By faith we are saved,
But by our fruit we prove that
We’re what we claim to be.
For we cannot be light
If we hide from the world
That is dying in darkness.
By faith we are saved,
But by our light we are known.
By faith we are saved,
But by our fruit we prove that
We’re what we claim to be.
For we cannot be salt
If we lose the taste of love
That this world’s dying for.
By faith we are saved,
But by our salt we are known.
By faith we are saved,
And with hope we endure.
But with love we are everything
God wants us to be.
About This Song:
I dedicated this song to the memory of Mrs. Ed Weldon. Mr. Weldon was my junior college choir director.
I can still remember singing it at the First Baptist Church of Cumberland, Maryland, when I discovered it wasn’t as easy to do publicly as it was in my music room at home.
The Scripture basis is Matthew 5:13-14. . .
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
(NIV)
Yet it also hints of ideas in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. . .
1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
(NIV)
And perhaps a sprinkling of Mark 9:50. . .
50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”
(NIV)
While this song doesn’t specifically refer to James 2:14-17, I certainly had that in mind when writing “By Faith We Are Saved”. . .
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
(NIV)
Faith is a good thing. Right?
Faith in God. Faith in our family and friends. Faith in our neighbors. Faith in ourselves.
Yet our neighbors–and even our closest family and friends–occasionally let us down. Just as we let them down.
But God never lets us down. He may not always do things the way we want–He has a perspective and a purpose we lack–but He is faithful. Always. Every time. Under all circumstances.
It’s reassuring to know that our relationship with God results from our faith in Him through accepting His Son, Jesus, as our Lord and Savior.
But as the Scriptures this song is based on emphasize, faith ought to result in “works”–doing the things God expects of us. This post would be endless if I tried to quote the appropriate verses.
Suffice it to say that God expects us to be salt and light to the world. If we demonstrate real Christian love to those about us, we will bear the kind of fruit that shows the world that our faith–and the God our faith is in–is real.
Here’s the lead sheet for “By Faith We Are Saved. And an old recording is here.
I’ll be back again next Wednesday. Please join me then. Better still, sign up to receive these weekly posts by email.
Just a reminder that I don’t just write songs. I write Christian novels. MATCHMAKER PAYBACK is the most recent release. All of my books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle editions.
Best regards,
Roger
Links you might be interested in:
As I Come Singing. . . 