Disclaimer: I don’t speak for any sect. These are my observations.
Paul describes faith in two distinct ways:
- Faith as belief, resulting in forensic justification
- Faith as persistence in right living that arises OUT OF confidence in God’s promises
In Romans 1, Paul sets forth his thesis that the Torah does not legislate a person into right conduct, but faith, which works by love, gives rise to love, which fulfills all that the LORD wants from his children:
[Romans 1:17 NASB20] (17) For in it [the] righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS [ONE] WILL LIVE BY FAITH."
Paul also uses the word “righteousness” in two ways:
- forensic justification
- producing good fruit in one’s life
In Romans 7 we see Paul describing the futility of legislating a life pleasing to God through law because the body has a mind of its own, which has no motivation or inclination to obey the law. A slave does not love.
So when you read Paul, it is necessary to investigate if he’s talking about belief that leads to justification or to confident trust in God that leads to loving devotion.
In these two passages it seems clear that Paul is speaking of forensic justification, since God “credits” or “accounts” or “reckons” Abram’s embrace of the LORD’s promise concerning his seed, springing from a 100 year old man:
[Romans 4:3 NASB20] (3) For what does the Scripture say? "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS."
[Galatians 3:6 NASB20] (6) Just as Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
But Paul says that what arises OUT of faith is a corresponding life of obedience and pleasing behavior. “Out of faith, into faith.”
[Romans 1:16-17 NASB20] (16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (17) For in it [the] righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS [ONE] WILL LIVE BY FAITH."
James says the same:
[James 2:14-26 NASB20] (14) What use is it, my brothers [and sisters,] if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? (15) If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, (16) and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," yet you do not give them what is necessary for [their] body, what use is that? (17) In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, [being] by itself. (18) But someone may [well] say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (19) You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. (20) But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless? (21) Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? (22) You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; (23) and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called a friend of God. (24) You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. (25) In the same way, was Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? (26) For just as the body without [the] spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
James and Paul agree:
[Romans 4:16-22 NASB20] (16) For this reason [it is] by faith, in order that [it may be] in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (17) (as it is written: "I HAVE MADE YOU A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS") in the presence of Him whom he believed, [that is,] God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that do not exist. (18) In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, "SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE." (19) Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now [as good as] dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; (20) yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, (21) and being fully assured that what [God] had promised, He was able also to perform. (22) Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
The Torah cannot do this because it is not emergent from faith:
[Galatians 3:1-14 NASB20] (1) You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed [as] crucified? (2) This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? (3) Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (4) Did you suffer so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain? (5) So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? (6) Just as Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. (7) Therefore, recognize that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. (8) The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, [saying,] "ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU." (9) So then, those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (10) For all who are of works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written: "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THE THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO DO THEM." (11) Now, that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "THE RIGHTEOUS ONE WILL LIVE BY FAITH." (12) However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "THE PERSON WHO PERFORMS THEM WILL LIVE BY THEM." (13) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written: "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"-- (14) in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
So to answer the original question, as I read it, there are two distinct conceptions of “faith” being discussed. One is the source of the other. One involves “being persuaded” that “God is and is the Rewarder of them the diligently seek Him” and the other is the faithful behavior that emerges from the persuasion.
ONLY the persuasion affects justification. But the reality of the persuasion is in the fruit it produces:
[Matthew 7:17-18 NASB20] (17) "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. (18) "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Faith operates by love. Love springs from faith. Faithfulness springs from faith. Obedience is a living faith breathing.
But don’t let any of this discourage you. Your job is to cling to Christ in faith and thus love and the fruit will take care of itself. Focus on trusting and you will be fruitful:
[John 15:5 NASB20] (5) "I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
In other words, safety is in knowing that everything that God wants from you is found in your refusing to attempt to offer God your works of flesh and insisting to trust only in the operation of God within you.
[Philippians 3:1-10 NKJV] (1) Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you [is] not tedious, but for you [it is] safe. (2) Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! (3) For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, (4) though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: (5) circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; (6) concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. (7) But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. (8) Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ (9) and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which [is] from the law, but that which [is] through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; (10) that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
I don’t want to suggest this is something I’ve mastered, but it is the general way I understand the complex and confusing writings of Paul.
[2 Peter 3:16 NKJV] (16) as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable [people] twist to their own destruction, as [they do] also the rest of the Scriptures.