Seed and Tree

A few days ago I ended up having a lengthy discussion with a man who just recently started attending Junction122, a local ministry for young adults and college students. The man is what I would describe s a charismatic catholic, and we ended up talking through some of the differences in our beliefs. One thing which particularly struck me was his horror at the idea that God would save people “by faith alone.” Now, this is a topic which many scholars and philosophers who are much wiser and more learned than I have debated long and hard and much more forcefully than I ever could, so I will not here attempt to explicate the verses that have been used to support the concept of “faith alone” or the many logical arguments that have been made. I will leave that up to those who are wiser than I. Instead, my hope is to lay out an image that came to my mind an evening or two ago that I hope will bring a bit of light into the minds of those who’s brains, like mine, thrive on imagery and story.

The problem that this young catholic had with the concept of salvation through faith alone was the obvious struggle that, if we are saved by faith alone, then people will not do any of the good works that we are commanded to do throughout scripture. Faith alone creates people who abuse the grace of God by living like devils and receiving God’s abundant grace through their “faith”. This is most certainly a valid problem to be addressed, and is one that is even addressed by Paul in the book of Romans (by all means, stop reading this and go look it up!). However, as valid as a worry that faith causes abuse of grace, I believe it is founded upon a misunderstanding of God’s grace and how faith works.

Christ says that one who has faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. He also calls Himself the vine and says that anyone who abides in Him will bear much fruit, and also that anyone who is not in Him will perish. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3 that God is the one who causes growth. I’m going to take those images, as well as a few other related ones, and run with them.

Picture faith as a seed, and the human heart as soil. Now, the first thing to note is that soil does not naturally have seeds in and of itself. This can be seen in the same passage in 1 Corinthians when Paul says that he is the one who planted. So, from the very beginning it is not a work of the person themselves to even have faith. And what is the purpose of a seed being planted? Is it not for that seed to grow into a plant and bear the fruit natural to its kind? Any seed, if it is a good seed, will grow as it is watered and cared for. Only a worthless, false seed will fail to grow into a plant, and a plant that has grown up will not fail to produce fruit so long as it continues to grow and be watered and cared for.

Faith alone is not a way of allowing humans to abuse God’s grace and cast shadow on His glory. Far from it! Faith alone, in Christ alone, can be that seed that is planted to grow and bear much fruit unto God, provided that the faith stays true and continues in Christ. (Colossians 1:23) No other seed can bear such fruit, for no other can be watered by the Spirit and Word of God or be cultivated willingly by God’s hand. Certainly, other seeds will grow in the soil of the human soul, but none except for the seed of faith can grow in a way that is pleasing to God. No other will thrive in his presence and offer up the sweet aroma of incense to Him.

So, for those of you who push back against the idea of “faith alone,” I pray, trust God to be the one who causes the growth of those who he allows to be planted. If no fruit is borne, the seed that was planted was a false one. Trust the sovereign God to cause those who place their trust in Him to be who He desires them to be. And for those of you who whole-heartedly embrace the concept of that single, glorious way of salvation that is found through faith, seek with all your might to be the seed that grows into a mighty tree that bears fruit that is pleasing to its master. There is no sweeter thing. Lastly, for those of you who stand outside the very idea of salvation and faith and the love of God, I pray, enter in and taste the sweetness of the fruit that is borne by those who are God’s people. Taste and see that the Lord is good, and that there is no other.