia.

The Problem in Galatia: The Judaizers

The church in Galatia faced a significant challenge from a group Paul controversially called “Judaizers.” These individuals, who were Jewish Christians, taught that Gentile believers needed to be circumcised to be truly right with God. In their view, faith in Jesus wasn’t enough; adherence to the Old Testament law, specifically circumcision, was also required for salvation.

This teaching enraged Paul. He vehemently opposed the idea that anything could be added to faith in Christ for salvation. In Galatians 5, he declares:

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (Galatians 5:1-6 NIV)

This statement – “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” – is arguably the thesis statement for all of Paul’s theology.

Faith vs. Belief: A Crucial Distinction

Many of us equate faith and belief. “I believe in God” sounds the same as “I have faith in God.” However, the Scriptures present a crucial distinction. As James (often thought to be at odds with Paul, but in truth, complementing him) says, “You believe that there is one God? Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” (James 2:19 NIV)

This tells us that mere intellectual assent or acknowledgment of God’s existence isn’t enough. The difference, I believe, lies in trust. Faith, in its biblical sense, is an act of trust.

Consider the famous story of the tightrope walker at Niagara Falls. After performing incredible feats, he asks the crowd, “Do you believe I can carry someone across?” They all shout, “Yes!” Then he asks, “Who will get on my shoulders?” The laughter that ensues reveals the gap: they believed he could do it, but they didn’t trust him enough to act on that belief. (Eventually, someone did, and he carried them across!) This illustrates the difference: belief is intellectual, while faith involves active trust.

God’s Faithfulness: The Foundation of Our Faith

Interestingly, in the Old Testament, you don’t see as much overt teaching about humanity’s need for faith. Instead, you see abundant examples of God’s faithfulness. The emphasis is on God’s unwavering commitment to His covenant promises and His people.

In the New Testament, however, particularly with Paul, the call for our faith is overwhelming. Why the shift in focus?

In the ancient world, people widely believed in deities. The question wasn’t if you believed in a god, but which god you would trust. In the New Testament era, many were expected to place their trust in the Roman Emperor or the power of Rome itself. For the Jewish people, the temptation was to trust in their adherence to the Law, their lineage, or outward religious practices like circumcision.

Paul argues against trusting in “the flesh” – human effort, religious rituals, or any external display. He reminds us that all human attempts to earn righteousness fall short, as Romans states: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 NIV).

There is only one in whom we can truly trust: Christ. We can have faith in Him because He is God, and He has proven Himself perfectly faithful. His life, death, and resurrection demonstrate His unwavering commitment to His promises. The empty tomb is the ultimate proof of His faithfulness.

Faith Expressing Itself Through Love

This understanding of faith as trusting in Christ’s faithfulness changes everything. It means that our salvation isn’t based on what we do for God, but on what Christ has already done for us.

This is why Paul says circumcision or uncircumcision has no value. These are external actions, just as, if Paul were writing today, he might say:

  • Church attendance doesn’t count for anything.
  • Reading your Bible doesn’t count for anything.
  • The number of prayers you pray doesn’t count for anything.
  • How much you tithe doesn’t count for anything.
  • What you wear to church doesn’t count for anything.

None of these external actions, in themselves, count toward our righteousness. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

These actions – church attendance, Bible reading, prayer, giving, serving – are not ways to earn God’s favor. Instead, they are the natural expressions of our faith through love. Because we trust in Christ, and because His love now pours out of us, we respond by worshipping, serving, and caring for others. We do these things not to gain something, but because they are the overflow of a heart transformed by faith in Christ. This is exactly what James means when he says, “I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18 NIV). Our works don’t save us; they demonstrate our saving faith.

What or Whom Are You Trusting In?

This week, I encourage you to wrestle with this question: What or whom are you trusting in?

Are you, like the Galatians, trusting in some outward action or personal effort to please God or feel saved? Or are you trusting in the unwavering faithfulness of Christ – in the perfect life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection of Jesus?

Remember Paul’s words: “For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

A Prayer for Trust

Heavenly Father, we thank You that we do not need to earn our way to heaven. We thank You that Christ was perfectly faithful, and because He was faithful, we can trust Him. We can indeed have faith in His faithfulness. So, Father, I pray that we would trust in no other thing, that we would trust in no other person, but that we would trust in Christ alone. Help us to understand what it means when Paul says, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Amen.

What resonated with you most in this reflection on faith and trust? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The audio of the message: Whispers of Grace - Faith (Galatians and Romans)