Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)

The blessings of God do not flow from an isolated, theological "faith," but accompany the righteousness that proceeds from an obedient, transforming faith—a faith that lays hold upon God and walks in His Presence constantly; a faith that always looks up to God in hope and trust concerning every aspect of personality and actions.

Faith that does not produce righteous behavior is dead. Righteous works are the life of faith and reveal the existence of faith. Faith apart from holiness and works of righteousness merely is mental assent to theological statements, not materially different from the knowledge the demons have.

The scribes and Pharisees were thoroughly versed in the Scriptures. One might say that they had faith in the written Word of God. However, we know from what Jesus said that they were robbers of widows; that they strained out gnats and swallowed camels.

In addition, they murdered their own Messiah.

However, true faith seeks God with a sincere heart and is persuaded of His faithfulness. This was not true of those whom Jesus addressed, although they would have died rather than deny the Law of Moses. Jesus told them Satan, not God, was their father.

We understand, therefore, that belief in theological facts of itself, belief that does not result in genuinely righteous, holy behavior, is nothing more than a babylonish Christ-murdering religion.

The God of Heaven is not nearly as interested in the facts we hold in our mind as He is the faithfulness and purity found in our heart.

The Scriptures inform us that God blessed Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Daniel on the basis of their faith. Would God have blessed Enoch if he were a liar and a thief? Would God have blessed Noah if he were living in adultery? God did not comment on Noah's faith; He took note of his righteousness (Genesis 7:1). Did Abraham oppress the poor and needy? Was Daniel a gossip? Yet these are the heroes of "faith," of Hebrews, Chapter 11. If they had been unrighteous men they could not have been known for their faith.

The Apostle Paul gave to us the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith. How long would Paul have walked with God if he were a cheat, a liar, a man who took bribes, a fornicator, a covetous, drunken sorcerer? Paul's destiny would be outer darkness rather than a crown of life no matter how much he professed faith in Christ. He would have disqualified himself from eternal life.

"They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God," stated the Apostle Paul (Galatians 5:21).

Judgment always begins with the household of God. Let us judge our own behavior to make certain "that we lose not those things that we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward" (II John 8). (from Judgment Begins With the Household of God)