" When someone claims to have faith, what they may have is intellectual assent-agreement with a set Christian teachings-and as such it would be incomplete faith. True faith transforms our conduct as well as our thoughts. If our life remains unchanged, we don't truly believe the truths we claim to believe. James says that Abraham was "shown to be right with God' for what he did because he believed God (Romans 4:1-5 NSRV). James and Paul are not contradicting but complementing each other. Let's not conclude that the truth is a blending of these two statements. We are not justified by what we do in any way. True faith always results in good deeds, but the good deeds do not justify us. Faith brings us salvation; active obedience demonstrates that our faith is genuine. It is our personal responsibility to learn how to live our faith each day. .
If we say we are Christians we should renew our thinking. Romans 12:2 (NSRV)states, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what the will of God- what is is good and acceptable and perfect." Joyce Myers is a female pastor of a mega church out of St. Louis. She is always preaching on the renewing of your mind. In her book, "Battlefield of the Mind" she primarily focus on the renewing of the Christian mind. "Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." She also teaches that it is possible to avoid worldly sin and still be selfish, stubborn, proud and arrogant. It is only when the Holy Spirit renews, reeducates, and redirects our mind are we truly transformed. Romans 8:5 says, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit." Changing the way we think from the world to a Christian thinking pattern is not impossible if we die to our sin.
