There is no experience that compares to coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. If we truly understand the gravity of our sin and the magnificence of God's grace, we should be driven to live a life that publicly declares our faith. But sometimes public declarations can be worn as meaningless words and that kind of life is one that does not bear fruit.
Nowadays, Christianity has become more than just a belief. In many cultures and places, it has turned into a religion, a tradition, a brand even, and sometimes these outward expressions of faith in God don't really go into the hearts of some so-called "Christians." Many people have put plenty of emphasis on outward and public expressions such as baptism, communion, going to church, speaking the language and giving to the poor, but not too much on the conditions of the heart.
Romans 10:9-10 tells us, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." This verse has been misunderstood by people saying that public declaration and external expressions are what save us. Sadly, many people have been blinded by the idea that living in good works and practicing sacraments are what save the human soul.
We must however not misinterpret such scriptures as proof that we are saved by our own works. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." What saves us is faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ and in the grace of God that sanctifies and justifies the soul.
So what role do good works play in our daily living? It's not so much that good works and public declarations are requirements to salvation, but simply products of faith-based redemption. When we truly put our hope and trust in Jesus for the reconciliation of our Spirits to God, we will live a life that exemplifies Christ to the extent that we can and slowly and progressively growing in good works.
Don't get me wrong, good works are important. That's why James 4:17 declares, "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." What James refers to here is the public declaration of faith. If we live exclaiming to everyone that we're Christians, but our actions do not in any way back up our claims, it comes to show that our public declarations mean nothing to us. A life lived by faith will naturally manifest itself in new life.
That's why 2 Corinthians 5:17 can confidently declare, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." To live a public declaration of Christ without a transformation from the inside means nothing. But when we are in Christ, our heart's desire, the testimony of our lips and the contents of our souls are made new, resulting in a life that publicly declares faith.
