FAITH
AND GOOD DEEDS

… faith without deeds is dead.

The Bible, James 2:26

Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again – until you can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other.

William Booth

The saints of God are sealed inwardly with faith, but outwardly with good works.

John Boys

While it is faith alone that justifies, the faith that justifies is never alone.

John Calvin

As the apple is not the cause of the apple tree, but a fruit of it: even so good works are not the cause of our salvation, but a sign and a fruit of the same.

Daniel Cawdray

Faith justifies the person, and works justify his faith.

Elisha Coles

The works of faith involve doing all that is commanded in Scripture. That is why the Mosaic law is a “law of faith” (Rom. 3:27; cf. 9:31f.) … Every command in the Bible should be understood as specifying an obedience which is inspired from knowing that God has promised to be one’s God.

Daniel Fuller

We must take care lest, by exalting the merit of faith, without adding any distinction or explanation, we furnish people with a pretext for relaxing in the practice of good works.

Ignatius of Loyola

When we have taught faith in Christ, then do we teach also good works. Because thou hast laid hold upon Christ by faith, through whom thou art made righteous, begin now to work well. Love God and thy neighbor, call upon God, give thanks unto him, praise him, confess him. Do good to thy neighbor and serve him; fulfill thine office. These are good works indeed, which flow out of this faith.

Martin Luther

If faith produce no works, I see

That faith is not a living tree.

Thus faith and works together grow,

No separate life they never can know.

They’re soul and body, hand and heart,

What God hath joined, let no man part.

Hannah More

We admit no faith to be justifying, which is not itself and in its own nature a spiritually vital principle of obedience and good works.

John Owen

No amount of good deeds can make us good persons. We must be good before we can do good.

Chester A. Pennington

We have to beware of magnifying faith and knowledge at the expense of love. For saving faith and serving love belong together. Whenever one is absent, so is the other.

John R.W. Stott

Faith is full of good works. It believes as if it did not work, and it works as if it did not believe.

Thomas Watson

As the flower is before the fruit, so is faith before good works.

Richard Whatley

Faith is the root of works. A root that produces nothing is dead.

Thomas Wilson