Faith as a Lens, not a Work

There's a common struggle in the modern Church about how exactly faith, grace, and salvation connect. Many see faith as a necessary action—something we must do—to receive God's salvation. Others rightly emphasize salvation as God's sovereign and unearned gift, but then wrestle with where human responsibility fits in. I want to suggest a simpler, clearer way of understanding this relationship.

First, let's set aside human perspectives and ask ourselves: does our faith alter God's actions? If Scripture never mentioned faith, would God's eternal decree of salvation through Jesus Christ change at all? Clearly, it would not. God established His redemptive plan long before any human being expressed faith or repentance. Ephesians 1:4 affirms that we were chosen in Christ “before the foundation of the world.” Thus, our faith does not cause, change, or complete God's action; God's action stands complete on its own.

So then, what role does faith actually play?

Faith, I propose, is not a “thing” we generate or perform, nor is it a work we accomplish to earn God's favor. Instead, faith is a lens—given to us graciously by God—that allows us to perceive and embrace the eternal realities of His grace and salvation. Hebrews 11:1 beautifully illustrates this idea: “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith is the way we understand what God has already done, a spiritual eyesight enabling us to comprehend truths beyond our natural grasp.

If we view faith as this lens rather than as a work, a new clarity emerges:

God's grace is eternally secure and completely independent of human action or comprehension.

Our faith is simply the means by which we recognize, embrace, and experience personally what God has already accomplished.

This perspective relieves us from the anxiety of trying to “earn” salvation or feeling that God's actions depend on us. Instead, it invites us into humble gratitude, realizing that even the faith we have is itself a gracious gift (Ephesians 2:8).

Practically speaking, seeing faith as a lens frees us to trust God's promises without the pressure to fully comprehend every aspect of His work. God's grace remains sufficient and constant, both now and forever, independent of our limitations or successes.

In summary, let's embrace this simpler, more biblical way of viewing faith and grace. God's actions are eternal, unconditional, and complete. Our faith is simply the means by which we recognize, cherish, and rest in His timeless gift—experiencing in our everyday lives the peace and assurance that comes from knowing His grace is always enough.